December has arrived, and there aren't many days left for the year to end. So, I don't really have any plans to go out exploring nature in the remaining days. To be honest, this year has already given me a lot of nature trips.
Whether it was celebrating Dussehra by crossing borders to reach Kaas Plateau with my wife and son just to see three rare and region-specific flowers... or celebrating Diwali dawn in Mahabaleshwar after leaving early in the morning to spot two orchids... or the mad rush before sunrise with a friend to Bhigwan to catch a glimpse of owls and blackbucks. Some trips ended unsuccessfully because we didn't find what we were looking for. But the experience of each one was truly special.
Oh yes, I almost forgot another one! Along with my son and our friend named, the "Orchid Man", we travelled across three states in three days and returned with a treasure of regional flowers, orchids, snakes, fungi and more.
And among all of these, yesterday added another mind-blowing experience. I had been wanting to explore marine life for a very long time. Thanks to a well-informed friend from Mumbai, the opportunity finally came yesterday. The place was the seashore near Malabar Hill in Mumbai.
Among the marine creatures we spotted yesterday were clams that spray water at regular intervals, hermit crabs (crabs that live in shells), corals, sea anemones, sea slugs, and many more.
The marine creature I personally liked the most was the sea slug. Now, what exactly is a sea slug? It's basically a snail without a shell on its back. Because of their vibrant colours and beautiful patterns, they look absolutely stunning. But one important note — no matter how beautiful they look, one should never touch them. Many of them are venomous. Considering their tiny size, they may not be life threatening to humans, but it's wiser not to tempt fate.
Some sea slugs are extremely tiny — as small as a grain of rice — while some blend perfectly with their surroundings, making them impossible to spot. Winter is the best time to see them, as they come closer to the shore during this season to lay eggs. As for the best time of the day, it will be when there is a low tide — when the water recedes, certain marine creatures along with the water get trapped in the crevices between rocks.
My legs are seriously protesting today after all the jumping, climbing and squating we did on those sleepary rocks to spot these sea creatures. But no complaints — instead, there's a great sense of satisfaction that another wonderful experience has been added to my memories.
Coryphellina Slug
Green Button Polyp
Star-tentacled Bornella
Cratena Slug
Hairy Leopard Slug
Brittle Star
Sea Anemone
Burnt Cup Coral
Encrusting Cup Coral
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