This is Weird

Jeany was digging for clams on the Cape when she came across this grody looking beach worm. Animal? Insect? Vegetable? I have no idea, but Mike G said that he used to use them for bait, and that they can actually bite. Nasty.

A Feast of Scallops and Crabs

Getting Hungry?

Don't Forget the Crabs

CREATURES FROM THE DEEP: CAPE COD is entering its third week. Indeed, it sometimes feels that I am now running a sea food web log. But WE MARCH ON! If anything this only demonstrates the diversity and abundance of life in THE DEEP. Consider this tenacious crab. He was a fighter and certainly deserves his own post.

Sorting the Catch

Back on shore our intrepid crew sorts the catch of lobsters.

Symbiosis

This fish has a strange home. He lives in the mouth of the sea scallop pictured bellow, eating debris and keeping the scallops innards clean. At least thats what I've been told.

CREATURES FROM THE DEEP: SEA SCALLOPS

Larger than their Bay dwelling cousins sea scallops are a tasty treat. Notice the same eye organs in their flesh and their complicated internal structure. I wonder what would have happened if I had my finger caught in their shells.

Clawed Gold

What taste sensation can match the buttery goodness of fresh lobster claw on the table? NOTHING, thats what. That is why the trade in these savory crustaceans has sustained an economy (and dare I say a lifestyle) off the New England coast for so very long. In the first picture fellow-traveler Louis "Longshanks" Doziere (a visiting French Canadian marine biologist) displays a large Lobster that good Captain Damian caught with HIS HANDS. Notice the similarities between the lobster and various Cray Fish I have featured in past posts. They are similar in shape (if not size) but quite distinct in taste I assure you.

In the second picture the Captain teaches Lou "Lou Dawg" Cardasis (Hip Hop Legend from the interior of our Great Commonwealth) how to check for eggs on the underside of the lobster. If a lobster has eggs they are thrown back. One thing a visitor quickly learns is how much respect and love a Lobsterman has for his shelled quarry. The good health of the fishery is always first in the mind of those who hunt therein. Lobsters that are too small or are "eggers" are returned to the sea.

A final reminiscence if I may. Having grown up in Massachusetts I spent many happy summer weeks on the Cape. One summer I remember distinctly because the man who lived in the cottage next to ours was morbidly obese and was missing a leg. I would watch our neighbor sometimes, sunning himself in his front yard, a cooler of beer within arms reach. One day he caught me staring a little too long.

"You know how I lost the leg?!" he shouted out to me.

Terrified, I shook my head no.

"A lobster snapped it off years ago, the biggest one you ever seen!" he said laughing, his sunglasses reflecting bright spears of sunlight back towards me.

Perhaps my neighbor was having a joke at the expense of a child. But the memory stays with me.

And there is a lobster, my friends, named The Admiral. He has only been seen fleetingly and he may never be caught. But he is such a beast that he very well could separate a man from his leg, even a man of my neighbor's girth. Captain Damien hopes one day to bring him in. I pray, for his sake, that he never has the chance!

Nature's Paisely

This strange jelly-creature had grown all over the lobster traps. Once again I must admit that these probably are not "animals" in the strictest sense of the word, but their paisley like design was too compelling to pass up. Mike G says he once saw some that displayed a "weed-leaf" motif. See, its natural.

Star fish, the Stars of the sea!

Shine on you crazy diamond!

The Unfortunate Skate

Welcome to another edition of Creatures from the Deep: CAPE COD! Here is the prehistoric looking skate from another perspective. A skate is actually quite a prickly fellow so I chose to wear protective gloves when I was handling them. They don't have poison in their spines, but they are likely to cause infections if they cut your hands.

P.S. It has been brought to my attention that Ben Fausto is an occasional visitor to my Blog. "HI BUDDY!"

A Confusion of Life forms

The ocean is indeed a mysterious place. Thats why it is called Mother Nature's Crock Pot. In the ocean life has been mixing together for YEARS and some species of ocean life are hard to categorize. For example, I believe these are sea cucumbers. But are they technically plants or animals? Their texture was fleshy and rubbery all at once, almost like handling a creature made entirely of intestines. Nonetheless I believe they are officially considered plants. A quick internet search would probably confirm this, but I think if you really cared you'd look it up yourselves.

Also....

KUDOS to "Yo" who has posted a scathing critique of Ashlee's insidious attack against our CC Community! Dano and "Yo" truly too great lovers of animals! For more info, and to find out how you can participate click here.

Catch O' The Day

We will visit each of these creatures in more detail later in the trip. But here they are all hanging out together as part of a wonderful haul. Sea Scallops, a monster Lobster and some unfortunate Skates. Notice how the skate appears to have human lips and look something like the sentient sea aliens of the classic film The Abyss starring Ed "Goddammit, you bitch! You never backed away from anything in your life! Now fight! " Harris. Well, these skates probably aren't sentient and I don't think they have their own underwater space ship. Instead they are killed and used as bait to lure the delicious Lobster! Might sound cruel but the Skate bait actually helps sustain the lobster population as younger lobsters which are returned to the ocean can get a free meal from lobster traps.

P.S. Bringing you awesome pics and commentary is a lot of work. If you haven't already, please consider donating some of you time to defending Creature Comforts online. For more info scroll down to the "CC Under Attack post a few days ago." Thanks!

Baby Crabling

Funny things come up in a catch of Lobsters and Scallops. This little Crab was helping himself to some of the bait that had been laid out. Notice my thumb at the bottom of the picture, a small crab indeed.

P.S. Scroll down to learn what you can do to defend the good name of my blog on the internet!

Scallop Eyes

As much as I hate to continue with the postings while the OUTRAGEOUS ATTACKS against me on Youtube remain unanswered (see below) I understand that my duty is to my loyal viewership. Hats off to Dano, who has taken our adversary to task!

This, my friends, is a Bay Scallop I met, and later ate, while sailing the waters of off the Cape of Massachusetts. It is smaller than its cousin, the Sea Scallop who we will meet (and devour) later in the month. Scallops are unique among Bivalve Mollusks in that they can quickly move across the ocean floor. They do this by rapidly opening and closing their shells, pushing water out of their bodies to propel themselves. "How do they know when a predator is approaching?" you may ask. The answer: THEY HAVE EYES. It is unknown exactly how much these creatures can see through the blue eyeballs that line their flesh, but they can distinguish approaching danger and make their escape (except from us because we were to fast for them.)

Enter THE DEEP

Our adventure began on the wharf at Provincetown. Three Seagulls (or "shitbirds," as Mike G called them) greeted us as we approached the boat....

NOTE: I would like to take this opportunity to discuss how CREATURES FROM THE DEEP: CAPE COD diverges from previous series on this web log. The narrative of our voyage off mighty Cape Cod necessitates that certain stylistic conventions, previously adhered to, be broken. For example, because our trip was not strictly research oriented (but more focused on the killing and consumption of certain animals) you may see more "interaction" between man and animal in these photos.

Likewise you may see a larger amount of dead creatures than is normal. This is because 1) it is easier to eat something that is dead, and 2) many shellfish look very similar dead or alive.

Lastly, because our methods involved high technology and a great degree of skill and daring on the part of certain crew members, a little more attention may be paid to the humans whose efforts lead to the capture of our new, delicious, animal friends. To put it simply, we will not only learn about and consume sea creatures, we will also absorb much about the trade of fishing off the Cape. With all this in mind I welc0me you TO THE DEEP!

A MONSTER FROM THE DEEP

This huge-ass Spider Crab gave me quite a scare when Mike G (of Man Vs. Animals fame) shook it in my face. It wasn't the Cape Cod pic I intended to start with. But then I realized that its Halloween and this thing is appropriate in that it reminds me of some type of primordial evil from millions of years before the dawn of man.

Theres something H.P. Lovecraft about this beastie.

After I took this picture the spider crab attached itself to Mike's face and laid parasitic eggs in his throat. We had a great rest of the trip until the eggs hatched and burst out of his stomach. Great job Mike. Way to play "host!"