Whidbey Island Critters
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Skyline wall dive - first the shallows. It is quite a long swim before the wall begins , but still there is something to see ...
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
THAT'S SO COOL!
Live Long And Prosper!!!
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
As many times as I saw the little "flags" streaming off the ends of sea urchin spines,
I never realized that they are home to numbers of tiny amphipods. Isn't nature amazing ?
I never realized that they are home to numbers of tiny amphipods. Isn't nature amazing ?
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Skyline wall Buffalo sculpins. They were all over the place. These are just few of them ...
And one Wolf eel youngster
And one Wolf eel youngster
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
The good news - so far, the sea stars are healthy. The bad news (if it can be called bad ), when we were trying to collect sick ones for the long planned experiment, we found only two among hundreds ...
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Keystone Jetty. School of juvenile Yellowtail rockfish at the end of the jetty while the Black rockfish, much smaller school hangs around the Bull kelp forest in the shallows. I did not see the large Black rockfish school which used to frequent the area. I hope the reason is the lousy overall visibility we are still experiencing here.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Jan: My sense of things, not necessarily true, is that lingcod went from abundant to nearly extinct, only to return when the strict fishing restrictions were placed on them. I also felt the same was true of rockfish, especially the black rockfish. We used to catch them with impunity, no limit, and they tasted good. The clouds of black rockfish I would look up at while diving in Haro Strait vanished for a few years. I thought I saw them rebounding in my last years of diving, also following restrictions on fishing. Have you seen the same thing?
-Curt
-Curt
Happy to be alive.
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Curt: I agree that many of the marine species would recover if allowed to do so through the correct management. However, I worry that we lack the knowledge and wisdom to do so in any meaningful way. Concentrating on one specie while ignoring what is happening to the environment around them and to their food supply will probably continue to be the reason of the overall problem, and not only affecting marine life. Just my 2cents....
Great sculpin. Another of the "not so photogenic" fish encountered on jetty rocks.
Great sculpin. Another of the "not so photogenic" fish encountered on jetty rocks.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
From Keystone Jetty crab lives. Hanging out in the kelp forest and eating crabs. Including its own kind ...
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Saturday was a busy day at Keystone Jetty. Not only the fishing boats were launched and retrieved with a steady pace, the divers had to park their cars double. Meeting friends is always nice and today I had the luck to be there when my friend Paul made his 1000th dive. Originally, our plan was to celebrate that number diving the Deception Pass, but Paul, as a dive instructor, was teaching future divers instead, when that number came up, so we joined multitudes at Keystone instead. Introducing others to the beauty of underwater world is a worthy cause. As I was ready to exit the water, I saw Pat heading in, so I clicked few photos of her as she was passing by on her quest for the macro subject which my old eyes cannot see. I included few of her photos I snatched off her Facebook pages.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Sunday belongs to Deception Pass. When I arrived there, the fog was rolling around, but sunshine made inroads later on. As expected, the boat traffic was quite heavy. As for divers, six of us showed up, and I was the only one without a scooter! The current run quite strong on the flood and the slack seemed later than predicted. But everybody came out smiling
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
White Bubble shell slugs and their egg ribbons scene at Driftwood Park.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Red rock crab - example when none of your children look like you.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
It is hot, the air is filled with smoke, maybe being a worm underwater isn't all that bad
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
One week passed since the scooters zoomed through the Deception Pass and I am still trying to catch up with the backlog.
Life above the water and subsequent dives are to blame
Life above the water and subsequent dives are to blame
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Yellowtail rockfish at Keystone Jetty. They have yellow fins, I have yellow fins.
I am happy to swim in their school.
I am happy to swim in their school.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
This Painted greenling at Keystone Jetty is very busy guarding eggs . Second batch in three months !
Same spot, same cluster of Ostrich-plume hydroids.
Same spot, same cluster of Ostrich-plume hydroids.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
The Lingcod might be a "Bad Hombre" predator, but little pesky parasite copepods are not scared ...
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Sticklebacks, tough little fish. Related to pipefish and sea horses, don't look like them at all
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Saturday night special - Sculpin beer
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Skyline Wall revisited. An early Friday morning dive, fog and cool westerly wind, fun time with a juvenile Wolf eel.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Jan: I noticed that the sticklebacks were photographed at Driftwood Park. Were you in the salt water or the ponds east of the shoreline? My sightings of sticklebacks were all ln fresh or briny water, specifically Cranberry Lake at Deception Pass and Lake Erie on Fidalgo Island. I know they are found in salt water, but I never found them there.
-Curt
-Curt
Happy to be alive.
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Curt, I have seen Stickleback at Langley, Lagoon Point, at Keystone when I snorkel out in the shallows and yes in the Driftwood pond.
Few more from the dive at Skyline. The Red sea cucumbers sure add color to the otherwise gloomy scene created by the lack of sunshine.
And all the sea stars are healthy !
Few more from the dive at Skyline. The Red sea cucumbers sure add color to the otherwise gloomy scene created by the lack of sunshine.
And all the sea stars are healthy !
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Keystone Jetty, Blue topsnails. Normally, they keep a low profile, grazing on algae, but during spawning, they find an elevated spot, rise up and broadcast their gametes into the water column.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
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- Aquaphile
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters
Hi Jan,
More amazing images and terrific information! Thanks for all your good work.
Sycophantishly yours,
Alex
More amazing images and terrific information! Thanks for all your good work.
Sycophantishly yours,
Alex