Northwest Dive Club

I was not the only one taking pictures on Thursday and Friday at the Deception Pass.

I was glad to help out with collecting sea stars for the ongoing research project to find answers to the Sea Star Wasting Disease puzzle. After the stars were transported from Langley Harbor to the US Geological Survey facility on Marrowstone Island on Monday, I followed them on Tuesday. Taking the ferry to Port Townsend where Elliot Walter Jackson picked me up and after short stop at North Beach, we drove to the USGS Marine Station located on the Marrowstone Point. I got a tour of the facility and said hello to all the Langley stars which looked quite content with their new home. As bonus I got to talk to some friendly scientists doing research on fish disease prevention.

Thanks for all of your work Jan! You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!
I hope they can figure out how to save the stars!

Thank you Jess for kind word.
Yes, it would be great if they found the real culprit in this mess.

This collecting of specimens did not require scuba gear

Not all Blood stars are what they seem to be. It was easier back then, when every skinny red star was simply a Blood star.
But as with our own blood, the devil is in the detail...

A stroll along the Keystone Jetty rocks.
Little bit of everything. Underwater

Although not maybe the most glamorous of marine critters, this flea too has its place in the world.
At least this one doesn't have you scratching your head.

This is how barnacles (and other crustaceans) grow.
If they don't fit into their suit anymore, they cast it off and grow a new one.

Feeling like a fish out of water ? Not a problem , try to be like the gunnel. Adapt.
The tide will rise again

Closer look at couple of our common critters ...

On my dive at Skyline on Tuesday, I noticed that many of the seaweeds were "bleached". It is not the first time I have seen them like this, but this time the discolored blades on many different species were really standing out. I tried to find more about kelp bleaching, but could not find any reference on line, except one source from Australia, so this might be something different. Maybe somebody can enlighten me on this...

Few more from Tuesday dive at Skyline.

Yes, it was crazy weather on Thursday, but before the lightning, thunder, rain and wind arrived, the sun was shining and I had a very nice dive at Deception Pass. The fishing season is upon us, so small boat traffic and potential fishing lines are now part of the scene ...

And more Deception Pass critters: slugs, cucumbers and worms

Saturday brought us another sunny day, so another dive was in order.
On my search of critters I run into other divers on the same quest...

Stubby dendronotid returned to Keystone to eat the Ostrich-plume hydroid, but there is much less of it this year. I blame the Common Acorn Barnacles which now cover so much of Keystone area. First came the Green sea urchins and now barnacles. Not good

My morning rant. I noticed lately that "my" underwater world at Keystone is being invaded by critters which in my opinion do not enhance the scene. First it was the invasion of Green sea urchins, (they are still there), and now it seems that everything is being covered by a carpet by barnacles . I miss the sea stars. I think that they kept lots of the invader larvae from settling down and get comfortable. Yes, predators are important ! End of rant.

Adding little bit of color. The clouds and the rain are back ...

When the tides and bad underwater visibility dampen the desire to suit up and dive, there is always the option to wander on the beach...

Jan: I never fail to linger over your pictures, especially now that I have given up diving. Your Double Bluff pictures are equally pleasing. Long before GPS, Double Bluff was a fixed reference for visual navigation as we cruised up Admiralty Inlet on one of my Navy ships. In my mind I can still hear the quartermaster saying, "Tangent on Double Bluff, zero five seven degrees," even though it was nearly half a century ago. When my youngest grandson was in preschool, this was a weekly destination. As an old man I walk those beaches, tidepooling, birding, watching for mammals, and enjoying the ship traffic going by. I can even let the dog off the leash there. I don't comment on every posting, but I read them all. Thank you for sharing your gift.
-Curt

Thank you Curt for your kind words. I am taking the advantage to live so close to the Double Bluff beach and visit it often.
It sue has so much to offer, the erosion of the cliffs provides never ending display of textures and forms, not to mention
birds, tidal marine life and awesome clouds above.

And here is another dose of underwater sights from Whidbey.
Few snapshots of what is going on at Langley harbor. BTW, the tug was built in Freeland, Whidbey Island.
From two headed anemones to tire eating sea stars (just kidding)

Happy Mother's Day to ALL mothers, for the world would be an empty and desolate place without them.

Take a stroll on the Double Bluff beach with me.
It will sooth your soul, if you look up at the scenery or look down, where the residents of the tidal world live.
And look close, since most of them are very small, but live an interesting lives nevertheless.

I found few more images in the digital file from the walk on Double Bluff beach.
Big birds and tiny mites, so many things to watch and enjoy...