A ROCK POOL LOBSTER AND CALL OF THE WILD

One doesn’t need deep water to experience the amazing inter-tidal life of Courier Country. Even three feet of water reaps rich rewards

It was a call of the wild, a melancholy wailing drifting over this East Neuk of Fife shore, and on peering across the small choppy inlet, I could see the heads of two grey seals bobbing out on the water, gazing at me with dewy eyes. It was a wonderful sight but disappointment coursed through my body, for I had come to snorkel on this stretch of coast but the water was too rough and dangerous to enter.

I sat disconsolate by the water’s edge. One of the seals swam close to me, eyeing me curiously, as if in sympathy with my predicament.

If the water had been calmer, I could have even snorkelled in among the

seals, I pondered. Now, that would have been good, so incredibly good.

However, all was not lost because there was a large, shallow and protected sandy lagoon behind me, now totally cut-off from

the open sea because of the falling tide, and with enough depth to make snorkelling a possibility.

So, I plunged in and my air of despondency quickly evaporated into one of elation.

The lagoon was only about three feet deep but in its bounds a multitude of life shone out at me.

The most surprising discovery was a large lobster sheltering in a dark rock crevice by the lagoon margin.

I glimpsed one of its claws at first and, on gliding closer, the large crustacean half emerged from its shelter,

waving its two long, reddish antennae at me, while keeping its large powerful claws clenched like a pair of boxing gloves.

I left the lobster in peace and explored more lagoon.

Soon, another strange creature loomed ahead, crawling slowly on the sand.

It was a sea hare, softbodied and blackish in colour, about 15cm long with two pairs of stubby tentacles on its head.

It is a mollusc but has no external shell so, when threatened by a predator, releases a purple cloud of ink to fend off the attacker.

Shortly after, I found several more sea hares, this time embraced in one another’s clutches – a mating tangle.

They are hermaphrodite (each is both male and female) and often form mating chains, with some animals acting as females, others as males, and some as both!

The range and diversity of nature never fails to astound me.

I glimpsed a vast array of other fascinating marine life, including several types of fish, including a

15-spined stickleback which used its pectoral (side) fins to manoeuvre through the water with agility and precision.

As I emerged from the lagoon, my wetsuit-clad body covered in a sheen of dripping water, I heard the wailing seals once more.

One day I will snorkel in among you, I promised, one day. But for now, I was as happy as I had ever been, such was the diversity of marine life that had just been

unveiled before my eyes.

INFO

Rockpooling reaps rich rewards when the tide is

out – turn stones and rocks carefully and often fish and crabs will be found hiding beneath. Just be sure to check when the tide will

return.

Hiding in a dark crevice between two rocks in just three feet of water was a large-clawed surprise, a majestic lobster.