Possession Point

Team at work-Poss Pt

Opalescent nudibranch

Check it out-7-08

Amphipod

Juvenile red rock crab

Polychaete

Barnacle eating nudibranch

Possession Point team photo 2008

Parasitic isopods on mud shrimp

Butter clam

Gaper clam

After several days of sunshine and summer-like temperatures, July 1st dawned with overcast skies and breezy conditions, signaling that a change in weather was on the way. Jim Shelver's Possession Point team hit the beach that morning to find the tide rolling back to the -3.4 foot level and revealing a lush layer of eelgrass. Bob Gentz discovered a small opalescent nudibranch (Hermissenda crassicornis) that had sought refuge under the eelgrass and the team also found a number of barnacle eating nudibranchs (Onchidoris bilamellata) on the undersides of cobbles. Bill Blair's bivalve dig brought up a blue mud shrimp (Upogebia pugettensis) and close inspection revealed a pair of parasitic isopods (Ione sp.) adhered to the side of its carapace. In addition, the team sighted juvenile red rock crabs (Cancer productus), several large amphipods, and a large polychaete belonging to the family Glyceridae. The polychaete demonstrated a remarkable talent for repeatedly everting its large proboscis. Jim Shelver was surprised that more clams were not found this year. The team dug up a few gaper (Tresus capax), butter (Saxidomas gigantea), and pointed macoma (Macoma inquinita) clams but numbers were down considerably compared to previous years. Possession Point is located at the southern tip of Whidbey Island.