Our wonderful ocean

My hubby just got home from his field trip/camping trip with his college marine biology class. They went to San Simeon, which has some of the most amazing tidepools anywhere. It was cold and foggy and misty all weekend but they found some fantastic creatures. See the mist over the ocean!!


They saw lots of things...Nudibranchs



Purple Crabs



Monkeyface Eels-look at those stripes on his head...and that bump on his head, too cool!



Clingfish(Gobiesox), these guys are so cute. They look like big tadpoles and are perfectly adapted to living in the tidepools. Why? Because they have a big sucker that lets them cling to the rocks and stay put. Gobiesox Suck Rocks!!!




Look at these kelpfish. Again, perfectly adapted to living in the green and yellow kelp!!



Sculpins. Look at that pink one!!! What color algae do you think he lives in???



Next time you look into a tidepool, you might be seeing more than you think. He found at least 50 fish in a tidepool he emptied with his students. They had a bucket brigade going and once all the water was emptied, fish just started jumping everywhere! He also visited the elephant seals. Central California is one place where the elephant seals haul out on land to have their babies and mate. How cute is this little guy??? Looks like a napping sausage!



Lots of juveniles trying out their swimming skills!



I can't wait to take the kids there. We haven't been yet with the kids and they are going to love it. Craig goes at least twice a year with his class and I think we will be going on the next trip for sure!!