“Let me take you down… ’cause I’m going to strawberry fields.” — The Beatles.
In British Columbia, the most spectacular concentrations of strawberry anemones (Corynactis californica) are often found in Discovery Passage near Campbell River. Here, powerful tidal currents sweep the channel, carrying a constant supply of plankton that fuels dense colonies of these small corallimorphs. Though commonly called anemones, they are more closely related to soft corals.
Each polyp measures barely two centimetres across, yet together they form vast colonies that blanket Discovery Passage’s reefs in bright pink and deep red. Their short, club-shaped tentacles are tipped with stinging cells that snare drifting plankton and tiny crustaceans. For divers, the contact feels only faintly sticky and poses no danger.
Strawberry anemones reproduce both sexually and asexually, with budding and fission allowing them to spread quickly across suitable surfaces. In areas of strong current, such as Discovery Passage, they often dominate the seafloor, outcompeting other sessile species and creating nearly unbroken carpets of colour. It’s a vivid reminder that in the marine world, magnificence often lies not in scale, but in sheer abundance.
Story Submitted from Jett Britnell
Jett is a British Columbia–based underwater, wildlife and expedition photographer, internationally published writer, explorer, scuba diver and speaker. He has accomplished what explorer circles refer to as the “Holy Trifecta,” having been elected a Fellow in three of the world’s most distinguished geographical societies: The Explorers Club (New York), the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (Ottawa) and the Royal Geographical Society (London). Alongside his wife, he co-authors Third Age Expeditions, an adventure and exploration column for Luxe Beat Magazine. His work is centred on undersea discovery, endangered species preservation, habitat protection, wildlife conservation and environmental education. A member of the Ocean Artists Society — an alliance of leading marine artists, photographers, filmmakers and writers — he is also one of approximately 50 top underwater photographers who contribute images to support The Ocean Agency’s conservation initiatives. Jett serves as a consultant for Elephanatics, a Vancouver-based elephant advocacy organization, and belongs to Nikon Professional Services. In 2023, he and his wife were named Antarctic Ambassadors by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), a global collective devoted to protecting that fragile polar region. Since January 1, 2022, Jett has served as Chair of the Canadian Chapter of The Explorers Club.
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