This morning, we did our second round of monitoring marine mammals from our kayaks and collecting that data to contribute to long-term science research. For both days, we saw 1 harbor seal and about 55 sea lions. You guys did a great job in a previous post identifying the pinniped species as sea lions on the buoy. This time, we saw some really interesting behavior from the sea lions.
This is called rafting–any ideas about why they might be doing this?
Just saying hello, perhaps?
When the sea lions raft, it can make it difficult to count, but as our lead instructor, marine expert, and hall-of-fame diver, Lorraine, told us, “count them all and divide by 2!”.
Just off the shore from where we kayaked, we did our 2nd intertidal survey. This is me and fellow Earthwatcher Joanie in the mid-tidal zone. We use that square quadrat in the picture to help us count the number of organisms in each of the small squares to determine species abundance in each tidal zone. Although we didn’t find too much in the mid-tidal, guess what?? Later on, I found a sea star! I was the only one in the entire group to find one.
In what zone do you think I found it–low tide or high tide?
Above are my pictures from our finds, including the Variable Sea Star, which is only found in the Pacific–between California and the Galapagos Islands. I’m going to let you identify the rest. I will tell you that one of them is a gooseneck barnacle–which people once thought is where geese came from. This is why we say, “Thank you, Science!”
We’ve done so many things on this expedition, I wasn’t able to cover it all here. We did a bioluminescent snorkel, which was phenomenally breathtaking, learned from a local how to do sustainable spear fishing, talked to graduate students about the environmental science research they are doing to ultimately help and heal the planet, and did a whole bunch of data collection on planktonic organisms, which are important indicators of harmful algae blooms or HABs. We all got really good at looking in microscopes and identifying all kinds of interesting, alien-looking, microscopic life forms. These are the same life forms that lit up through bioluminescence during our night snorkel! I have a newfound appreciation for all of the wonders of our ocean and for everyone who is trying to protect it.
Please do each of the following:
1.) Answer the 2 questions highlighted in bold in this post.
2.) Identify the rocky intertidal organisms that I saw today using the field guide.
3.) Considering all of the posts from the field and topics that I have mentioned, which topic are you most interested in learning more about?
Conserving Marine Life on Catalina's Coast 
People might be doing it to get a better look at animals. Gooseneck barnicle. I’m interested to learn more about the creatures in the water.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it’s low tide. They might be enjoying the sun. I’m interested in learning about the circled pictures and what they are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you did this at low tide since there weren’t many waves splashing you.
I also think that they were doing synchronized swimming for you guys.
I am really interested in this post, because it seemed like you had a really fun time there, and you got to see many cool and interesting creatures.
Starfish was the first one, the one next to it is probably a small corral, and the one at the bottom on the right is the goose-neck barnacle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
1. I think that they do that to say hello or maybe a way to see which way the wind is going to determine which way is land.
2. I think you found it in high tide since they were wet.
3. I feel interested in learning this topic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think they are huddling together to make it easier to float without moving, and I think you found the star in low tide. I’m most interested in marine biology and preservation
LikeLiked by 1 person
planktonic organisms and harmful algae blooms. I think you started looking at the animals at low tide. I believe the seals are doing this to get warm from the sun. I think the most interesting thing was the bioluminescent snorkel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think they do that because it looks like it’s relaxing for them.
Low tide, after they would’ve gotten a lot of water.
1- Seastar
2-Dead man’s fingers
3-chitons
4-Aggregating Anemones
5-Leaf barnacle
I’m most interested in learning about the tides.
LikeLike
Amazing! I hope you had a great trip!
I think the seals wanted to come up to look around. Do they usually have company?
I think that you found the sea star in low tide because you usually see more creatures that stick to things in low tide because the water is lower.
I am still wondering what planktonic organisms are, and what causes them.
I want to learn more about the planktonic organisms and plankton!
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is probably totally wrong, but maybe they are feeling which way the wind is blowing with there flippers. They could also be stretching. I think you found the sea star in low tide because you usually wouldn’t be able to see it from high tide.
1. A growing sea star?
2. choral?
3, Maybe a fossil?
4. sea slugs.
5. the gooseneck barnacle.
I think all your posts are interesting. but i like this one the most.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that you found you found the starfish in low-tides and the sea lions might be communicating with each other. The first picture is a starfish and I think the bottom right the last one is a goose-neck barnacle. One interesting thing I found when reading was the sea lions I want to learn more about them.
LikeLike
Q#1 I think they may be rafting to stay together.
Q#2 I think you found the sea star in low tide.
Pic #1= Sea sacs, Sea Star
Pic#2= Dead man’s finger
Pic#3= Chitons
Pic#4= Aggregating Anemones
Pic#5= Leaf Barnacle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, also I liked this post the best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
1.) I think the seals were just trying to enjoy the sun and float around with their buds
I think you found the sea star at low tide
3.) I would be most interested to learn about bioluminescence
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the seals were trying to stay in the water but not use any energy. I think that you found the starfish in low tide. I am interested in this topic.
LikeLike
This is probably totally wrong, but maybe they are feeling which way the wind is blowing with there flippers. They could also be stretching. I think you found the sea star in low tide because you usually wouldn’t be able to see it from high tide.
1. A growing sea star.
2. Dead Mans fingers
3. Chitons
4. Aggregating anenome?
5. The Leaf Barnacle.
I think all your posts are interesting. but I like this one the most.
LikeLike
I think that maybe they are stretching or something. I think it was low tide. The first is a sea star/mussel. The second is some sort of Dead Mans Fingers. The third is maybe a type of Chitons. The fourth is an Aggregating Anemone, but I’m not really sure. The last is the gooseneck barnacle. I am most interested to learn more about the marine mammals and the intertidal surveys.
LikeLike
I think the seals were trying to heat up their flippers and tails because it doesn’t have very good blood circulation in those places. I think it was low tide since you could see a lot of sea life that likes to stay in the water. I want to learn about small sea life.
LikeLike
The first picture is the starfish the fifth picture is the gooseneck barnacle the second one is dead mans fingers
LikeLike
I think you found the sea star at low tide.
I really like this topic. it sounds like you had a lot of fun. I would like to learn more about the organisms, and the sea lion’s behavior.
LikeLike
I thought that it is interesting how they left their flippers up in a way to say hello.
LikeLike
1. I think the seals were just chilling.
2. I think the sea star was a low tide so it can be warmed by the sun.
3. I think bioluminescence is cool.
LikeLike
they are rafting so they can get sunlight and warmth
low tide because sea stars close to the shore will be revealed in the low tide
#1 Sea sacs, Sea Star
#2 Dead man’s finger
#3 Chitons
#4 Aggregating Anemones
#5 Leaf Barnacle
I liked the first one the best
LikeLike
I think it was low tide because you usually see more creatures when its low tide. I am interested in learning about marine life and preservation.
1) Sea Star
2) corral
3) Iḿ not sure
4) sea slug
5) Im not sure
LikeLike
So they can float without using energy
The water is very close so not very high tide
LikeLike
The seals were just hanging about playing around, I am pretty sure you saw the sea star at low tide.
I really like marine biology.
LikeLike
1. Rafting is floating around
2. Low tide so you could find animals, and plants without water getting in the way
LikeLike
day 4, it was cool learning about basin.
LikeLike
The sea lions were absorbing the sun
I think it was low tide
The one I’m most interested is bioluminescence diving
LikeLike
1) I think they are doing that because of the thermoregulation, and they are absorbing the sunlight to stay warm. I think you found the sea star at low tide.
2) 1st picture: Sea sacs, Sea Star, 2nd picture: Dead man’s finger, Third picture: Chitons, 4th picture: Aggregating Anemone, 5th picture: Leaf Barnacle
3) I liked all of your posts, but I think I liked this one the best, and I want to learn more about bioluminescent animals.
LikeLike
1. I think the seals were either trying to find food or cool off and have fun. I think you found the sea star at low tide because it needs water to live and its food is there.
2.
– a starfish
– dead man’s fingers
– chitons
– aggregating anemones
– gooseneck barnacle
3. considering all the thing you have talked about, I am most interested in the different species of sea creatures.
I liked this post the best, thanks so much for the taffy!!!!
LikeLike
I think the seals do this so they look bigger and their predator
I think you found the sea star at high tide
growing sea star
dead man’s fingers
a fossil?
sea slugs.
the gooseneck barnacle
I am most interested in bioluminescence
LikeLike
I am still wondering what planktonic organisms are, and what causes them. I am very interested in that.
Algae bloom
LikeLike
1. Rafting is how seals sleep sometimes, in smaller groups and larger groups.
2. Pic #1 Sea Star, Pic #2 I can’t find this one Pic #3 Sea Muscle Pic #4 I also can’t find this one Pic #5 Leaf barnacle
3. Number 2, the topic really interests me
LikeLike
1. Platonic
2. algae blooms
3. choral
4. sea slugs
5. goose neck barnacle
I’m wondering about ocean acidity
LikeLike
1. I think the seals are “rafting” because they are floating along the sea.
2. I think that you found the sea star in the low tide.
3. I want to learn more about tide pool creatures; what lives in the tides.
LikeLike
1. Seastar
2. coral
3.chitons
4.sea slug
5. Gooseneck barnacle
LikeLiked by 1 person
1. I think that they do that to say hello or maybe a way to see which way the wind is going to determine which way is land.
2. I think you found it in high tide since they were wet.
3. I feel interested in learning more about this topic.
LikeLike
I think they might be rafting to stick together and not get separated. I also think that you found the sea star in low or a lower tide because usually it is more difficult to find them in deep water.
LikeLike
*Edited comment*
I think they are rafting to stay close to each other and not get separated, I also think that you found the thing in low tide because in higher tides it might have been much harder to find. ( In my first comment I have no idea why I thought the thing was a sea star, I thought there was one in the actual thing they found. )
1. Platonic
2. Algae Blooms
3. Choral
4. Sea slugs
5. Goose Neck Barnacle
6. Chitons..?
LikeLike
I think that the seals were just trying to enjoy there time in the sun. Looks like lots of fun!
Coral
Sea Slugs
Gooseneck Barnacle
Seastar
LikeLike
1) I think the seals are finding food in more shallow waters and are trying to cool off or maybe they are about to come up for air.
2) I think they are finding the creatures in low-tide.
1) Seastar
2) Coral
3) Chitons
4) Sea Slug
5) Gooseneck Barnacle
I am interested in learning more about harbor seals and hearing about you bioluminescent snorkel.
LikeLike
I believe you found the sea star in low tide, and I think that sea lions raft to regulate body temperature.
1. sea star
2. coral
3. chiton
4. sea anenome
5. Gooseneck barnacle
I am most interested in learning about the bison on the island, and how they affect the natural habitat
LikeLike
The sea lions might be rafting to keep warm. The water is probably cold and keeping their flippers in the air, above water, helps take in the heat from the sun. They also might be chilling and looking around at their surroundings.
I believe that you found the sea star in low tide because they are submerged during high tide.
LikeLike
1: Sea star
2: Dead man’s finger’s
3: Chiton
4: Aggregated Anemone
5: Goose neck barnacle
LikeLike
I want to learn more about platonic organisms. I also want to learn more about octopi and where they live, what they do, how they live, etc.
LikeLike
This is called rafting–any ideas about why they might be doing this?
I think they raft to keep there body heat a good temperature. I think you found them at low tide because you would have been splashed with water.
1. Seastar
2. Dead man’s fingers
3. Chitons
4. Aggregating Anemones
5. Leaf barnacle
I’m most interested in learning more about the sea creature possibilities you can find in tide pools.
LikeLike
This is called rafting–any ideas about why they might be doing this?
I believe that they are doing this as a friendly gesture or as a playful.
In what zone do you think I found it–low tide or high tide?
I believe that you found it during low tide because during high tide they would be covered by water
Identify the rocky intertidal organisms that I saw today using the field guide–
1. Seastar
2. Coral
3.Chitons
4.Sea slug
5. Gooseneck barnacle
Considering all of the posts from the field and topics that I have mentioned, which topic are you most interested in learning more about?
I am most interested in learning more about the organisms in the pools in both high and low tides
LikeLike
I think they could be sunbathing and warming up thier bellys
You found the sea star at low tide
1. variable sea star
2. dead man’s fingers
3. chiton
4. agragated annenomy (I don’t think I spelled that right
5. gooseneck barnacle
I am most interested in the identification of animals that you have done in the last few days.
LikeLike
Maybe they stretch or grow. Pretty sure it was a lower tide. Number one is a mussel. Number two is something called dead mans fingers. Number three I think is a type of Chiton. Number four I think is an Aggregating Anemone. The final one is the gooseneck barnacle. I am most interested to elaborate on my knowledge marine mammals or intertidal surveys.
LikeLike
1) I think that sea lions raft because they’re trying to regulate their temperature. Starfish was found when it was low-tide
2) sea star, dead man’s finger, chitons, sea slug, gooseneck barnacle
3) I would love to learn more about tide pool creatures.
LikeLike
– Sea sacs, Sea Star
– Dead man’s finger
– Chitons
– Aggregating Anemone
– Leaf Barnacle
LikeLike
1. Maybe they say hello, or to have ppl look at it so it looks bigger.
2.you prob found them when it was high ish tide
3. It’d be cool to learn about.
LikeLike
1a. Rafting is a form of thermal regulation as they put up their flippers to heat up from the cold water.
1b. I think it was in the low-tide because you can get to animals more easily.
2.
– a starfish
– dead man’s fingers
– chitons
– aggregating anemones
– gooseneck barnacle
3. I found day 3 really interesting.
LikeLike
1. I think they do rafting to thermo-regulate. You must have found the sea star in the low-tide as it seems much more likely.
2.
– a starfish
– dead man’s fingers
– chitons
– aggregating anemones
– gooseneck barnacle
3. I really enjoyed learning about day 4.
LikeLike