Hauntingly Beautiful Biology Below the Surface in Morro Bay

MORRO BAY, Calif., Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently named one of the Best Small Towns in California by Country Living Magazine, the charming town of Morro Bay offers visitors some of the most breathtaking coastline and unspoiled open spaces in the state. But search just under the surface, or along Morro Bay beaches etched with tide pools, and find lingering living species that are uncommon to most—creatures that you cannot find everywhere.  Here, kayaking and paddle boarding provide up close encounters with these underwater residents in their natural environment.

"Morro Bay is a very biologically diverse place," explains Mary Robinson, owner of Morro Bay Stand Up Paddleboarding.  And she should know. Mary leads tours that focus on nature and animal life inside the Morro Bay harbor. "The harbor is not only home to a multitude of birds and marine mammals, but hundreds of species of the lesser known invertebrates, which are as biologically important."

Robinson documents what she finds below the surface and has hundreds of amazing images that capture their haunting beauty. Here are ten such creatures:  

1)  The Giant Green Anemone
If you've ever had the pleasure of going "tide-pooling" in Morro Bay, you've undoubtedly seen the these clumped to the rocks.
2)  The Giant Sea Star
Collecting these beauties is prohibited by law except for research purposes.
3)  Limpets
That funny looking yellowish brown round thing is actually a limpet, an aquatic snail.
4)  The Bat Star
This amazing sea creature comes in many colors including the one pictured in bright red/orange.
5)  Opalescent Nudibranchs
Known for being one of the prettiest and most colorful species found under the surface in Morro Bay.
6)  Purple Star Fish
The beautiful purple starfish is part of the Ochre Sea Stars family.
7)  The Morro Bay Aeolid Nudibranc Sea Slug
These slimy land slugs are very delicate and rarely seen.
8)  The Giant California Sea Cucumber
These creatures are most abundant in areas with moderate current with cobbles, boulders or bedrock like we have in Morro Bay. 
9)  The California Sea Hare
Sea hares may lay up to eighty million eggs apiece but most of these are eaten by predators.
10) Moon Jelly
The name comes from their translucent, moonlike circular bells.

These are just some of the amazing creatures you will find when you visit Morro Bay. If you see them in the wild, feel free to capture them with a photo but please don't disturb them. They belong in the sea. Just remember, when an ecosystem is disturbed, nature changes and it's rarely for the better.

Want info about each one of these amazing creatures? Read our full press release. For more travel information, follow Morro Bay Tourism on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest or visit www.morrobay.org.

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Susan Hartzler
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SOURCE Morro Bay

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http://www.morrobay.org