"An observer strolling past the Jack London Square waterfront on a recent Saturday afternoon might have witnessed an unusual sight: A group of people on the dock, some of whom were lying on their bellies with their heads dangling just above the water, scooping up what looks like green and brown gunk. Others huddled over plastic Tupperware containers excitedly passing around hand lenses to peer at wriggling specimens."
"They were among a group of about 30 attendees who gathered Nov. 8 to try out what's known as dock fouling - observing the aquatic life that's taken up residence underwater on the dock that are considered to be "fouling" it. In other words, they were looking up close at the mystifying and frequently difficult to identify marine creatures that live under the water attached to the docks. And they were having a blast."
About 30 people gathered at Jack London Square to observe dock fouling, collecting and examining organisms living on dock undersides. Participants scooped up green and brown material, examined specimens in Tupperware with hand lenses, and reacted with excitement. Observed organisms included a white-and-orange nudibranch, peanut worms with Medusa-like feeding tentacles, Japanese skeleton shrimp, and numerous tunicates. The nudibranch displayed defensive behavior by incorporating stinging cells from prey. Attendees described the experience as revealing abundant, overlooked marine life in a familiar urban waterfront and celebrated the opportunity to explore a previously unnoticed underwater ecosystem.
Read at The Mercury News
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