Nature Blog Network

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Bloggin by the Beach: Back Home

Well I am back from the beach in Delaware. It was a nice time though I much prefer tidepools and rocky shores to explore. This was my first time to Delaware and to a east coast beach (in my memory anyways). While South Bethany Beach was great, I was amazed at how built up the area was. Lot of condos and houses, no shortages of tourist shoppes and restaurants. I am no stranger to urban sprawl of course, but it seems out east here they build upon any possible substrate available. If its not available they fill in a marsh to make it available! I really to go back though when the kids are older and do more outdoors activities. We passed by lots of great marsh that I'm just betting is hiding all sorts of great finds. I'll have to pack a kayak and my dry bag next time. It was nice to have some warm ocean water though! Can't barely wade in California's water without going numb.

Though the ride down was probably one of the most stressful times of our lives, my wife had the brilliant idea of driving back at night while the kids are sleeping. Lets say we shaved off about 4 hours (compared to driving down during the day)! There is lots to catch up on! Some great articles in the last week or two and of course a new Spineless Song. Since I didn't have internet access this week and missed the Tuesday Toon, I leave it here below!

Accessed from the late Charlie Drewes website at Iowa State.


Bonus song lyrics, found by my officemate/labmate/neighbour S.A.L.-P. (interesting arrangement of initials... props go to the first person to recognize what phylum the initials belong to...).

The Worms Crawl In
from Ronald Shimek's A Spineless Column at Reefkeeping

Don't you ever laugh as a hearse goes by,
For you may be the next to die.
They wrap you up in a big white sheet,
And cover you up from your head down to your feet.
They put you in a big black box,
And cover you up with dirt and rocks.
All goes well for about a week,
And then your coffin begins to leak.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out,
The worms play pinochle on your snout.
They eat your eyes, they eat your nose,
They eat the jelly between your toes.
A big green worm with rolling eyes,
Crawls in your stomach and out your eyes.
Your stomach turns a slimy green,
And pus pours out like whipping cream.
You spread it out on a slice of bread,
And that's what you eat when you are dead.

8 comments:

  1. For your next vacation you might want to try Southern New England, being a marine biologist in RI i can tell you that there are plenty of rocky intertidal areas with tide pools as well as marshes, beaches, ponds ect. I've seen/caught some interesting stuff for classes and work while I've been here.

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  2. FWIW, Ron's blog can be found here.

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  3. Matthew, We were originally going to go to cape cod, but with our 3 month-old the drive would have been too long. Next year perhaps. In the meantime, I just have to blog about it. If you come across the zoanthid Sphenopus marsupialis there, I'm in dire need of it for a comparative phylogeny!! I will be forever in your debt. Found on muddy or sandy substrata and seagrass fronds. Its large, solitary, grayish and free-living. Will pay for shipping and a "finders fee".

    Romunov, thanks for the link. I wasn't aware of his blog. Added it to my blogroll!

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  4. I'm in the lab for the next while but I will ask around and see if anybody knows where some are

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  5. If you ever make it down to Sarasota, let me know. Spent today at the beach and the macroalgae was crawling with fascinating crustacea of every kind. So many gribbles and scuds.

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  6. Sweet Shrimp Jason! I have a good friend who was working at Mote Marine Lab who just moved back up here to central PA for a teaching job. I would love to go back to Florida, I don't think my wife has been there. I'll let you know if we are in town! Thanks for the offer!

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  8. The above comment is real estate investment scam. It was deleted.

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