The sun, moon, and earth were aligned today, making the tides low and the tide pool anticipation high. The tides were especially affected by the sun’s proximity to the earth, which happens each year, peaking January 2. The closer the orbiting bodies are to each other, the more impact they have on the tidal range. There is nothing better than walking on seagrass like it is your own backyard. The highlights today were the octopus (as always), colorful shrimp, and kelp crab. Kelp crab are a favorite, not just because of the shape of their carapace (upper section of the exoskeleton) but because they are masters of holding onto seagrass with their claws, but not at reaching around for a pinch.
We are lucky to live so close to this endless resource of biological entertainment.
Gorgeous! Even the sea slug looks good – as good as a slug can look.
Haha. I love sea hares. They look cooler underwater as they can maintain their shape. But they are harder to photograph.