The Secret Tidelands Park "Public Aquarium" in Morro Bay 01/20/2002 by Mike Baird

Beautiful aquatic life can be observed at the public boat ramp at Tidelands Park in Morro Bay.  Putting in my kayak at the public boat ramp at Tidelands Park recently, I noticed a plethora of wildlife just under the waterline, adhering to the floatable pontoons of the pier.  These plants and animals are exposed to a constant depth of water (1 to 12 inches) 24 hours a day, because their homes float up and down with the tides.  As a result, the life forms shown here (and on similar floating piers and buoys in the Bay) are richer in many ways than those experienced on rocky shores or pilings.  Among the many kelps, chitons, feathered hydroids, anemones and limpets I imagined,  I wondered how many other worms, corals, sponges, shrimps, crabs or fleas I must have missed on my cursory inspection.  Walk out on the pier, lay yourself down, and peer over the edge... and you will see what I saw on this magnificent day.

(Click on an image below to enlarge)

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