judithscibbeta's posterous

South Cottesloe - Seadragon and squids

20 Dec 2009

The highlight of today's snorkel has to be the sighting of a common seadragon (or weedy seadragon) (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus). It drifted past in front of me when I was following a fish. (It's a matter of luck! ) Naturally I stopped going after the fish (which I now couldn't quite remember what fish) and followed the seadragon instead.

The seadragon is 20-25 cm in length and was drifting over seagrass at the depth of about 3-4 meters. It was quite well-camouflaged over the segrass and I lost track of it couple of times. This is the second time I saw a seadragon off South Cottesloe. I saw my first seadragon near the end of the South Cottesloe groyne at the depth of 3-4 meters and over seagrass too. That was a day of even worse visibility underwater and I lost track of the seadragon very quickly and naturally no photos were taken.

Another interesting encounter is seeing a group of 15-20 little squids that are just several centimeters long when I was heading to shore.

It was quite shallow, perhaps 1- 1.5 meters in depth where I saw them. It was really difficult to get any good shots of them because of their sizes and poor water visibility near shore. I have no idea what species they are. Anyway they look pretty cute.

Source: http://chaitt.blogspot.com/2010/01/south-cottesloe-seadragon-and-squids.html

Crosswater Cruisers Yachts CW Hood Yachts Dalla Pieta

Why Boats Sink in the Spring

Why Boats Sink in the Spring Are you as excited as we are about the upcoming boating season? Did mentioning “Spring” in our title for the third time in 10 days give us away? We armed you with some great spring commissioning resources last week, but thought it was worth another look after [...]

Source: http://www.floridayacht.com/blog/2010/03/16/why-boats-sink-in-the-spring/

Crescent Custom Yachts Crosswater Cruisers Yachts CW Hood Yachts

Canada's Pacific North Coast: How we can protect it today!

The David Suzuki Foundation has launched a new campaign through their marine and freshwater conservation team called “I am Fish”.  This campaign is totally up my ally as it involves educating the public about the ancient connection between humans and our oceans and why we must do what we can to protect these vital ecosystems. [...]

Source: http://www.anoceansview.com/2009/ocean-conservation/canadas-pacific-north-coast-how-we-can-protect-it-today/

Harbor Master Hakvoort Hardy Marine UK Hatteras Yachts

Do Your Part in Reducing Marine Debris

photo: NOAA

Marine debris has become one of the most widespread pollution problems affecting the world?s oceans and waterways. A recent study by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation found human debris in all five major ocean gyres (including the well-known Pacific Garbage Patch) http://www.5gyres.org/. Research has proven that debris has serious effects on the marine environment, marine wildlife, the economy, and human health and safety.

Marine debris harms marine and coastal communities by damaging marine habitat like coral reefs; transporting non-native and invasive species to new habitats; causing navigational hazards and vessel damage; and harming and entangling wildlife. The number of marine debris-related entanglement deaths of endangered and threatened seals, sea turtles, and seabirds continues to grow.

One of Marine Conservation Biology Institute's program areas is elevating the issue of marine debris, especially to our lawmakers. MCBI staff also like to be an example to others by reducing our waste. We can all be seen carrying around our reusable water bottles, using reusable dishes and utensils in our office kitchen, carrying our own grocery bags to the store. A new invention we would like to share with you is the reusable sandwich and snack bags. Check them out here: http://www.lunchskins.com/our-products.html. They are reusable, washable in the dishwasher, and durable. Why didn't we think about this before?

Share your ideas below on how you reduce your waste? Every little bit helps.


Source: http://marineconservationblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-your-part-in-reducing-marine-debris.html

Peter Nichols Piney Creek Boat Builders Post Yachts President Trawler Yachts

Summer's over

September has begun! Where did the summer go? I was on the beach this morning watching a large flock of sandpipers feeding at the tideline. There must have been perhaps 200 birds there. Not sure what species, but I think at least Piping Plovers. Seeing those birds feeding like crazy in preparation for their migration to South America really made it obvious - summer is over now.

This morning I kind of overslept and missed the low tide. I had come down to collect some Porphra - which is a very thin papery type seaweed like Sea Lettuce. This type of seaweed seems to have several forms - maybe subspecies. Some grows at the mid-tide line and is attached to small rocks in a sandy/ gravelly area. Another type is found only in areas of high current, this one is much darker and tougher and is towards the low tidal part of the beach. I did have to wade out to collect a few samples for a customer - so I considered myself lucky that didn't miss the 'boat' altogether. Had hoped to pick a few kelp plants as well but as you know you have to be at the low tide to find any of those.....

A few days ago the remnants of a hurricane driven storm came through our county with lots of rain and wind. When I reached the beach this morning it was not surprising to see a large beach-side windrow of 'storm-cast' rockweed stretching along the cobbly shore. It was a mixture of Fucus or bladder wrack and another type, Ascophyllum or Knotted Wrack. It was interesting to dissect out the windrow a bit and see just how Mother Nature had delivered this resource to its beachside location as well as what was found living inside. Initially I suspected that the winds must have torn the plants from their holdfasts (structure that attaches them to the rocks) but no - it was quite different.

What seems to have happened is that the storm's power actually loosened up the small stones upon which fairly large clumps of rockweed were attached. Rockweed is a name we use for a group of brown seaweed species found in the intertidal in great abundance. These stones of orange and grapefruit size are often buried in the beach substrate and provide a good solid place of attachment for rockweed plants. Once the wind and the waves hit them it is apparent that their foothold on the beach gave way and they became mobile. Because of the floats on the rockweed, that is their air bladders, provided enough floatation for the rocks to then be carried up the beach and into the tangle of other 'storm-cast' seaweed at the high tide line. See my UTube video about this seaweed and what happened to it in this storm. Besides rockweed there were bits of Spartina grass, little beach fleas, and other organisms found inside.

Have to share this picture of some sea cucumbers we had here at Gulf of Maine this summer. What a fantastic pile of sea pickles. I just dove my arms into the mass to see what they would feel like..... it was creepy. Sea cucumbers do respond much to touch other than to purse up their tentacles and wait for danger to go away. These guys came from a fisherman in Milbridge, Maine. Ug!

Source: http://tidepooltim.blogspot.com/2009/09/summers-over.html

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Oats gets her oats

Ever since the tragedy of the '98 Sydney Hobart, rigorous safety has been the watchword of this toughest of offshore yacht races.

So when Wild Oats failed to check in with a phone call after crossing the notorious Bass Strait, the race committee protested the line honours winner and threatened to strip Mark Richards' crew of the victory.

Thankfully leniency prevailed and owner Bob Oatley gets to win another Rolex Sydney Hobart, the toughest his Super Maxi has yet endured.

http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/news.asp?key=5123

This has been a phenomenally successful boat. I was fortunately to race on board for Wild Oats first ever competition, a blast around Sydney Harbour five years ago.

The photo above, as you may have noticed, is not of Wild Oats, but from this week's action across the Bass Strait.

… Read the rest

Source: http://sailjuiceblog.com/oats-gets-her-oats/

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