Yesterday was another ultra-low tide in early afternoon, so we joined some other family and friends for another visit to the tidepools. Again, the weather was fabulous - sunny, fairly warm (60's) and hardly windy at all down on the beach. 
We were anxious to see if we could find our octopus friend again. We easily found the hideout, broke open a mussel, and dangled a small piece in the water. Nothing happened. I moved it closer to the opening and waited. Again nothing. I pushed it just inside the opening, wondering if maybe nobody was home. Then I saw about four inches of tenticle reach out and grab the piece with lightening quickness. I knew we were in luck, and now the octopus knew food was around. We just had to be patient and try to lure it out so everyone could see it. I again dangled a piece in the water and wiggled it around with a stick. It started to come out, reaching with two tentacles. We could even see the body and its eyes. I moved the mussel farther away to see if I could lure it out further. It just reached further with its tentacles. But then we got the surprise of our lives. Just to the right, another tentacle reached out from under another rock! We had found another octopus! We were so excited! The second one was in a hole only about two feet away from the first one. We got pretty good looks at both of them. In this picture the first octopus is visible at the top. You can see three tentacles curled around and one eye. Because no suction cups are visible, she is really camouflaged, but maybe you can make it out just above the sandy area. 
We also saw the usuals like sea stars and sea anemones. We also saw a school of dolphins out a ways swimming north along the coast. I also saw a tiny sea slug that was very pretty. He was only about an inch long. When I got home, I looked on the computer to find what kind he was. He is a navanax inermis. (If you want to see what he looked like, you can visit this website.)
Jonathan went to sleep in the wagon.
The sunset was beautiful. God has made such amazing and interesting beauty for us to enjoy.
2 comments:
We love to go to tide pools too. But we have to drive a long ways to get to them on the Washington coast. December isn't the best time for that here. We did have a sunny day today though, and went for a long walk after the relatives left to go back home. The air was fresh and crisp. 40 degrees. : ) Merry Christmas!
Do you have any wildflower photos you have taken before? I am doing a special theme on my blog called Wildflowers in Winter, to help brighten our days until Spring. I hope things are going well at your house? Your blog has been quiet. : )
In His Joy,
Elizabeth Joy
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