Scottfiji had the neat picture of the Urchin Shrimp and it reminded me of a story that you
might find of some minor amusement.
My third year at UCSC (Uncle Charly's Summer Camp), I was able to spend a quarter at the
Bodega Marine Lab. It was a biological preserve between two state parks with plentiful
wildlife. I loved to hike where the public is just not allowed.
That quarter we all studied Echonoderms. Those five sided folks including urchins, starfish,
sand dollars, etc.
It was a great group of about 30 students in such a beautiful place out on Bodega Head.
The dorms were right next to where "The Birds" was filmed.
One guy, who was very nice, but not the absolute brightest among a number of very
bright students, didn't know what to do for a required project. He asked me to get him
some Dermasteria starfish while I was diving. I did and he studied the commensal
relationship
between the star and the worm that it was always found with. This starfish hadn't been
studied since 1923 or something. He set up a Y tube experiment to see if the worm would
go to the starfish. There was no indication the worm cared. Just for good technique, he
tried it the other way around. The starfish cared. The director of the lab cared when he
heard and basically ran into the lab and demanded to be shown.
He ended up getting published.
Ya never know what you are going to find.
I actually made a wave machine in an urchin tank. ... Drop a predator in there and they all
bunch together real quick for defence. Needless to say I didn't get published, but I did
learn a lot and I got to go diving all I wanted. Besides, what an absolutely beautiful
place and a magical time. I really fell in love with North Coast diving then. Oh yah, I had
my 21st birhtday then too. That was a memorable day hitchhiking from Santa Cruz back to the
lab. I saw two rainbows together as the sun set. I'll never forget such beauty and such a
time.
Enjoy the diving, enjoy the wonder of life and the sea, seahunt