No Weight Belt: Subtidal Mendocino

Last Saturday, I went kayaking and snorkeling out from Van Damme State Beach in Mendocino County and headed north through the sea-caves, rock gardens, and water-alleys there.  The tide was low, though rising, and low enough that when I entered the water to take a few photos of the flora and fauna I realized I ought to leave my weight belt in the kayak.  The light swell and surge were carrying me quite close to the spines of the sea urchins along the rocks that lined the water-alley and even close to the spines along the bottom in the shallow sections.  As I did not have a place to park the kayak--no handy kelp to anchor to with any surety--I clipped the anchor line to my left bootie, and we floated, kayak and myself, at the surface with the surge and looked about.