Contrary to popular belief, nothing bad will happen to you if you get caught up in a bed or forest of kelp. It may be inconvenient, and slow you down briefly, and you may experience emotion of extreme resentment and sheepishness like those that Kate is clearly experiencing in the photo above (taken at A Frame), but you won’t drown or be trapped forever amid the slippery brown strands.
If you really have a problem with kelp, I suggest that you only dive areas with lots of kelp at high tide. You won’t have as much of a problem with a surface swim through dense kelp forests when the tide is fully covering the kelp stipes, but in a situation when the tide is low (as above), a surface swim becomes a slow and awkward proposition.
Kelp blades (the leaves) are flat and very smooth, and while you may feel that they are wrapping around you, they’re really just sliding over your wetsuit. Move slowly, don’t panic, and use your hands to keep your face clear. Lots of awesome critters live in the kelp – don’t be a hater!
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