Hitting the Coast, Part Three: More from Haystack Rock and the Beach

Gulls Above Haystack Rock

It's not just the imposing face of the Haystack Rock, but also the scores of birds. Among them, it's not merely seagulls but also puffins and other species. Then the ocean, with its tide rolling, signals its presence with a wave crashing against a rock. Further from the ocean along the sand, pools of water remains.



Sea Anemone

And into those pools, people are looking. It's not just Sandra and I but dozens and dozens. You look to them, because wherever a group of people gather, an interesting scene may be enfolding above or below the water's surface.



Starfish

Scattered throughout the pools, a solitary starfish rest on the sand, but then Sandra calls me to look. There on a rock, more than a dozen of the echinoderms cling, huddled together as if they are family.



Starfishes

Belying their elegant appearance, many species of starfish are predators. In fact, Pisaster ochraceus, the common starfish of the U.S. Pacific Coast, feed on mussels and help limit their population in the intertidal zone. Wikipedia has an informative entry on the starfish with an image showing Pisaster ochraceus eating a mussel.



Mussels and Barnacles

The mussels, on the other hand, tend to group in a couple of areas. One locale, in particular, was home to many, who along with the barnacles, formed a complex weave of shape and color. Click on the above snapshot and view the larger image at Imageshack to catch a better look of the detail.



Sea Gull and the Sea

Simply, the visit to Haystack Rock is memorable and worth the trip.