Favoritos de wamoz

Breathtaking expecting mother Argonaut Nautilus I found when walking around the sandbar. I didn’t quite realise what it was until I picked it up, realised she had a clutch of eggs so I gently put her back in her home (but not before snapping this pic and a short clip). I had no idea these weren’t actually real Nautilus, but in fact octopus who masquerade as them. The shell was magnificent to behold. A once in a lifetime experience!

Apparently these wrasse are fond of shrimp for morning tea too! Didn't get to see this particular shrimp for long enough to try and ID it beyond that it appears to also be a pistol shrimp. c.f. 144661419 and 144661420.

A slightly more advanced colony of green coral.
Numerous colonies-most very small-seen throughout this roughly 1 hour shallow subtidal snorkel at low tide, with incoming tide towards end.
(FTR I also note the Rockpool Shrimp on this coral on RHS)

There were about 50, all adults, aggregated in this wide open channel on a rising tide with moderate onshore winds but swell below half a metre. Mediocre to poor visibility between sets. Maximum horizontal visibility about 4 metres. Still an interesting (and easy access) shore based snorkel. (As an aside, One usually sees banded as well as sea sweep at this location but on this day I saw only a few immature sea sweep. )