Tag Archives: kelp

Back on St. Martins, Isles of Scilly.

Posted on by under echinoderms, eelgrass, seaweeds, snorkeling

Last week we visited St. Martin, one of the Isles of Scilly again, the first week we were allowed to do so. As a result, the islands were very quiet (and the pub was still closed, aargh!). It was sunny, but the easterlies were still cold and there was even a bit of frost some nights. However, I managed to get a snorkel in almost every day, which was great. I brought all my gear (again stepping on the boat wearing my weight belt…) but only used the strobes the first day; these are still an ongoing frustration of mine! I tried out most beaches, especially enjoying Porth Morran, where the kelp met the seagrass. (The pics in the Gallery are click-able btw.)

  • Wrack Siphon Weed Vertebrata lanosa
  • Bladder Wrack Fucus vesiculosus
  • After the wracks, the rocks were dominated by Brown Tuning Fork Weed Bifurcaria bifurcata (with Osmundea, Chondrus, Ceramium and other species mixed in).
  • Very common on top of the Bifurcaria was either Colpomenia or Leathesia; I should know the difference but I cannot figure it out (even after squeezing between fingers)!
  • After the Bifurcaria zone dense Himanthalia elongata stands.
  • Very tall Sargassum muticum.
  • Very tall Gongolaria baccata.
  • The tall Brown seaweeds, Himanthalia, Sargassum and Gongolaria, were interspersed with seagrass beds, with Ulva, Saccharina and some Asparagopsis inbetween.
  • Seagrass
  • Huge masses of Sugar Kelp Saccharina latissima.

Some sites were dominated by kelp Laminaria digitata with Common Sea Urchins Echinus esculentus munching away. Fish life was very limited; I saw Ballan- and Corkwing Wrasse and Thicklipped Mullet but not much else.

Common Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus

Other sites were more ‘beachy’ with white sand, small rocks covered in Snakelocks Anemones and Seaweeds and Seagrass. The visibility looked very promising but was quite bad some days unfortunately (especially compared to our visit last September, see here). All in all a great time was had and we hope to visit again next year!

  • Seagrass, showing the extensive root- and rhizome systems that are so good at storing carbon (in addition, the seagrass beds store carbon by trapping floating particles).
  • A Spiny Starfish Marthasterias glacialis.
  • A tiny Macropdia crab covered in seaweed, not done justice without a strobe!

Falmouth Seaweeds (and fish) June

Posted on by under 2017 Falmouth seaweeds, Canon G16, photography, seaweeds, snorkeling

I have been diving three times last week but due to internet problems have not posted about them. I hope to do that in the coming days, but first wanted to blog about this mornings snorkel session in the shallow rock pools at Castle Beach in Falmouth, as I experienced the best viz (visibility) ever here. Apart from the stunning viz, I was very lucky with the fish: I spotted a Tompot blenny, Two-spot Gobies, Fifteen-spined stickleback, Rock goby, Pollack, Ballan-, Corkwing- and Goldsinny Wrasse and Sand eels (above and below). However, I mainly wanted to check what the seaweeds looked like, and things have definitely changed over the last month (see here).The Wireweed Sargassum muticum and Spaghetti (or Thong) weed Himanthalia elongata are thriving and at low tide hang over the surface creating ‘tunnels’. The Harpoonweed below is in decline, turning from pink to yellow-white (and the Bonnemaisonia is almost completely gone). The fronds of the False eyelash weed have turned from juicy and red-brown to wiry and yellow and the corraline algae are turning white. The Sea lettuce Ulva has died back and is covered in speckles (sporangia?). Some epiphytes are thriving, the very fuzzy brown Pylaiella littoralis covers kelp, a Ceramium species grows as pompoms on the Spaghettiweed. One pink and fuzzy species that is growing well I should have taken a closer look at because I am not sure what it is now (I will enquire at the Seaweeds of the NE Atlantic facebook group). The next species I think I can identify: Chipolataweed Scytosiphon lomentaria. The Bushy rainbow wrack Cystoseira tamariscifolia looks fuzzier and greyer than before. Although with less species and more subdued colours, the pools still look beautiful, and I hope the good visibility will last a bit longer!

kelp on pebbles and worms in rocks

Posted on by under rock pooling, seaweeds, worms

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Last weekend I went to my local beach in Flushing for the last time this year. Although it was stormy and cold it was nice to have a little wander around. Loads of washed up seaweed mixed with fallen Oak leaves on the beach:

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Some of the new kelp has settled on pebbles instead of on more solid rock and so were also washed ashore. Easy for ‘planting’ in the aquarium although these species grow a bit to big to fit in my tank:

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The slate around here is full of worms, some impressive burrowing!  I have no idea what type of annelid this is; definitely worth to try to take some macro photos of in the new year:

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