summer_jackel

I almost didn't go to the beach yesterday; I've been working a lot and out of town a lot, and I have a surfeit of things that need attention at home. But it was a truly beautiful day, and a nice low tide, and I had a fantastic time.

So did Coba. It was his first time at the beach. He knew exactly what to do....take off in an explosion of joy.

Pretty shelties!

I had some completely amazing sea life encounters. This little guy is a sunflower star. When I noticed it, it was in motion and scuttled...yes, *scuttled*, this thing was pretty darn fast...under a rock the first time I touched it. When I offered my finger, though, it latched on securely with its many cute little tube feet and started moving up with that same unexpected-for-an-echinoderm speed. I started removing it when it was most of the way up my index finger, and it was not easy to dislodge (without harming the animal). This guy was trying to find out if it had something good to eat...they are apparently opportunistic feeders, and I'm sure this one was hoping I was a nice windfall of carrion. After I dislodged it, it retreated under its rock again and refused to latch on with its tube feet.

Here are some arms sticking out from under the rock

I found another one later in the day. Because this one was on sand, I could pick it up. It didn't think I was food, apparently, because though the little tube feet wriggled a lot, they did not latch on. I was worried that this one might have been unhealthy because it was on sand and exposed, but apparently it was just caught by the tide. When I placed it near some stone under water, it quickly retreated to a hiding place, too.

They are soft like wet velvet.

Scavengers with carrion: a bunch of hermit crabs taking care of a dead purple striped crab.

Meanwhile, Jezzie can has a kelp. Chew chew chew.

My loyal tidepooling dogs follow me to the edge of the water.

The newest addition is learning. And growing into a handsome little animal.

Shelties is noble beasts, Rogue would like you to know.

Wolves

Unsure Coba

o hai!

More alien life! A magnificent Giant Green Anemone.

A cute little purple sponge

Another anemone

One of the most awesome things I have encountered in a long time: a lemon nudibranch (sea slug). I always hope for these guys and very very rarely see them. The pictures don't do it justice: the incredible neon yellow of its tiny spots, the feathery grace of its gills. Also, it's really cute.

This little slug made me so very happy!

A cave of sponges! And an organism...the kind of ovoid beige thing...that I haven't identified yet. Ideas as to species? EDIT: I looked it up...this is a spotted nudibranch. Yipx100! Stoked!!! Two species of nudibranch in one day!! /puts a check on lifelist/