Sunday, November 22, 2009

Wandering Anemones.

We were lucky enough to catch a dry spell for our walk by the sea though we missed the brief spell of morning sunshine. It was really windy and at times we were almost blown off the cliff as we walked along. The surf was completely blown out with some massive waves out at sea. We headed out to the same seat as last week passing the dead snake which is still occupying its bench.
The wind had whipped the sea spay into foam which was blowing inland like extra light snowballs.





Down on Barricane Beach it was more sheltered though out on the rocks were 2 big floats which normally mark the line of the waste water outfall. They had obviously broken their chains in the stormy weather. There were a couple of chaps there with metal detectors and several families all well wrapped up against the wind and rain.



I went over and checked out the same rocks where I had seen the beadlet anemones 2 weeks ago. I was quite surprised to see a group of snakelocks anemones, I was sure I would have seen them last time. Looking up some information about them I discovered that although they cannot retract their tentacles they are fairly mobile and hide in crevasses or under seaweed. The green colour is due to algae that live inside the anemone. Also they have a noticeable sting.

It was a good blowy walk , we were about 10ft away from the car when the heavy rain started and by the time we got in it was pelting down. They are still having serious rain up in Cumbria, the worst since records began, and 7 bridges have been washed away. Outside the window I can see the tree branches waving madly in the wind but it has stopped raining for the moment.