Whidbey Island Critters

[Jan K]

Few sights from my cruise in British Columbia/ And no, I did not pay 461,500 dollars per week plus expenses.
But I did snorkel close to it, looking under the floating docks for critters ...

[oldsalt]

Few sights from my cruise in British Columbia/ And no, I did not pay 461,500 dollars per week plus expenses.
But I did snorkel close to it, looking under the floating docks for critters ...

Jan, In cruising BC waters in my own boats for nearly half a century, I realized I would never trade places with the megayacht crowd. They will never know the pleasures of anchoring in the little coves such as Port Neville, where I saw grizzlies, orca, and could hear the wolves howl in the mountains. Since they cruise with a crew, they will not know the satisfaction of navigating, finding your own anchorage, and setting the anchor for the night. I'd prefer to do it your way.
-Curt

[Jan K]

Curt, I could not agree more. Cruising the islands has nothing to do with the luxurious accommodations ...

Another wetsuit dive in Discovery Passage:
Argonaut Wharf, Campbell River, Vancouver Island. Canada. It was nice to see healthy Sunflower stars and no wasting observed in any of the other stars. Also I added new critter to my list, Spotted flatworm.

[Jan K]

Sailfin sculpin on kelp at April Point marina, Quadra Island.

[Jan K]

More underwater sights from April Point marina on Quadra Island where we docked for few days.

[Jan K]

Even in the waters fa away from home, I could not resist to check on the health of sea stars in the Quadra Island area.
To my delight, I did not find any signs of the Sea Star Wasting Disease.

[Vjw]

Such beautiful pictures!! And great news!!

[Jan K]

Thank you Vjw.

Clinging jellyfish. Happy to add it to my list of new critters encountered on my dives.

[Jan K]

After one month absence, I returned to Langley Harbor and found wasting sea stars underway in vast numbers, mainly the Mottled (Evasterias troschelii) and Ochre ( Pisaster ochraceus). Also none of the juvenile Pycnopodias were nowhere to be seen. The visibility in the shallows was only few feet, so the survey above the 20 foot thermocline was limited for swim through on entry and exit swim. The wasting seems to affect adult and juveniles, so at least here at Langley, immunity developed by the new generation of stars is not evident. The whole experience is very depressing as pieces of starfish are all over the place. :( :( :(

[Gdog]

That is so disheartening. So sad. Thank you for the report, Jan.

[Jan K]

Slugs I found in April Point marina, Quadra Island.

[H20doctor]

I love the sea angel. !!

[Jan K]

Wrapping up the underwater scenery I enjoyed during my brief visit to British Columbia.

[Jan K]

I am starting to process pictures from recent dives, here are few more from the Labor Day weekend.
I don't find Ghost anemones anywhere else on Whidbey Island, there are plenty of Scalyhead and Buffalo sculpins, finding them resting on nudibranchs - not so often.

[Jan K]

Who doesn't like candy? And this one isn't bad for your teeth

[Jan K]

Adding another new critter to my list. Doto amyra, a very, very tiny nudibranch ...

[Jan K]

Testing the # 2 rule:
Unexpected encounter at Skyline.

[ScubaJess]

WOW cool! So glad you weren't Octo food!!! nice work getting the picture... I love your drawing on this one!
Happy Friday!!

[Jan K]

Thank you Jess, I think the octo decided that I am too old to taste any good

Can a crab regrow a claw?
YES, it can.

[Gdog]

Wow great stuff Jan! And I love the octo story!

[Jan K]

Thank you Gdog.

And since we are on the subject of regrowing parts of bodies, the sea stars are the masters...

[oldsalt]

I wish regeneration worked for people. My right hand has stayed the same for nearly 50 years.

Curt

[Jan K]

I wish regeneration worked for people. My right hand has stayed the same for nearly 50 years.
Hand.JPG
Curt

Maybe you need to spend more time underwater !

Skyline fishies.

[Jan K]

While walking the Double Bluff beach on low tide, I return to the "First 9 inches Underwater" activity, searching the tide pools for critters ...

[Jan K]

Some pics from Keystone Jetty dive. Still not 100% sure if I saw red Longfin gunnel or Red gunnel. Also the Japanese wireweed is now kind of messy seafloor covering instead of standing forest.