My Keystone Series: The Story Behind "Praying for Kelp"

On the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, there’s a place where ancient rainforest meets the Pacific Ocean in the most spectacular way.

We were there a few years ago, bouncing through Clayoquot Sound in a small zodiac, wrapped in bright red waterproof onesies and in search of whatever magic we could find.

In search of magic...

We were hoping for whales. Maybe dramatic breaches and misty spouts. Instead, we got the occasional dodgy glimpse of a dorsal fin.

But then — a lone sea otter, floating on his back, basking in the sunshine. I had no idea they were so big! Did you know adult males can reach five feet long and weigh nearly 40kg?

A lone sea otter

It was one of those moments that lodges quietly in your mind.

Several years on, that memory became the seed for "Praying for Kelp", part of my Keystone Series, which explores species that hold entire ecosystems together.

Sea otters are still endangered. They feed on sea urchins, which otherwise mow down kelp forests like underwater strimmers.

Without otters, the kelp disappears — and with it, the carbon-absorbing, biodiversity-rich jungles that protect coastlines and support an extraordinary world of marine life.

"Praying for Kelp", which I created from a wonderful reference photo by Joe Tomoeloni, recently won The Wildlife Art Society International Summer Competition and has been longlisted for Sketch for Survival 2025.

I've donated the original to Explorers Against Extinction, where it’s now in the final round of judging. It will be available to purchase later this year, with all proceeds supporting global conservation work.

"Praying for Kelp"

“He floats as if weightless — yet carries the fate of a forest, a coastline, and a hidden world beneath the waves.”