Page 141 of 217

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:18 am
by Jan K
Beauty of the world above mirrors (just a little) the one underwater.
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:24 pm
by Jan K
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Western Washington
due to the possibility of snow overnight Saturday and into early Sunday morning.
It looks like one of the snowflakes landed underwater ... :)
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:18 am
by Jan K
It looks like this slug lost his compass bearing. Normally, it feeds on sea pens,
yesterday I found him on the Langley tire reef. If he indeed changed his diet, he is set for life.
There are more tires than sea pens at this location :)
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:57 am
by Jan K
Checking on sea stars at Langley and Penn Cove, still few signs of wasting, but hopefully, the mass die offs stopped,
at least for the time being. Maybe the cold water has something to do with it...
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:36 pm
by Jan K
KOMO NEWS Report : Seattle has 2nd-most depressing winter in the U.S.
That doesn't keep two old farts from diving into the cold waters of Deception Pass. It might be wet and ugly above the waves, but it sure is colorful down below. And for the warm water wussies, my friend Jack is diving in wetsuit! :)
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:48 am
by Jan K
Leafy Hornmouth busy at the Deception Pass laying egg capsules.
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 6:00 am
by Tidepool Geek
Hi Jan,

Your photos are always terrific but that first image of the leafy hornmouth & eggs is truly a cut above!

Gobsmackedly yours,
Alex

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:11 am
by Jan K
Thank you Alex. After taking many, many pictures of the Leafy hornmouth and its interesting egg capsules, this was the first time I managed to get picture of the capsule BEFORE it gets placed into the bundle.

And on the lighter note:
First came Daylight Savings Time, then came more rain and now the Kelp crab turned into a carnivore.
Oh, the horrors ! :)
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:10 am
by ScubaJess
WOW! Crazy cool and kinda scary :)

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:51 pm
by Jan K
With all that rain and wind, I feel stuck. It is a slow day. Barnacle kind of day.
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:45 pm
by Jan K
Diomedes' aglaja. One of the slugs I don't find often. It is not rare, I just don't much dive muddy bottoms.
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 10:54 am
by Jan K
It looks like a little tree, but it is an animal ! :)
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 8:42 am
by Jan K
Having "Slime" in you name doesn't trigger visions of beauty, but I think they are not ugly.
Unless you touch them and they retreat into their slimy cocoons.
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 12:00 pm
by Jan K
Lagoon Point. Another worm. Do you like Spaghetti ? :)
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:15 am
by Jan K
Getting up at five in the morning to go diving on a cloudy, cold morning might not be something normal people would consider fun. But because I am not claiming to be normal and there was no wind or rain in the forecast (unlike so many times this winter), I revisited Skyline on Fidalgo Island only to find murky water. Well, at least I found lots of baby sea stars.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:30 pm
by Gdog
Awesome stuff!

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:57 pm
by Jan K
Thanks Gdog.

While diving, we never know what kind of encounter is awaiting us once we descend into the watery world.
This encounter borders on the unnatural. Welcome to the DEAD ZONE :eek:
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:54 pm
by Gdog
Jan I can't believe you dove that! Yuk!

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:43 am
by Jan K
Gdog wrote:Jan I can't believe you dove that! Yuk!
Yup, Yuk is the right word...

On Sunday dive among the Keystone pilings and current ride along the rope trail, I met Pacific octopus before it becomes a Giant :)
And a pair of mating Monterey dorids .
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:40 pm
by Jan K
I am falling behind with processing photos, today I did yet another, this week third day of diving the Deception Pass. So the load is getting bigger with every dive and I seem to enjoy taking pictures more than working with them on the computer. But, it is better that being stuck in the darkroom with stinky chemicals. Here are few more pages of what is to see under the bridge ...
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:02 am
by Jan K
Few more from the Deception Pass...
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:02 am
by Jan K
The currents. They are what makes the Deception Pass such interesting place to dive. Feeding the innumerable amount of marine life thrive by providing flyby food, and so providing diver with plenty photo opportunities. One of them was the spawning of Vancouver Feather-duster worms...
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:35 am
by Jan K
Wolf-eel and Plainfin midshipman are not a common sight at Deception Pass.
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:50 am
by Jan K
Last of the scenic shots from last week dives at the Pass.
Image
Image
Image

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 8:45 am
by Jan K
Keystone Pilings and Jetty, little bit of color on a gray Saturday morning.
Image
Image
Image
Image