Whidbey Island Critters

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Possession Fingers, July 25.
We have quite large tide exchanges now. Minus tide means the swim over the shallows is short, the walls from the point of entry close :)
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Possession Point Fingers. July 25.
The Painted greenlings seem to be in amorous mood year around. When the male puts on almost black tuxedo and you see him wriggling and shaking, you know that he is ready for some love.
On my dive at the Fingers, two males were courting one female, and since she could not decide which one is the better lover, she kept visiting both of them equally, moving repeatedly from one nest site to other...
There should be plenty of little PG soon 🤣
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Jetty, Saturday July 31st.
Afternoon dive, five divers, lots of fish 🙂
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

After three dives at Keystone Jetty, it is time now to sort through the pixels collected there.
Here are some of the critters and environment they live in. - July 30th. :)
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

It wouldn't be jetty dive without some Mosshead warbonnets or Scalyheads.
Some of the Buffalo sculpins are harder to spot than other. Camouflage is their game.
Finding the same adult Sunflower still healthy is great too.
July 31st.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Jetty, August 2nd. Late afternoon dive. It looks like we will not have a Bull Kelp forest along the jetty rocks. The Japanese wireweed in the shallows and the ground covering Sugar wrack kelp took its place. There are some mature individuals here and there, but there is not solid canopy spread on the surface as in the past.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Jetty, August 2nd.
Starry flounder meal alla Lingcod :)
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

August 4th. Langley Harbor.
27 Sunflower stars found here! Small, but alive. One wasting arm found, but hopefully it is not a sign of another wave of mass mortality.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Pilings, August 6th.
Bad visibility, tangled kelp all over the place, scoured sea floor missing many of the features which made it an interesting place to dive.
It is not all that inviting anymore, at least not for me.
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
oldsalt
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1061
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:02 am

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by oldsalt »

Alas, poor Yorick! Too bad about the degradation of the site at the old pier. Perhaps it will recover. It still provides a perch for cormorants and other seabirds. Even though I no longer dive, I stop there to check out the birds and other wildlife. Hope to meet you there sometime.
-Curt
Happy to be alive.
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

oldsalt wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:18 pm Alas, poor Yorick! Too bad about the degradation of the site at the old pier. Perhaps it will recover. It still provides a perch for cormorants and other seabirds. Even though I no longer dive, I stop there to check out the birds and other wildlife. Hope to meet you there sometime.
-Curt
Maybe when the visibility improves, that place will look better, this time it was not too cheerful ...

August 6th. Few more from the Keystone Pilings:
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Skyline July 29th. Somehow pictures from this dive got lost in the shuffle of pixel processing...
I hope the Bread Crumb sponges will not succumb to the wasting.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

August 10th. Coupeville Wharf.
Collecting sick sea stars for science.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Skyline, August 12th. The sky is gray, the sunrise looks kind of apocalyptic, the air smells of smoke. So I start the presentation with appropriate critters to describe the above the water feeling... Morning Sun star is the bad boy on the block, likes to eat other stars, including its own specie. Other common name for the Cushion star is Slime star. It will cover you with slime when you mess with it. And the Red Urchin Amphipod - you got to read its life story. :) :) :)
But seriously, I had a very nice dive.
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Jetty, August 14th. The smoke-colored skies did not scare away the fishermen and they again encroached on "our" parking area next to the picnic tables with their pickups with boat trailers. I was lucky to park in front of two other diver cars, thanks to Anacortes Diving.
Diving was good, Bob had two of his students swim by and pose with patient Lingcod for a picture, Later I found two Lingcods in the process of getting cleaned by Scalyhead sculpins. It is alway fun to watch the little fish scurrying around inside the cavernous Lingcod mouth.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Some more from Keystone Saturday.
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone August 14th. Found new critter to add to my list.
Thanks Greg Jensen for help to ID the Miniature spinyhead shrimp I came across during my safety stop.
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Skyline August 12th dive.
More from the encounters there. Wolf eel and Candy stripe shrimp are always welcome sight.
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Deception Pass, August 16th.
Scenery and slugs under cloudy skies.
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone Jetty, August 15th.
Fishies, plenty of them...
Sorry for the lousy video - not my thing, I leave video to others, but just wanted to show how it feels swimming through the school...
Image
Image
Image
Image

https://jankocian.smugmug.com/.../UW-Vi ... -ST9p83D/A
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jonny Quest
Getting To Know Folks
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2019 10:54 am

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jonny Quest »

Jan K wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:53 am Keystone Jetty, August 15th.
Fishies, plenty of them...
Sorry for the lousy video - not my thing, I leave video to others, but just wanted to show how it feels swimming through the school...
Image
Image
Image
Image

https://jankocian.smugmug.com/.../UW-Vi ... -ST9p83D/A
We spent a lot of our dive swimming through the school of yellowtail. That was a lot of fun. Can't believe I forgot my camera, but I guess that's what happens when you're taking care of a newborn- start forgetting stuff...
Check out ilovenudis.com
User avatar
YellowEye
I've Got Gills
Posts: 3234
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:08 am

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by YellowEye »

Actually, great video! I think video makes for a better capture of those schools than photos. I tried video too but I couldn't even figure out how to turn video mode on :)
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

More from Jetty dive, August 15th.
Image
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
Jan K
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5248
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:02 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Skyline Clowns, August 12th.
Triopha modesta sounds more dignified. Here. making more clowns. Sorry, I mean more Triophas :)
Image
Image
Image
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
User avatar
sabrisi
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:31 pm

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by sabrisi »

I love the little drawings you add! Clown nudis in love! :)
we got no troubles life is the bubbles
Post Reply