Whidbey Island Critters

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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Gdog
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Gdog »

Wow I had no idea. I will look at these top snails a lot closer from now on. Thanks Jan!
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Another couple pages in the series: "Critters and the environment where I found them".
Clown nudibranch and Mosshead warbonnet...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Keystone Jetty. Burrowing anemones - some with ten, some with twelve and one had fifteen tentacles.
My identification of these might be suspect, I don't have access to a good guide book on anemones ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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As the MOON snail moves across the SUN flower star at 10:21 AM, Whidbey Island partial eclipse 93%. :) :) :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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"What do you see down there ?" is the very common question as I walk out of the water after a dive. The answer they expect should include shark, whale or at least an octopus. And they are disappointed when I tell them about tunicates, sponges and anemones. How do you explain that even a rock has its own beauty and life ? :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Encrusting bryozoans in the shallows of Deception Pass.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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I am still trying to catch up with photos from resent dives. Taking pictures is more fun than post-processing ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Tidepool Geek »

Hi Jan,
Wonderful images and fascinating information!
I've got a question about the anemones - What is the structure that they're growing on in the image and do you have any sense of how long it has been there?
Agedly yours,
Alex
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Hi Alex,
the anemones are gracing kelp stipe and although I don't now exactly for how long, I remember seeing them there last year too. The question is, are these anemones the same ones or just replacement ?

August 13, Keystone Jetty. (As I said before, I am behind with processing photos).
The rocks above the water are turning white under the cover of seagull guano. Under the water it is more colorful :)
I even found two critters from BC Canada ( judging by the license plates of their car).
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Coupeville Wharf. Healthy sea stars, plenty of Egg yolk jellies getting caught in pilings, and bad visibility due to plankton bloom ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Saturday August 26th. Moss Bay Dive Club visiting Keystone, calm waters and plenty of sunshine.
Divers, fish, kelp and crabs :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Keystone Jetty Lingcod. Three encounters, three stories. The first is showing the typical ambush hunter, just laying there innocently, waiting for its moment to strike. The second one is showing a bad judgement, sinking its teeth into the wrong thing and the third poor fish is half blind, wedged under the rock, its blind side facing the open water, probably just feeling my presence, not able to see ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Probably little more than you care to know about the Red octopus. :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Because it is a long haul down from the parking lot to the beach, it has been a while since I lugged my dive gear down the road to dive the Possession Point Fingers. It is a nice dive, but not fun to haul the gear up the road back to the car in the afternoon heat :(
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Skyline, Fidalgo Island, Friday morning... Visiting Octopus garden :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Deception Pass last day of August. Just two divers enjoying beautiful sunny day underwater.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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First day of September - diving in Langley Harbor. All the stars are healthy and plenty of juveniles.
Rockfish, mostly Copper, took interest in my survey, keeping me company on the tire reef.
Visibility is still badly affected by particulates.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Labor Day weekend - diving Keystone Jetty with my daughter.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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The skies are gray with smoke, the sun barely visible and the news and social media full of pictures of burning landscapes,
inferno across the entire Western States...
This what Keystone looked like yesterday evening.
Healthier below the surface than above :(
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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The amazing Painted greenling on Keystone Jett rock. This guy is now guarding a third batch of multiple egg masses this year !
His small patch of hydroids must be very popular with the ladies :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Looking for clowns? Come to Keystone ! :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Weekend at Keystone Jetty with good visibility and plenty of fish and crabs.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Two Lingcod cleanings by Scalyhead sculpin witnessed in two days. First, the Lingcod opens its mouth wide to advertise the need for service. Then the little cleaner swims up onto Lingcod's head to announce its presence so it doesn't become a meal, then swims into the cavernous mouth and begins its job of sanitation worker :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Jan, that cleaning station is awesome. Fantastic work!
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Thanks Gdog.

Juvenile Wolf-eels of Driftwood Park. I never found so many of them there as I did on this dive.
They peeked out from tires, kelp, jar and even from a discarded toilet... :)
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