Field Trip: Seaweed Foraging at Pescadero Point Beach

Where: Pescadero Point Beach
When: All year, when tides are low.
Who: All ages
Cost: Varies, ~$10/child for a group of 10-15

This field trip was definitely off the beaten path! For starters, it took place at Pescadero Point Beach - although you can search for it on the map, it's easy to zoom by because it doesn't have a designated parking lot like other beaches in the area. When we got there, we were greeted by the verdant blue skies and a rocky beach to ourselves, much to the children's delight.

Our guide was Ian O'Hollaren, owner of Seaquoia, a seaweed foraging company. Ian has a deep love for the ocean and sustainability, and enjoys educating others about the wonders to be found along the coast. He started by reassuring us that there are no poisonous seaweeds, and that the waters along our section of the coast (Northern California) are clean enough that any seaweed we foraged would be safe for consumption. His company periodically sends seaweed samples along Santa Cruz and San Mateo county for lab testing, hence he could speak with confidence.

The mindset of foraging is different from the modern, convenience driven mindset that most of us are used to. One walks with purpose, observing clues tied to the environment. Some seaweed are seasonal, others may perhaps be found year round but aren't good for harvesting based on texture. Nodules indicate new growth, to be left alone so the next generation can grow for the future. Perhaps because we needed to slow down, we started to notice more around us. Seaweed isn't a uniform color or size, within a rocky inlet there could be a variety of red and green seaweed nestled together.

As Ian found different types, he harvested a sample and cut it up with a clean knife so each of us could pick a sample without cross contamination. Some of us were already familiar with seaweed in our food, whether as nori sheets in sushi or seaweed soup, but we were still surprised by the variety of textures: chewy, nobbly, slick.. One variety that we regrettably didn't try was the bull kelp - the specimen we found had been out for the water for days, and would have been too tough.

For those who are interested in seaweed taxonomy, Ian recommends a book, "Seaweeds of the Pacific Coast" by Jennifer and Jeff Mondragon. He also harvested a bag of bladderwrack for each of us to bring home and most of us chose to make seaweed salad or soup for dinner, but his website also has other recipes.

After the foraging lesson, which took over an hour, some of us lingered on the beach checking out shallow tidepools (Ian schedules classes during low or negative tide). Walking slowly, we saw seastars, chiton and a variety of shells - so pretty when we stopped to focus but so easy to walk by and miss the opportunity of seeing its beauty. Hearing the cars speed by on Highway 1, we were filled with a sense of wonder that there was beauty everywhere we looked - from the far horizon where the blue sky met the ocean, to our feet where so much lay hidden. It truly reminded us of Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." Indeed!

Note: Seaweed harvesting is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife" - as of writing, one may harvest up to 10 lbs/day without a license. Having Ian's instruction, we felt confident about applying what we learned, and are thankful for instructors like him who can open up our sense of appreciation for the coast.