Sea creature seen wrapped in ‘kelp patty’. What is kelping and why do they do it?

A massive sea creature was seen wrapped in a “kelp patty” off the coast of California and experts believe it was intentional.

Bystanders got the “brilliant” treat of the sun peeking through the clouds, allowing for onlookers to see a humpback whale wrapped in kelp, beginning the process of “kelping,” according to a May 27 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch.

After coming up for air a few times, the whale worked its way toward the kelp, in what researchers believe is a way to remove “parasites and bacteria” from their skin, the group said.

Kelp possess “antibacterial and antifungal qualities” making it a whale’s perfect “skin care routine” allowing for it to help in the process of removing “barnacles and lice that build up on their skin and cause irritation,” according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s website.

Some researchers believe it could also be as simple as “just good fun” for the whale with humpbacks even playing with it alone, the WDC said.

The sun illuminated the humpback whale’s pectoral fins, creating a “white glow. The group learned it’s a whale known as HW-MN0503732 that was first spotted in March, the post said.

“Humpback whales reach sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 10 years,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Calves stay close to their mom for up to a year before weaning, with the mother being “protective” and “swimming closely and often touching them with their flippers,” according to NOAA.

Along with the “kelping humpback” the group spotted a pod of dolphins swimming in a “tightly grouped” formation, two gray whales, and even got the opportunity to see a minke whale come up for air, the group said.

Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Sea creature seen wrapped in ‘kelp patty’. What is kelping and why do they do it?."