Hello everyone! we have remained quite busy with the Elwha nearshore sampling, and with mid-terms last week (I have yet to see the results). The November schedule will be even busier with a new project starting officially this afternoon. I will know more after today but we are gathering data on Pacific sand lance spawning in the area, some similar to our current sites & some new areas as well. Sand lance is an important forage fish & as such is part of the nearshore studies here. Evidently sand lance are harvested commercially in some places, this is surprising to me as they are sort of eel like & the ones that I have seen so far are only 3- 4 inches long, but they do get bigger. Here is an excellent source of info if anyone's interested http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/forage/lance.htm
On another fish note, I have to say that my favorite fish seen so far was the fluffy sculpin we caught (& released) last week. We see lots of staghorn & a few other sculpins, these are not what the study is focused on (not forage fish I mean), but cool nonetheless – but the fluffy was bright emerald green with longer fins & struck me as rather ornamental esp. for a sculpin. This is the best picture I could find & is not the same, or at least the picture doesn’t do it justice http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/projects/msap/PS/masterlist/fish/fluffysculpin.html
I am seeing some of the beautiful areas here. The shore bases seines are done near the mouth of the Elwha, at Pysht, the Twins River and Salt Creek. We were at Twins today, on the strait, not too many fish but one really big Buffalo sculpin (~28cm) & some post larval smelt. This was a continuation of last weeks sampling, as the waves were too big, you can kind of see in this photo but it doesn’t give the full impression- the surfers were very happy…
On another fish note, I have to say that my favorite fish seen so far was the fluffy sculpin we caught (& released) last week. We see lots of staghorn & a few other sculpins, these are not what the study is focused on (not forage fish I mean), but cool nonetheless – but the fluffy was bright emerald green with longer fins & struck me as rather ornamental esp. for a sculpin. This is the best picture I could find & is not the same, or at least the picture doesn’t do it justice http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/projects/msap/PS/masterlist/fish/fluffysculpin.html
I am seeing some of the beautiful areas here. The shore bases seines are done near the mouth of the Elwha, at Pysht, the Twins River and Salt Creek. We were at Twins today, on the strait, not too many fish but one really big Buffalo sculpin (~28cm) & some post larval smelt. This was a continuation of last weeks sampling, as the waves were too big, you can kind of see in this photo but it doesn’t give the full impression- the surfers were very happy…
Okay I haven't quite figured the pictures out, see picture up top.
Which finally leads me (rambling) to how I almost died last week- okay this is a mild exaggeration that Anne (my boss, see below) might be a little horrified to see me post in my blog but I do need to spice things up a bit. Seriously though, we just had a safety video & lecture last week during the REU class portion (thank you Dwight :) & not 3 days later I put myself in a rather brainless position in front of the skiff that was riding the large & powerful waves in. The net is often brought in using this little boat & in my defense it is often quiet enough out that we can help the rower get to shore. But this time I was pulled off my feet quicker than quick & witnessing the power of the ocean first hand. Very fortunately I was just off to the side of the boat & able to keep parallel & so do not have any broken bones. So I have learned an important lesson in "using my head" in the face of the quickly changing sea.
Until later- keep your head above water- mel
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