Baby Skates
Eye candy first.
A stranded starfish:
Happy Wife returned this still alive star to the ocean. Or should I have said sea? When does a sea become an ocean? At the same time a boat becomes a ship? In either case, instead of what I expected would be a coddling re-introduction to shallow water this star was flung, as one might fling a Frisbee, into deeper water where it landed upside down with splat! I shot her a look; half surprise, half dismay.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen like that!” she said, a dreadful look on her face.
There there dear, I’m sure it’ll be alright. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close.
A few more reassuring steps down the beach and viola!
The washed up egg case (or “purse”) of a Sea Skate. (Note to self: Not Ocean Skate, Sea Skate.)
Supposedly, baby skates may remain in the purse for up to three years as they develop. Unless the purse washes ashore. I’m thinking there’s a very limited amount of time out of the water before it’s lights out for good inside the purse. Probably less time than it takes the next high tide to re-float it back to the nursery. Nature’s gamble.