Seashore Safari

Byjeff

Thursday, 1st April 2010

The beach in front of the Ferryboat Inn resembled a market day, with a group of colourful tables, a banner and a leaflet stand, all weighted by heavy rocks against the brisk, rather chilly wind. Abby Crosby, with Emma and other volunteers, had brought her displays for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s ‘Your Shore’ Project, teaming up with Ruth Williams’ ‘Seashore Safari’; and so there was no lack of expert knowledge as people crowded round the tables to look in the tanks and trays at live creatures collected from nearby rock pools.

Carpet shells, top shells, various crabs, hermit crab and beadlet anemone were among them. Abby explained the aims of the Your Shore initiative and then Ruth set off to explore the pools and sand flats. Although the group was relatively small, 12 adults and 2 children, because local schools had not yet broken up for Easter, there was a high level of enthusiasm and interest. The low tide had exposed a wide area of sand, which yielded shells of queen scallop, native oyster, Pacific oyster, small turret shells, cockles and Mya, plus several clusters of invasive slipper limpets. Protruding razor shells pulled themselves rapidly below the surface and squirted as one approached. A marooned great scallop was attempting to jerk itself back to the water by opening its shell and then snapping it shut. Strings of Japweed, another invasive species, were plentiful. In one section the surface was coated with a fine white debris which appeared to be the broken down remains of fan worm tubes. A few tubes, still standing, seemed lifeless.

Back at the tables, two children from a holidaying family brought their rock pool catch for identification. It was an impressive collection and included two butterfish, two worm pipefish, velvet swimming crab, spider crab, shore crab, cushion star, baby sea urchin and bristle worm. There is so much to find on the shore (and it helps to have children as ‘hunters’!). Many thanks are due to Ruth, Abby and all the CWT team for yet another enjoyable day.

Similar Posts

  • Plankton on Parade

    Byjeff

    Saturday, 13th November 2010

    The term ‘plankton’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘wanderer’ or ‘made to wander’,an apt description for creatures which drift at the mercy of winds and currents. Some are large and easily seen – the Macroplankton, such as jellyfish and the Portuguese man-o’-war. Others are small – the Microplankton, which measure a millimetre or so across – or less – and are studied using a microscope. These are collected with a conical fine-mesh net swept or towed through the water and they include a great variety of plants and animals, in adult or larval stages. There is a third, even smaller, size category – the Nanoplankton, such as coccolithophores, which are just a few microns across and only seen with the aid of an electron microscope.

  • Wreck and Torpedoes to Coastwatch – the extraordinary history of Nare Point.

    Byjeff

    5th December 2009

    Nare Point, at the south-east corner of the Helford estuary, appears to be unremarkable, just another of the many Cornish headlands although with a look-out post on top. But if an author had decided to weave a story about it, such as was about to be told by our two speakers from the National Coastwatch Institution, Paul Phillips and Len Jepp, he would be accused of having a fevered imagination.

  • The Fal-Helford Marine Special Area of Conservation (Kevan Cook)

    Byjeff

    Saturday, 15th January 2011

    Because of its very special nature in terms of habitats, biodiversity, species, geology and scenery, the Helford River has long been recognised as worthy of protection at both European and national levels. Fortunately our speaker, Kevan Cook, Lead Marine Adviser for Natural England, was able to guide us through some of the acronyms. The Fal-Helford SAC (Special Area of Conservation), lying west of a line from St Anthony Head to Manacle Point and giving the highest level of protection, is a European designation relating to habitats and some species.

  • Wild Foods Walk with Caroline Davey and Ruth Williams

    Byjeff

    Sunday, 16th May 2010

    Despite the unpromising weather – overcast and drizzly, 35 enthusiastic members and friends, including 5 children, gathered in Helford Car Park to meet Caroline Davey, the ‘Fat Hen’ food forager from St Buryan, and Ruth Williams from CWT, to learn about what natural foods can be gleaned from the vicinity of the Helford.

  • Seacore Ltd – from Gweek Quay to Far-off Seas

    Byjeff

    Thursday 29th January 2009

    The boardroom at Fugro Seacore in Falmouth was packed as 40 members squeezed in to hear John Gleadowe’s re-scheduled talk. Seacore began in 1976 as the concept of two CSM mining engineers to develop underwater drilling equipment for tin exploration off the north Cornish coast. A prototype was tested in a creek in Zambia.

  • Rockpool Ramble

    Byjeff

    30 August 2007

    Out at sea, yachts were heeIing in a brisk wind. Onshore, all eyes were directed downwards as Ruth Williams explained the mysteries and delights of the Rosemullion rockpools to 9 persons (and a dog). It must he admitted, since it was our dog, that the latter was more interested in splashing than learning: and his curiosity to discover why we were staring quietly and intently into the water was of no help in persuading timid creatures to emerge from their hiding places.