Sea Stars are Back!!!!

General banter about diving and why we love it.
Post Reply
Cetacea
Avid Diver
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:58 am

Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Cetacea »

Over the last many years I’ve been so bummed to have seen all the sea stars dying off. I’d be lucky to see 1-2 during any dive near Tacoma. Last week I saw 100s if not 1000s off Owens beach area!! It was so awesome to see one or two every few feet and more species than I know. I’ve also heard reports that the same is happening up in Sitka. Fingers crossed that we will see a full return of the stars? Anyone else seeing this?
Iqjumpuw
Avid Diver
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:15 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Iqjumpuw »

I saw a whole bunch in Mukilteo too! Mostly small ones but it was awesome to see them moving and feeding on dead crab.
Cetacea
Avid Diver
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:58 am

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Cetacea »

I guess evolution has worked its magic and the strong survived and now there is resistance to wasting disease? I really hope this trend continues and we return to the days when you could hardly anchor your boat without pulling up your anchor and finding star fish (sea stars) attached to the anchor. I look forward to seeing the giant sun stars again too. Fingers crossed.
User avatar
Jeremy
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1547
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Jeremy »

It's been 8 years since the Fukushima radiation plume smashed into the west coast of North America. Makes sense that the sea stars would start coming back now that the radiation levels are decreasing.
User avatar
YellowEye
I've Got Gills
Posts: 3234
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:08 am

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by YellowEye »

There's been several boom and busts since the initial crash. We should be a bit more scientific before declaring recovery, and root causing (Jeremy lol). I'm sure Jan would have a lot more to say about the boom then busts. Often sunflowers have been waisting when they reach a certain size. Let's be hopeful though, thanks for the report!
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
User avatar
Penopolypants
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 3906
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:37 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Penopolypants »

Aha! Now I see! After Fukushima, the sea stars have been melting so that they can come together to form one giant Gojira-star!

Fear the Gojira-star!
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
User avatar
dlh
Submariner
Posts: 575
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:10 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by dlh »

Jeremy wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:42 pm It's been 8 years since the Fukushima radiation plume smashed into the west coast of North America. Makes sense that the sea stars would start coming back now that the radiation levels are decreasing.
Fukushima has nothing to do with this topic. The measured radioactivity from Fukushima is tiny compared to the radioactivity still present from 1950's nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. There were at least 65 H-Bombs exploded in the Marshall Islands alone! The levels from both of these events on the North American west coast are negligible and lower than natural background sources.

Here is a recent credible source:
https://www.wgbh.org/news/2018/01/09/ne ... ng-pacific
Dave
User avatar
dlh
Submariner
Posts: 575
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:10 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by dlh »

Penopolypants wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:13 pm Aha! Now I see! After Fukushima, the sea stars have been melting so that they can come together to form one giant Gojira-star!

Fear the Gojira-star!
I am more concerned about the inevitable rise of Mecha-OchreStar, the ultimate predator!

Early S-1000 Starfish Terminator prototype
Early S-1000 Starfish Terminator prototype
Dave
User avatar
Penopolypants
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 3906
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:37 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Penopolypants »

dlh wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:35 pm
Penopolypants wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:13 pm Aha! Now I see! After Fukushima, the sea stars have been melting so that they can come together to form one giant Gojira-star!

Fear the Gojira-star!
I am more concerned about the inevitable rise of Mecha-OchreStar, the ultimate predator!


black-starfish.jpg
Oooh, we can watch Mecha-OchreStar battle Gojira-Star! (if we survive....muahahaha).
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
User avatar
Jeremy
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1547
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Jeremy »

dlh wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:34 pm

Fukushima has nothing to do with this topic.
It’s not just starfish melting into blobs of goo...I was scootering Day island Wall the other day and out of the corner of my eye just caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a two headed wolf eel in its lair. Didn’t seem natural...like there was some radiation involved
User avatar
Penopolypants
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 3906
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:37 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by Penopolypants »

Jeremy wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 3:00 pm caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a two headed wolf eel in its lair. Didn’t seem natural...like there was some radiation involved
Oh no! Ghidorah-Wolfie has already lost one of its heads!
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
User avatar
H20doctor
I've Got Gills
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:13 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by H20doctor »

I blame Fukushima
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
User avatar
ljjames
I've Got Gills
Posts: 2725
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:46 pm

Re: Sea Stars are Back!!!!

Post by ljjames »

+1 to what yelloweye said

Also it’s not Fukushima, that has been debunked like 10,000 times.

H2O, What species did you see in mass? Did you get pictures or video? I know Dr Harvell would love to see them.
----
"I survived the Brittandrea Dorikulla, where's my T-shirt!"
Post Reply