We didn’t have much luck at Fishermans Basin, so I suggested that we go to St Helens. Team Ascidian had visited the spot six days earlier while I was crook with Covid. I was really keen to see what species were there to get an idea of what they may have sampled.
This sounds obsessive, and it kinda is. This is the main spot I visit so I’ve gotten to know the types of ascidians that typically reside here. Sometimes I’ll see a weird one that I hope hangs around long enough for someone to get a sample. In the long run, I’m hoping to solve this by collecting my own samples.
This trip was a bit hit and miss. There were two small boats moored here overnight. Both were in the spots where I had found the good stuff a week earlier. Plus I was feeling rotten. I didn’t have any of the respiratory symptoms of Covid but I was getting really bad hot flashes. I ended up sitting up for most of the time after doing a quick check. It was still quite the productive evening.
The marine life that have covered the sea squirts seemed to be moving, so I was able to see more of the whole sea squirt.
Botryllids
Botryllid photos were mediocre, but that was because I didn’t want to lean over. There seemed to be more on the actual boat
Other
Also found other colonial ascidians. I thought the above was a sponge! It was also interesting to see what I’m assuming is the yellow coloured Pyura Dalbyi.
Lightbulb ascidians are coming back big time. It definitely looks like it’s a seasonal thing.