Coombe and Check out the Marine Life....

A team from Combe Martin Museum & Coastwise surveyed the rocky shore life on Combe Martin Beach on 17th June.

The poor overcast weather had deterred the public from joining us for a shore safari so we took the opportunity to conduct a survey (see photo on R) to provide a snapshot of the day's finds to help understand why some days the rock-pooling here is good, others not so.

Our verdict - this was a middling day, abundant life but of the larger, more striking animals present. We speculated that recent unseasonal high seas could be to blame.  The gales caused the sand to shift with a big impact on anemones, leaving only a few Snakelocks visible in sheltered spots - see photo on R.

Of the 57 species identified, over 20 were seaweeds with abundant browns, the rest included most of the commoner animals of the shore - most notable spots - Long-legged Spider Crab, Cushion Star, Montagu's Blenny  and a cluster of Arctic Cowries.  But only one Mussel.