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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:42 am
by Jan K
Slowly testing the waters for diving again. Beautiful sunny day at Keystone, except for focusing light not working and strobes intermittent firing issues, it was good to swim with the fishes again. :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:31 am
by Jan K
After almost two months, I dived at Langley Harbor again and the welcoming party of rockfish, perch and gunnels made my day ! Whitespotted greenling was fending off tirelessly potential predators of eggs it was guarding. Mostly Copper rockfish followed me around at the tire reef as if they knew how much I enjoy their company. The gunnels were not as numerous as in the past years, but still fun to watch them peering from their hiding place.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:28 pm
by H20doctor
wow .... great Pictures Jan.... i miss Langley tire reef

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:58 pm
by Jan K
Sea star surveys, November 2018
Since I got that nasty cold, my dives were few in the last two months. The stars are still wasting here and there, Langley Harbor is the only place on Whidbey where they are still numerous, except for the Sunflower stars ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:15 am
by Jan K
Possession Point Fingers.
Fall colors underwater. Autumn Bull Kelp and more ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 8:22 am
by Jan K
Coupeville Wharf, Penn Cove, Whidbey Island. The decline in numbers of sea stars continues...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 9:53 am
by Jan K
Keystone Jetty Sunday. Besides meeting with friends, highlight of my dive was the encounter with Lingcod and its cleaner, Scalyhead sculpin. I had chance to see Lingcod being cleaned by sculpins many times before, but this time, the little fish inside the cavernous mouth ignored me completely and even came to take a look at me. I even took a selfie... :) :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 9:20 am
by Gdog
Jan that is epic, love those photos! Crazy how the underwater world ecosystem relies on all residents!

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:32 am
by Jan K
Thanks Gdog.
Few more from Sunday Keystone Jetty.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:51 am
by Jan K
Driftwood Park dive
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:25 am
by Jan K
The Stones are coming, the Warbonnets are here ... :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:46 pm
by Tom Nic
And just when ya thought it couldn't get more epic.... Jan - "Hold my 'pencils'!"

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:35 am
by Jan K
Thanks Tom :)

Red Irish Lord guarding eggs in Langley Harbor. In spite of its name, not easy to spot in the green underwater world.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 11:39 am
by oldsalt
The color specific name leads us astray, since they are capable of changing their color to match their surroundings. This fish does not want to be found.
-Curt :rawlings:

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:20 am
by Jan K
Kelp Greenling. One of the few local fish you can easily tell which one is a male and which is the female.
And now, their eggs are showing up all over Keystone Jetty ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:59 am
by Jan K
Keystone Jetty. It is getting harder to walk down to the water :(
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 6:01 pm
by Jan K
Jan Kocian What a difference six years make. Keystone beach January 7, 2012
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 8:28 am
by Jan K
It used to be a dilemma in using common name for the critters we encounter and photograph. For example: Noble or Lemon ?
Now a new game, " Name That Nudibranch", aka" If it is on the Internet, it Must Be True" spilled into the scientific arena.
So lets join the crowd of the confused ... :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:26 am
by Jan K
Possession Point Fingers dive begins with a dock cart load down the forest road (easy) and ends with pushing that cart uphill after the dive. Not so easy... But the rewards are worth it.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 7:33 am
by Jan K
Some of the fish calling Possession Point Fingers home.
The season for Buffalo sculpin and Red Irish Lord egg laying is approaching...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:03 pm
by Jan K
In case you didn't know or notice, it is windy up here ...
Inside the Point Defiance aquarium, it is so much easier to take pictures of fish... No wind, no waves and one can stay nice and warm :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 7:50 pm
by Tom Nic
Solid Choice!

Yikes! I'm guessing not the best conditions for my first "experiencing Keystone" dives!!!

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:54 am
by Jan K
Few sponges and slugs from Possession Point Fingers
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:59 am
by Jan K
Another dive at Possession Point Fingers. Maybe the exercise of pushing the cart down and up the forest road does have some benefits, I feel OK :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:39 am
by Jan K
At Possession Point Fingers, the Red Irish Lords are guarding the next generation en masse.
The Buffalo sculpins can't be far behind, if local history is any indicator.
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