Baby Skates

Eye candy first.

A stranded starfish:

BIGGER.

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!

BIGGER.

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.

1 thought on “Baby Skates”

  1. This skate egg case had already hatched. Otherwise I would have flung it (albeit with more finesse than the poor starfish) back in the ocean.

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