Tag Archives: tide pool

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By-the-Wind Sailors, Velella velella, have been washing up on beaches recently. They are a relative of Jellyfish and are quite beautiful. Roberta Chan noticed one that still had life so she picked it up and carried it to a tide pool. Unfortunately for the Sailor, the wind slowly drove it directly to a hungry Sea Anemone.

An anemone and a by-wind-sailor 1 by Roberta ChanAn anemone & sailor 2 by Robert ChanAn anemonee & sailor 3 by Robert Chan

It just wasn't that Sailor's day.

Thanks to Roberta for allowing me to share her photos with you here. To see a photo of a Velella velella and to learn more about them, here is the link to a previous post: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2014/08/26/velella-velella-by-the-wind-sailors/

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Robert Scarola was at the bluffs overlooking the Tide Pool rookery on The Sea Ranch when he saw a mother Harbor Seal leading her pup towards the water. Headed for the main channel rock - a Harbor Seal mom with her pup by Robert Scarola Next you will see the pair enter the water. Into the main channel - a Harbor Seal mom shows her pup the way by Robert Scarola And finally Robert imagines the mother is telling her pup, "A job well done!" Mom says job well done - a Harbor Seal mom with her pup by Robert Scarola There has to be a first time for everything! Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Robert Scarola recently photographed this beautiful tide pool.

Here's what Robert had to say:

"It's been so windy lately that Nancy and I are only going out for short walks on the shore -- stunningly beautiful. We found a quiet, calm spot out of the wind on The Sea Ranch Bluff Trail near where the Salal Trail joins it, and spent some time just contemplating the rock formations and the sheltered tide pools. You can feel all the small life here living in this green-edged pool home, waiting for the next surge of sea and nutrients. The sun made the water look like it was filled with diamonds. And actually it is rich beyond measure."

Thanks to Robert for his photo and his words!

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The Stornetta Public Lands bring us many wonders and here's another one - a Purple Sea Urchin "meadow." Peter Baye was exploring the tide pools of the Stornetta Lands at low tide recently when he photographed these underwater beauties.

These Sea Urchins have excavated pits in sedimentary rocks and live in a big community. They grow to about four inches across and can live up to 70 years. Their Latin name is a tongue twister - Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. They are found off the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, from Ensenada, Mexico to British Columbia, Canada.

Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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Allen Vinson usually has his camera with him as he wanders the Mendonoma Coast. He recently took of photo of the Sonoma coastline on The Sea Ranch. You can see a beautiful tide pool on the right and a few people up on the top of the bluff with the backdrop of a turbulent Pacific Ocean. Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

We are coming into our most beautiful weather here on the coast. The light is golden now as autumn approaches. It's one of my favorite times of the year.

My best to you! Jeanne Jackson