Whidbey Island Critters

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

Post by Jan K »

Holmes Harbor, Freeland. I returned to dive it after almost one year hiatus, and reconfirmed my assessment of this once very interesting dive site. Once a year is enough. It lost most of its appeal with the disappearance of most of the marine life and kept its notoriously limited visibility. The very long swim to reach deeper water is not worth the effort, at least for me... Add to the disappointment a leaky drysuit.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Digging into 115 year old publication to get "dirt" on this feather worm. Few years ago, I collected Pyramidellid snails off them for a researcher. The snails seem to be able to eat blood or body fluids from a wide variety of hosts but prefer the feather dusters. ...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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For this sea star, loosing four of five arms is not big deal. It grows four new ones ...
Isn't nature wonderful ? :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Keystone Jetty colors to brighten windy and overcast day on Whidbey Island.
The Yellow and Red provided by tunicates and small fish :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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When the Bull kelp begins to turn into a tangled mess and Northern Kelp crabs take up residence on kelp stipe and blades, winter is not far away ...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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From the Skyline Wall. Scaled crab with Crimson anemone.
Such handsome pair :) :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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OCTOber 8 - World Octopus Day ! :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Possession Point Fingers. Like Deception Pass on the northern end of Whidbey Island, the south end also requires a walk through the forest to access the dive site.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Few recent Keystone Jetty fish encounters. some common and some not so common...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Keystone Jetty. The underwater world of crab eats crab...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Gdog »

Love your Warbonnet pics Jan!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Thanks, Gdog.

Keystone Jetty. Until now, all my photos of Stearn's Ear Shell depicted it as a flat blob on top of its favorite tunicate, blending in perfectly. Finally I got few shots of what it looks like from different angles. No snail was hurt during the process. :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Keystone's attempt to look tropical :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Everybody who dives Keystone Jetty notices, that the place is overrun with Green sea urchins. However, finding a different urchin specie here is unusual. I wonder how it got there. The odd individual doesn't stay around for long neither...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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With the onset of winter, you can expect some changes in Keystone kelp :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Lovin your shots Jan, and the awesome education included. Keep em coming!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Blue skies just a memory? It rains and it rains. Throwback to a more cheerful day, Skyline on October 5th.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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The good news from Keystone- I did not see any sea star wasting. And Hornmouth eats barnacles and crabs are decorating... Life is good :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Facebook and internet in general. Yes, it does contain lots of divisive material, but here is an example what I enjoy about it. Couple months ago I came across a fish I had hard time to ID. It started discussion and more people chimed in, and then others found same fish on different dive and different dive site. No arguing or disparaging comments, just common desire to identify the critter. What started as Gunnel ended as Prickleback. Thank you all...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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As the night descends on Langley Harbor, bigger fish eating smaller fish commences ... :burntchef:
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by oldsalt »

A belated Happy Birthday youngster.
-Curt :bday: :partydance: :supz: :joshsmith:
Happy to be alive.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Thank you Curt, just another day in the life of a senior citizen ...

Langley Harbor - Home of the one and only Two-Headed Giant Plumose Anemone !!! :) :) :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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What a beautiful Sunday weather. Made even better with friends at Keystone . :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Few more from the Sunday dive at Keystone Jetty.
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