Noyo Center for Marine Science

10/16/2026

What has 24 arms, thousands of feet, and is a secret weapon to restoring California's kelp forests?

The stupendous sunflower sea star! Now critically endangered after a marine heat wave and sea star wasting disease hit our coasts over a decade ago, these mighty predators are being reintroduced to help control purple urchin populations and revive kelp habitats.

Huge shout out to our friends at Sunflower Star Laboratory and California Academy of Sciences for leading the charge of bringing these vital animals back to our oceans. Check out this video for a peek into this work!

As climate change warms ocean waters and puts growing pressure on m...

10/14/2026

What are you doing on the 18th?

Join us for the event of the 'sea'-son at our Homecoming 2026: Ribbon Cutting and Fall Fundraiser as we celebrate our newest facility, the Whale House, and welcome our community to snag a sneak peek of our blue whale bones in their new home.

Our live auction is jam packed with incredible prizes for all interests -- and we'll have a rad raffle during the event too. Come on by, grab your paddle, and support The Noyo Center's work (and possibly win a trip to Mexico 👀).

Must be present to win. All proceeds go to supporting The Noyo Center's mission to advance ocean conservation through education, exploration, and experience. RSVP here: https://www.noyocenter.org/whale-house-opening-2026 🐋

10/08/2026

Our Ribbon Cutting and Fall Fundraiser is just 10 days away! The Whale House is looking gorgeous, our blue whale bones have been at the spa (AKA getting soaked in a 'bacterial soup' made of water and Stellar IPA yeast), our auction and raffle packages are set, and .mendocino is warmed up -- now all we need is you!

Join us on October 18th as we celebrate this new chapter for The Noyo Center and our community with our new Whale House -- the first building built on the Noyo Headlands in generations and the first addition to the future Ocean Science Center.

Find out more about the event and RSVP here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/0j2KMXW3dZ0ZLDz6z2VHTg

See you there!

10/05/2026

How's the weather up there?

Now you can see the weather on the Noyo Headlands in real time with our new Crow's Nest weather station! This newly installed station -- a Davis Advantage Pro 2 -- was generously donated to us and accurately and reliably measures wind speed and direction, humidity, rainfall, pressure, and temperature. Check out a live reading of the data next time you visit the Crow's Nest or view it on our website (link in our bio) so you know how many layers to grab before you hit the trail!

09/25/2026

Sea Otter Awareness Week may be coming to an end, but your love and support of these animals and their habitat can happen any time.

🦦 Love sea otters? Support the businesses helping protect them.

Community Active Wildlife Stewards (CAWS) are certified businesses committed to responsible wildlife viewing and helping people safely share California’s coast with sea otters and other wildlife.

This Sea Otter Awareness Week, choose businesses that put stewardship into practice.

🌊 Visiting California? Look for the CAWS certification and choose a wildlife-savvy business for your next coastal adventure.

Find CAWS-certified businesses: https://www.seaottersavvy.org/get-sea-otter-savvy-certified



Photo Credits:
© Sea Otter Savvy: , © Loriannah Hespe: , © Alexis Galasso:

09/24/2026

Noyo Pelagics Anchor Charter Boats is taking a half-day trip to Noyo Canyon on Sunday, September 27th and there's a spot for YOU! Spend your weekend cruising among whales, pinnipeds, and birds while soaking in the beautiful Fall weather. Book at Noyo Pelagic's website in our bio. See you out there!

09/23/2026

Personal Hygiene is important - even if you are alone. Sea otters groom a considerable amount to maintain their fur, blowing in warm air to create a barrier from the cold water. Some spots are harder to reach than others....but no one wants cold water on their bum. So although sea otter contortions are enjoyable to watch, their flexibility is vital to staying warm.



Photo credit: © Brian Phan:

09/22/2026

Our community showed UP for Coastal Cleanup Day! 26 volunteers, 27 full trash bags, and a whopping 200 pounds of trash collected from Noyo Harbor Beach. Together with our neighboring organizations, over 700 pounds of trash was removed from 26 miles of Mendocino Coast.

Thank you to all who participated in Coastal Cleanup Day this year. Your work makes a big difference for our oceans!

Photo Credit: Rebecca Kress

09/21/2026

Got a case of the Mondays? Not to fear, otter pictures and facts are here! 🦦

Sea otters are ecosystem superheroes!
As a Keystone species, sea otters have a strong influence on their surrounding environment and community, despite having low numbers.

Sea otters feed mainly on invertebrates (animals without spines) like sea urchins and crabs. Their voracious appetite consequently has a strong influence on the surrounding community – keeping the invertebrate populations in check and allowing kelp forests and eelgrass beds to thrive.



Photos credit: © Joan Tisdale and © Gretchen Kay Stuart:

09/20/2026

Each year, Sea Otter Awareness Week brings organizations and communities together to share stories, science, and experiences that deepen awareness of sea otters, their ecological importance, and the challenges they face. This year’s theme, Rooted in Resilience, celebrates the connections among sea otters, kelp forests, wildlife, and people—and the relationships that help our coastal ecosystems and communities adapt, recover, and thrive.

Stay tuned and check out the official SOAW Calendar of events on the Defenders of Wildlife webpage linked in our bio, and the viewing station and events map on the Sea Otter Savvy website under latest news.

Video credit: © Sea Otter Savvy:
Logo Design: Heather E. Barrett