The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-02
NOVEL PRODUCE
OF the ISLANDS
Weed Known as KEEP, From
Sea. Collected and
Dried for Use.
HAVEN OF MANY ANGLERS
cAI,FoRNlA islAN0GRs WEAVE
kElP INTO oAskGve. NAPKIN
RINGS AND MANY OTHER Aars-
Giles OF TNA0E.


San Francisco. Cal. May L. AZ
varying distances from the mainland
of Southern California lie nine or ten
islands. forming two groups.
The northern group. to the south q
Santa barbara county and to the west
Of Ventura county. consists Of San
Miguel Island. Prince Island. Santa Ro-
81 Island, Santa Crus Island and tbs
channel being between them and the
maitland.
The southern group. lying TO the
south OF Los Angeles county and to
the west OF Orange and San Diego
counties. consists Of Santa Barbara n.
land. San Nicolas Island. Santa Cata.
lima Island and San Clemente Island.
All are wild. rugged and extremely pic
turesQue.
In the fields surrounding them ara
the great fields of the brown seaweed
known as "elkh0rn kelp." The root
OF this kelp is firmly attacked to tho
bed of the ocean. while juok shove II Is
large. smooth. round bulb that serves
/
are from twenty to thirty feet long.
The kelp 10 collected and dried In the
sun by hanging II On wooden bars.
with the bulbs downward.
The kelp drying grosud presents
| remarkable sight. the great bulbs look
ing like the round heads OF South Sea
islanders club. Formerly, when
found dry on the shore. the kelp vas
| too stiff to b manufactured. but a
method has been found OF extracting
the potash and iodine from Il and rem
dering 1t pliable enough to work with.
| Many articles. from napkin rings tn
waste paper baskets. are now made
from the dried kelp.
Great oeds Cast W.
The first Of the Islands, San Miguel.
10 swept almost constantly By strong
winds and in obseured frequently by
heavy foGs. but ON clear. ealo days
1 its climate Is pretty hot. Great beds
Of kelp are cast up ON its sandy shores.
j The only haven On Miguel y Cuyler's
Harbor. and even this has dangerous
entrance. hut the kelp. svaying 20 ana
fro on the waves, breaks their force
and helps vessels to make The pOrt.
\ which. once the mariner % safely In.
IN IN excellent one. The navigator
Cabrtllo. spent = winter there, and
fishing boats often find shelter from
storms.
Abreast of Cuyler's Harbor IL Prince
Island. which rises 10 . height Of 30sS
feet and II gsneraily surrounded By q
thick bed Of kslp. Cuyler's Harbor
ID open to the north. 20 when q north
er blows vessels clear out and gst ma
der the lees of Prince Island - fast
! - they can. There are fields Of kelp
i around Santa Rosa Island. and many
its shores. The Anacapa lslands arc
mere islets to the east Of Santa Crus
Island.
II The first island Of the second group
lis Santa Barbara. the San Pedro cham
Incl running between the group and
the mainland. Santa Barbara Island
10 tvanty-one miles TO the west q 0ac.
u Catalina Island. and 10 surrounded
, by large beds of kelp: but It's. sides ara
20 steep that the bulbs OF kelp cannot
find 4 Iodgment, long enough to be-
come dry by exposure to the sun. but
are torn loose and float away FROM
shore.
n San Nicolas Island has q trail all
around it's oceanic edge. while bsds OF
kelp, run out 4 mile to ssa In every d.
rection. Heavy seas break constantly
. over the black reefs and throw ashore
great rolls Of kejp.. come q the bulba
; Of which are quite white.
ksip Up - tsss kaees.
On one Wild. stormy night. in the
summer Of 1902. the surf that broke
over the reefs for several hours LEFT
bed Of kelp covering the sand beach
J @, % that any one who tried to walk
} on Il sank to his knees n the sand
weed. which emitted . strong smell.
The best known Of all the Islands
of the southern California coast Is
santa Catalina which II favorite re-
: sort Of the people Of Los Angeles an'
neighboshoOd. II Is also visited ~ en-
, thusiastic deep sea anglers from ~
PARTS Of the world. The water rulnn''
Santa Catalina is generally calm. 81
y that the long streamers Of KEEP swaJ
xently to and fro. providing q won
4, derful sight to those who view thu
beauties o( the Oeeaa bed through olaa1
. boktomed hoats.
!, Now and then bulls In fine condi
. tioa are picked Mp on the bsoce y
!. Santa Catalina Island- the Earest and