I'd always thought that seaweeds were green and slimy. As we walk along here on the edge of the sea, I learn that seaweeds are beautiful! Some are washed ashore in tangles, and others are attached to the rocks, swaying back and forth with the surge. I see more shapes, sizes and colors than I can count! Dad points out that seaweeds, or algae, belong to three groups: green, red or brown.
	Members of the first group (you guessed it: they’re usually bright green) are delicate and sheet-like. A good example is sea lettuce. Species of green algae often create thick shimmering carpets in shallow, calm areas, but they have short lives. Photo left: Sea Lettuce
Species of red algae refuse to be confined to one color. Besides deep red, they may come in pink, purple, brown or even green! Some species feel smooth and slippery, while others feel as rough as a Turkish towel. They may have stout, thick blades, or tiny branches as fine as lace. Red algae thrive successfully in the intertidal zone, down to depths over 100 feet. Photo right: Two forms of red algae. Photo far right: Coralline algae.
The brown algae are actually brown! They include the yellowish-brown rockweeds that often smother the shore in the mid to low tide zones, and the giant kelps which form huge subtidal forests standing up to 100 feet tall. Kelps are adorned with bulb-like floats that hold the submerged plant upright. Photo upper right: Giant kelp. Photo lower right: Rockweed.
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