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 »

and so we enjoy the birds and the fishies :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Adding another critter to the list ...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

What a great week , got to dive the Pass from Monday to Friday ! :)
Some of the weeks snapshots, got a backlog to work on...
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Spawning sea stars part of the attraction:
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

And Spring spawning goes on and on ...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Marek, thank you for your kind words. As I told you, I am really happy when I see a new diver excited as you are about what our Salish Sea has to offer. There is yet so much we don't know. Or more specifically, I don't know. That is why every dive in every locality at any time offers new discoveries and provides us with new questions.
Like we encountered yesterday. Red Irish Lord are described as being solitary critters. So since they were not guarding eggs,
why they were so many of them in small area of the wall ? Maybe somebody will let me know ... :)
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Last edited by Jan K on Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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oldsalt
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by oldsalt »

Jan K wrote:Marek, thank you for your kind words. As I told you, I am really happy when I see a new diver exited as you are about what our Salish Sea has to offer.
Jan, there is at least one non-new (old? used?) diver who is excited about what the Salish Sea has to offer and looks forward to your posts with eager anticipation.
-Curt :rawlings:
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Tom Nic
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Tom Nic »

Love it Jan!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
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"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

I have learned so much from this thread . . . it is, among other things, a testimonial to the value of diving and learning a site, until your eyes can pick out the unusual and spot behavior. The combination of the superb photography and the artwork is unique and perpetually delightful.

Jan, you know I think you should publish a book . . . :)
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Marek Sk
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Marek Sk »

Dear fellow Divers,
I have seen a lot of encouragement to Jan over the years in this chain of postings to publish a bigger book. I have been strongly encouraging him as well.
Until our feedback and momentum reaches the critical mass and Jan decides to publish a larger book we can support Jan by buying and spreading the word about his 2008 20 page photo book ”Beneath the Whidbey Waters”.
Updated cover of Jan 2008 20 page photo book. More info in jankocian.smugmug.com "Gifts & stuff"
Updated cover of Jan 2008 20 page photo book. More info in jankocian.smugmug.com "Gifts & stuff"
I believe that this existing book is already a treasure for several groups of people: new divers, new to Puget Sound divers, old divers looking to see new things and none divers who have no idea how magical world is here in Puget Sound.
If everybody would think and act how to support Jan in further sharing his talents, we could move the mountains.
Jan recently reordered print of his book and has some copies available with the new cover.
I personally decided to buy several of his books and I will donate 1 book to each dive shop I am a customer: Bubbles Below in Woodinville and Silent World in Bellevue.
The purpose is to have store copy on display and spark interest. If someone wants to buy then for now will still need to e-mail Jan and send check unless dive shops will come up with some arrangement with Jan.
This is just my tiny contribution and commitment.
If anyone has any other ideas, please share.
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

This book thing keeps popping up seems like once a year :) :BDub:
If I wasn't so busy diving, I would enjoy to put something together. But then I realize that there isn't that much demand for books anymore, and the whole thing just fades back into background.
I keep few of the old ones around to give out as gifts, mainly to non divers who keep asking the same old question: "What do you see down there?" You know what I am talking about, every diver suiting up or getting out of dive gear gets this questions by bystanders ...
So meanwhile - I keep diving, pressing the shutter and manage now and then add another critter to my list.
One new and one old from the transparent jelly sphere:
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old:
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

Oh, I am envious! I try so hard to get photos of those small jellies, and you have many of them!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Chasing a very little crab in the currents of Deception Pass while trying to lock the autofocus on it -
well, not too sharp, but another first to add to my list.
Thanks Greg for helping ID it for me.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Still trying to catch up with the backlog from last week ...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

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Scubie Doo
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Scubie Doo »

Very cool! I've never seen the cucumber eggs.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

And more spawning critters...
This is first for me, these small chitons are usually just sticking to the rock they feed on :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Keystone is overrun with these guys. Their diet is indeed varied. They even eat their own kind.
So arm of a wasting sea star is probably not that bad :eek:
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Sea Star Wasting Syndrome starting to kill again after a brief pause in March :(
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Marek, thank you for your kind words, I am glad you found my postings helpful.

I might say that I found my inspiration in works of others, of course the Silent World
by J.Cousteau, Hans Hass as the most influential, but so was another work which
predates them -20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne...
Captain Nemo and his Nautilus saga revisited:
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by oldsalt »

Brilliant! The de Neuville drawings remind me of the Dore illustrations you used earlier. We share similar inspirations. I gave my copies of Silent World and Manta (by Hans Hass) to my god-grandson last month. They continue to inspire, as do you. Thanks again, Curt
Last edited by oldsalt on Fri May 09, 2014 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Thank you Curt, we are standing on the shoulders of giants :)
Couple days ago, enjoying the sights of Deception Pass, I came across a stranded Kelp Greenling male. I think I saw this fish swimming around during may last dive here, but then it was still able to swim around and would flee when I approached it.
This time the long fishing line he was trailing behind got so entangled in Sponges and kelp that with the help of my fellow NWDC buddy Marek Sk, we were able to cut him free...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

"Face only mother could like" comes to mind when looking at the Rock sole...
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Added new slug to my list, really small, maybe a quarter of inch long.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

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I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Sea Star Wasting is rearing up its ugly head again :(
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