Jelly watching

This week a favourite pastime has become jellyfish watching. You may have heard that the warmer waters this year are expected to bring record numbers on the Devon and Cornwall coasts and although we are yet to see the predicted ‘jellyfish soup’ they are certainly around.



Watching the jellyfish



We have seen one large barrel jellyfish in the marina and several compass jellies. These are really quite pretty and you can imagine an ancient mariner looking at the pattern on their back and believing that it looked just like a compass rose. With a pretty, cream coloured body and distinctive maroon markings they don’t appear to be in any rush to get anywhere and move slowly along, pulsing gently. We’ve made sure we keep our toes well clear of the water in the marina though when they are around as these ones are known to have a nasty sting.



Compass jellyfish

 

There are also lots of little fry around at the moment in shoals, darting around like wriggling strips of silver. One evening a group of big bass were hunting in front of the boat, herding them to split the group then leaping to grab as many as possible. We hung over the bows watching them for ages.



Buddleia

 



Cuckoo Pint

It is good to still be spotting such interesting and unusual animals and plants. The deckhands have also been watching moths of many sizes and colours, ants, beetles, anemones, seaweeds, wild flowers and the antics of the gulls. So far the elusive Weever fish and Blennies have not been spotted but it is certainly not for want of trying. They have now requested a visit to see how the Peregrine Falcon chicks at Plymbridge are growing, they are keen to be involved in the Marine Conservation Societies projects and spots are being earmarked for blackberry picking as the sun ripens them in the hedgerows ready for us to enjoy.

A hairy caterpillar