CONSTELLATION MARINE RESERVE NEW YEAR'S EVE 2013

Perfect ending to 2013 with clam water, 45 degrees F and a Giant Pacific Octopus to welcome in the New Year.  The good news is all of the small Sunflower Stars appeared healthy and they were plentiful.  Still the number of Purple Stars with sea star wasting disease is high.  Kelp Crabs, Dungeness Crabs, Red Rock Crabs were abundant.  Due to the normal seasonal die back of large sea weeds the viewing of animal species was much better than summer.  Coraline algae covered rocks hosted Lined Chitons, Mottled Anemones, and other assorted marine life, all in plain view.  The female octopus was ogled by just about everyone on the beach and no doubt was very happy to see us forced away by the incoming tide.  The green anemone on the pilings under the condo mentioned in an earlier post turned out to be a very large Aggregate Anemone.  No squid showed up.....bummer.   Another minus 3' tide tonight so it will be back to the beach for another adventure......first of 2014....weather looks good.

Barnacle Eating Sea Slugs and eggs

Feather Duster Worm

Feather Duster Worm

Giant Pacific Octopus

Giant Pacific Octopus

Northern Kelp Crabs mating

Lined Chiton

Lined Chiton

Purple Sea Star with wasting disease

Fish eggs

Sunflower Star

Tide Pool with Mottled Anemone and Coraline algae

Small Sea Stars Alki