Sea creatures spotted doing ‘ocean spa treatment’ off CA coast. What is kelping?

A group got the chance to spot sea creatures off the coast of California, and onlookers are calling the sightings “fantastic.”

The spectators saw humpback whales feeding with their sea lion friends and an “active” pod of Risso’s dolphins, according to a June 16 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

These kinds of dolphins “aren’t always very playful like some dolphin species,” but they were seen socializing, and even playing, by throwing kelp around with their tails, the group said.

The pod of 250 dolphins was even seen participating in some “ocean spa treatment” known as “kelping,” a behavior that can be seen in whales and dolphins as either a means of play or as skin treatment, the group said.

Kelp has “antibacterial and antifungal qualities,” which makes for a great way for these animals to remove “barnacles and lice that build up on their skin and cause irritation,” according to the Whale and Dolphins Conservation’s website.

Not only were the humpback whales spotted hunting, they also put on a show for boaters by breaching and slapping their pectoral fins against the water’s surface, the group said.

Users rushed to the comment section to share how “awesome” the pictures were, with one person saying, “Incredible.”

“Whoa and yay and awesome,” another wrote.

“I am completely mesmerized by your fabulous photos!” someone said.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast from San Francisco.

This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 2:26 PM with the headline "Sea creatures spotted doing ‘ocean spa treatment’ off CA coast. What is kelping?."