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canetoad

(18,061 posts)
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 09:55 PM Feb 2024

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens......

Nah, not really. Slime, algae and nasty little carnivores!

More pictures of the critters that inhabit the rockpools along my part of the Aussie coast.

Wandering anemone: These guys float around on the winds and currents. Same family as regular sea anemones, they have a disc of tentacles underneath for moving around and feeding or attaching themselves to weed or rocks. The individual cells are jelly like.


I love finding a pool with a second, unknown source of light - maybe from a crack in the rocks or underwater tunnel joining it to another pool.


Some of my beloved slimes. The black one is actually blue-green algae. I think that's a little sponge in the middle and the red is coraline algae.


These critters are called Sea Hares because of the long antennae like a hare's ears. They are pretty well hidden most of the year but come out to bask in the shallows during breeding season. Their eggs look like strands of spaghetti.



Sometimes it's just fun to photograph the sun on the rocks.


This was a two -fer. Rock pool with a hidden crack of light plus a little fish staring at the camera.


Lomis Hirta. Hairy stone crab, except it's not really a crab, having only three pairs of legs. Very geometrical, like a wooden puzzle. Not very big and pretty hard to find.


False limpets and their egg cases. They differ from true limpets in that they are air breathing, lacking the gill structure that enables a true limpet to breath in water. Instead, the false limpets batten down with a shell-full of air when the tide rises.


Little crab immediately after moulting. As I walked past a small pool, I saw movement in the bottom and this little pink crab was struggling out of his old shell. They are very vulnerable at this stage, so I hope he survived.


Bubble seaweed on a seagrass bed; it shines gold when the sun hits it. Only grows at certain times of the year.


I just thought these colours were really cool.Baby mussels growing on a mat of Ulva- sea lettuce. The sea lettuce is edible and is great in miso soup! The mussels are too small to bother picking.












22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens...... (Original Post) canetoad Feb 2024 OP
Thank you. How very cool. 1WorldHope Feb 2024 #1
Fantastic! 2naSalit Feb 2024 #2
I used Fuji cameras for a long time canetoad Feb 2024 #4
I grew up... 2naSalit Feb 2024 #8
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing! Rhiannon12866 Feb 2024 #3
Hi Rhi! canetoad Feb 2024 #5
We've had a weird winter so far, we usually get buried here in snow country, but the temperatures haven't that low Rhiannon12866 Feb 2024 #7
Cool pictures MN2theMax Feb 2024 #6
Thank you MN2theMax canetoad Feb 2024 #10
My grandmother, uncle and cousins lived in Brisbane MN2theMax Feb 2024 #12
Fantastic, thanks for bringing these here . Permanut Feb 2024 #9
I've heard they are toxic canetoad Feb 2024 #11
What a lovely and educational post! brer cat Feb 2024 #13
You are very welcome bc canetoad Feb 2024 #14
Nature is always better than a theme park. brer cat Feb 2024 #15
Fantastic photos and information about each. CousinIT Feb 2024 #16
Thank you Cuz! canetoad Feb 2024 #17
Great pics. Thank you judesedit Feb 2024 #18
Nature is beautiful and your photos captured her beauty well. StarryNite Feb 2024 #19
Beautiful. Hope22 Feb 2024 #20
What extravagantly beautiful photos, canetoad. TY so much for sharing. Hekate Feb 2024 #21
Thank you Hekate canetoad Feb 2024 #22

2naSalit

(92,009 posts)
2. Fantastic!
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:10 PM
Feb 2024

Underwater pictures can be so much fun. It's been a while since I had access to a camera that could do that.

Those are great pictures, thanks for sharing and telling us what everything is.

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
4. I used Fuji cameras for a long time
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:16 PM
Feb 2024

Never expected them to last forever - they really take a beating. At the moment, I'm using a Ricoh WG-6 and am very pleased with it. It has an insane 1cm macro mode with a little light ring!

I'm going off the idea of using a selfie stick for underwater shots. You need to use 10 second self timer and this tends to steam up the inside of the camera, I guess because of heat from the mechanism. I don't mind getting into the pools in summer but no way in winter!

2naSalit

(92,009 posts)
8. I grew up...
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:28 PM
Feb 2024

Along the shore in New England and then lived along the Pacific for many years, I loved wading in the tide pools in summer. There's so much to see.

Rhiannon12866

(220,583 posts)
3. Wow! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:13 PM
Feb 2024

My parents visited Australia, my mother twice, but I've never been. I'm in New York and I envy you the weather now in your part of our world...

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
5. Hi Rhi!
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:19 PM
Feb 2024

We don't get snow, or even many frosts, being so close to the sea, but believe me, the wind in winter can blow the hair off your head!

Rhiannon12866

(220,583 posts)
7. We've had a weird winter so far, we usually get buried here in snow country, but the temperatures haven't that low
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:28 PM
Feb 2024

I wonder how the ski centers are doing, can see the lights at night from the one on the nearest mountain from my window, but I was never into outdoor winter sports. We do get wind warnings, though, so I can identify with that. It looks like you're in a lovely area, close to the coast, and I always enjoy your photos.

MN2theMax

(1,692 posts)
6. Cool pictures
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:27 PM
Feb 2024

So many life forms I could never even imagine. Your pictures really highlight their beauty.

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
10. Thank you MN2theMax
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:33 PM
Feb 2024

I really hate going down to the beach with my dog on a sunny day, having to spend hours wading in crystal clear pools.

Not.

MN2theMax

(1,692 posts)
12. My grandmother, uncle and cousins lived in Brisbane
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:46 PM
Feb 2024

Wish I could have visited at some point, but that didn’t happen. Your pictures were like a virtual visit.

Permanut

(6,593 posts)
9. Fantastic, thanks for bringing these here .
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:32 PM
Feb 2024

I stepped on an anemone while snorkeling in Puerto Rico; I'll never forget that day!

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
11. I've heard they are toxic
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:37 PM
Feb 2024

Which is logical, because that's how they gather prey, but have never heard of anyone being stung, so you're a first.

I handle them all the time; I should be more careful.

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
17. Thank you Cuz!
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 11:20 PM
Feb 2024

I don't know what's on many of the photos til I get them on the computer. Anything new or unusual I always look up which takes me down magical diversions.

Hekate

(94,283 posts)
21. What extravagantly beautiful photos, canetoad. TY so much for sharing.
Wed Feb 7, 2024, 02:49 AM
Feb 2024

It’s only by accident that I saw your post on the front page, and am so glad I did.

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
22. Thank you Hekate
Wed Feb 7, 2024, 03:54 PM
Feb 2024

And yet I believe I've only seen a tiny fraction of what is down there. Later this month and next month we are due some exceptionally low daytime tides and I can get out to the really interesting spots....

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