Ocean Currents Radio Program

The winds of spring are the drivers of our productive food web here on the California coast. Jennifer talks with Dr. John Largier, an Oceanographer with University of California, Bodega Marine Lab about the unseen forces that shape the marine ecosystem and weather on our coast. Learn about the new oceanographic buoy being installed at Cordell Bank.

Jennifer Stock talks with Andrew DeVogelaere Ph. D. of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary about the recent explorations taking place on Davidson Seamount off the Big Sur Coast. Also, hear about the upcoming Cordell Bank Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting and the guest speakers that will be presenting on the Sanctuary expansion bill and supporting west Marin and West Sonoma Heritage fishing communities.

Dr. Sarah Allen from Point Reyes National Seashore talks about the elephant seal breeding season in full action at Point Reyes National Seashore. Hear about their survival from being nearly extinct to their booming growth rates and their unique adaptations to living in the marine environment.

Aloha! Guest Andy Collins from the newly designated Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument talks about some of the healthiest and most extensive coral reef habitats in the world, and the small atolls and islets that they surround. Claire Johnson from NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary program also called in to highlight the recent research cruise she returned from.

Guests: Dan Howard and Maria Brown, Sanctuary Superintendents from Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries in California, discuss the draft Joint Management Plan while its open for public comment in 2006.

Put on your SCUBA gear, we're going diving, into the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Texas. 2007 marks the 15th anniversary of the northernmost coral reefs in the US. Perched atop salt domes 100 miles offshore of Texas, the Flower Gardens maintain an amazing array of healthy coral reefs, visited by sea turtles, whale sharks, and manta rays. Towards the end of the show, we'll be talking with the founder of the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival for an overview of the upcoming ocean film event.

Following her successful crossing of the Atlantic ocean in 2006, Roz Savage is bidding to be the first woman ever to row solo across the Pacific Ocean. Her 3-stage row launches from San Francisco in Summer 2007. Hear about her Atlantic crossing and her goals for the Pacific crossing in 2007. Later in the show, hear from Jim Farley about the Marin County Fair and the Aquatic Adventures theme that highlights the watershed and waters of Marin County.

The Living Ocean Initiative, was launched by Reverend Deborah Streeter, leader of "Upwellings" an environmental ministry. Deborah discusses the initiative and outcomes of the recent retreat held in Monterey that brought together scientists, clergy, and congregants to unite in discussion.

Then on the second half of the show, hear about a new film, Sharks: Stewards of the Reef, an educational film that explores the relationship between sharks to the oceans and coral reef ecosystems with guest Associate Producer David McGuire.

Love those Molas! also known as ocean sunfish! There are too many cool things to list about the oddly beloved ocean sunfish that frequent our sanctuary waters here in CA. They can reach lengths of 10 feet and up to 5000 lbs, eating jellyfish! This makes them the world's heaviest bony fish! Tune in to hear from National Geographic Emerging Explorer Dr. Tierney Thys to learn more about the mola and the latest of her research.

Lynne shares her stories and experiences from her long distance open water swimming experiences, including swims in the Bering Sea and Antarctica! Lynne is an open water/long distance swimmer and shares stories and tales from her book: Swimming to Antarctica, and most recently published in 2006, Grayson.