Keystone Jetty, December 10, 2023 dive.
Early morning favorable current predictions called for early rising, for most of them, but that did not deter the dedicated group of divers I had the pleasure meet at the Jetty. Some of them I met for the first time at the parking lot, and some of them again later underwater.
Presenting:
"Bipeds meet decapods"
Driftwood Park, December 14, 2023 dive.
Plenty of silt, poor on marine life diversity. Not a single rockfish at the tire reef. Even the cucumbers are hiding in the glass jars.
Deception Pass, December 20, 2023 dive.
Although the current tables were not too optimistic, using caution, we dipped our toes in it. The whole island was in dense fog when we entered, but blue skies greeted us when we exited one hour later. As expected, the visibility was not good thanks to the ever-present silt dumped in our waters by flooding rivers, it was not a bad dive. Winter is not the most colorful season underwater as many of the critters crawl into kind of hibernation mode.
Langley Harbor, December 22, 2023 dive.
Soggy world above, checking up the world underwater and finding it crowded with hordes of Northern Kelp Crabs. The interesting part, there is not kelp forest anywhere in the vicinity. I came across a pile of Bull kelp stipe laying on the seafloor, not lifted anymore by their gas filled bulbs . But many were occupying rocks and even metal structures, not an obvious feeding grounds...
Possession Point Fingers, December 23, 2023 dive.
More pixels caught in there
First Lingcod egg mass of the season. And of course, visit my favorite anemones, each one with its own color pattern.
Hi Jan,
Great images as always!
Are there any indications as to why the two species of snails have arranged themselves as shown? Habitat differences (current regime, sunlight, etc.) or is it that one species is crowding out the other over time?
Competitively yours,
Alex
Tidepool Geek wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:59 am
Hi Jan,
Great images as always!
Are there any indications as to why the two species of snails have arranged themselves as shown? Habitat differences (current regime, sunlight, etc.) or is it that one species is crowding out the other over time?
Competitively yours,
Alex
Thank you Alex.
The two species seem to be compatible, in the past I saw where their eggs were mixed, although there were not in big numbers like this rock.
I will monitor that rock and see what will happen to that arrangement. For sure, lot of yellow egg capsules
Driftwood Pond #1. December 31, 2023
Last dive of the year. Interesting to see both Moon jelly species in the same pond.
The 16 lobbed variety is in majority, the 8 lobbed only few.
Driftwood Pond #1. December 31, 2023 dive.
For while I thought that the oysters were all dead, but it looks like some survived after the whole area was covered with slime in the summer algae bloom.
Langley Harbor, January 19, 2024.
Finally the ice melted from the roads and I can return to what I love. Diving. Not many critters encountered, as if they too hunkered down for the season. At least the flowerlike anemones and featherduster worms provided some opportunity to collect pixels with my camera.
