Whidbey Island Critters

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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dwashbur
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by dwashbur »

Every time you post, I learn something new. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

In the muck of Lagoon Point, I found Graceful Cancer crab munching on something.
The crab offered to share its dinner with the much larger creature, leaving the
front portion of the worm. They grow more than three feet long :eek:
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

Jan, you find the coolest things . . . but what's even cooler is that you record them and share them with the rest of us!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Could it be that Spring is finally here to stay? Sunday sure seemed like it.
Keystone Jetty was little silty, but the sunshine made it cheerful enough ...
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I waited and waited to see if the cleaner will show up. The Lingcod forgot it
is Sunday, day of rest for the sculpin cleaners :)
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

Love the view of the rockfish up through the green water. We've had lovely green water the last couple of weeks in Seattle, but no fish in it yet.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Until today, I saw this critter only in the supermarket. :burntchef:
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Tom Nic
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Tom Nic »

One showed up at Redondo a few years ago. If anyone wants to continue the speculation as to where it came from I would suggest another thread so as not to hi-jack this one!
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

OMG -- did you wonder if you were narced out of your skull when you saw that? What a find!
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by oldsalt »

While having seen many lobsters while diving in New England, I saw one once on the slope beyond the late Edmonds oil pier. Upon surfacing, I told the ranger about it and although I was severly tempted, I didn't harvest it because Edmonds is a no-harvest zone. She said that I should have taken it as it was an invasive species. The local bait shack kept live lobsters along with herring and shrimp. Some Tibetan Bhuddists bought the entire lot and set them free.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

I know they are not part of our ecosystem, but I had hard time to take picture of it as it was deep inside a crevice. When I first found it, shining my light into hole, looking for critters, the lobster backed even deeper into the hole. I knew that the only way I can get a shot is to leave for while, switch on the focusing light on my strobe with a red filter, take the strobe off the camera arm and put it along the camera to even get it all into the opening. When I saw the size of its claws, I was not about to reach in and try to grab it. I need my fingers ... :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

And from the exotic back to mundane.
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Some sponges are impossible to ID from pictures. I tried. I got answer from one expert, but when I brought up
piece of the stinker, I couldn't smell anything. So maybe my nose is not up to the task or it is Whidbey No Stinker
Sponge. Just another critter to add to the long list of unidentified stuff :BDub:
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Dusty2
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Dusty2 »

To bad that lobster seeding didn't take hold. That would have been something worth hunting for. :burntchef:
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

more trivia from life of Lingcod
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

I wonder if poor current and oxygenation is the reason why I see so many ling cod egg masses in Cove 2 that appear to end up abandoned?
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

OK, it was not my intention to do this, so I hope this will not turn ugly... :stir:
I shoot critters with a camera and don't even own a spear gun. But I was
asked to by the authorities to get rid of invasive specie and so I got some
help ... From what I read, this was not as a rare encounter as I first thought .
I am sure there are all kind of opinions on this subject :zots:
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by fnerg »

Wow, I bet protecting the environment never tasted so good!
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

fnerg wrote:Wow, I bet protecting the environment never tasted so good!
You bet . :burntchef:
This undocumented alien tried to sneak into our waters claiming he was member of NWDC.
Little he knew that I know better :gunslinger:
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

Fun series of pictures! Maine lobster is one of my very, very favorite foods.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

April 1st. Not only Fools Day, but also the gates to Little North Beach opened which
starts a Deception Pass shore dive season. However, I was little disappointed when
I was greeted with waves rolling in and less than good visibility. Lots of silt in 10'-15'
visibility was not what I was looking for after such long absence...
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LCF
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by LCF »

Beautiful, as usual, Jan! One of these days, I would love to come up and meet up with you to dive the pass.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

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Easter egg hunt - took me a while to track down some explanation for the
different size of the eggs. This is what I came up with :dontknow:
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Dusty2
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Dusty2 »

Wow that's a pretty recent discovery! Nice work catching this Jan. Great photo work and sleuthing to find that article.
Thanks for another very interesting tidbit of info.
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Thank you Dusty, some of the stuff sure takes lots of work, but it is also fun trying to
figure out what it is I am looking at. Specially when I see something on the computer screen
I didn't see when I was taking that picture. So I have to go back and hope to find it again. :)
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Jan K
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Post by Jan K »

Romance at the Langley Tire Reef :luv:
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