The ocean is full of life. We think we know everything there is to know about it, but there is still more to explore.
As a child I’ve often wondered what could possibly be lurking in the deep blue sea.
Fascinated by tales of creatures large and small. Those that glow and mysterious new species – I loved a good ocean mystery!
It was our first sunrise at Landmark Resort when looking out from our private balcony above, Meshach noticed an object near the shore.
Early morning walkers occasionally stopped to look at the object that was unknown to us from above.
Now we were curious!
Meshach grabbed his camera and Tristan. They practically bolted out of our hotel room to get a glimpse of what everyone was staring at.
I stayed behind because I thought, well, it’s probably a cute turtle making his way to sea.
I was wrong.
When they came back, Meshach showed me on his camera what they found near the shore.
“What is that?” I asked.
He said it’s a dead jellyfish and there were more on the beach.
It looked like something from a sci-fi movie.
Well, it was a cannonball jellyfish to be specific.
They travel in groups called “blooms” and the ocean’s current and winds often push them ashore.
Jellyfish are made of water and being at the mercy of the currents, they go wherever it takes them.
By the way, I was happy to find out that these in particular do not sting!
Now, I’ve been to the beach many times and not once had I seen a jelly fish or any other ocean life.
This was kind of cool!
It was even more cool spotting dolphins the next morning!
I don’t know if you can see it but that little black object in the ocean is our dolphin friend coming up for air!
We saw quite a few that morning, I guess they were traveling in a group.
They were out again around the same time the morning after that. I’m assuming they make their appearances right after sunrise.
Meshach was on a roll! He found a sea urchin while walking along the shore. Look at those spikes – ouch!
I read they live in shallow water and they eat seaweed, algae and dead animals.
Their spikes are actually called spines.
Check out this Serpent Starfish he also spotted!
They look cool but I would never have the guts to pick one up.
Of course Meshach did though!
They have long, thin and smooth arms almost snake-like.
Their mouth is located underneath and pushes their stomach through it to eat small organisms like plankton.
Living in coral reefs, they are nocturnal and great scavengers!
While looking for shark teeth and sea shells to collect, we came across a sea snail.
At first we thought there wasn’t anything in inside until it slowly began to open!
Sea snails are in the mollusk family – soft body with no back bone.
They live around reefs, eat algae and dead plants.
The little door that they use to completely shut themselves inside or open is called an operculum.
What ocean life have you spotted on the beach? Comment below and share this post with your friends!
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