Night at the Pool

Every beach in Sydney has a large concrete pool, fed by the ocean, bashed by the ocean, right on the edge of the ocean, where you can go for a swim without being thrown about in the surf. You go down there any time of the morning day or evening and there are old folks, young folks, kids—there'a very shallow kiddie pool. Three shots.

Surf Fishing and Cunjavoi

Christine and I went to Fishermans Beach two evenings ago. The tide was very low, and a huge, flat section of what is usually sea-floor was exposed. Christine noticed gaping, purplish mouth-like things attached to rocks here and there.

They look like shells, but are actually a bit flexible, and very soft and smooth inside:




They're what remains of very curious creatures known as cunjavoi (Pyura Stolonifera), a type of sea squirt:

The Cunjevoi is a sea squirt found around the edge of the low-tide mark that often forms mats over the rocks. It is sometimes covered in green or brown algae and has a tough brown exterior or 'tunic'. During high tide, the Cunjevoi feeds on plankton as water is pumped in and out of its siphons. As the tide recedes, it holds water to keep from drying out and, like all sea squirts, squirts a jet of water like a water pistol when squeezed or trodden on at low tide.

They're normally very rough-loooking, but we're seeing cunjavoi that have been scooped:

Cunjevoi is an Aboriginal name and the animals were once a common food source for Sydney's Aboriginal people. Today, the Cunjevoi is popularly used as fishing bait. People cut the Cunjevoi, scoop out its soft insides and leave the hard tunic attached to the rock. However, the Cunjevoi is a protected species in some parts (marine reserves) of Sydney Harbour.

Their most bizarre characteristic, at least in my opinion, is that in the early stage of their life, they're free-swimming:

After spending their larval stage as a free swimming tadpole like larvae, with a distinctive nerve chord, adult animals are filter feeders that live permanently attached to the lower section of rocky shores.

But I was there to do some work—some fishing work. My first ever cast in Australia:



This made for a happy Thom (with an Aussie flag in the background):

Christine snapped some more fishing shots:

My favorite:

Christine took a shot of our pretty little street:

Soon we'll get some snorkeling shots. Soon:

Christine Says Hello, and Brushtail Possum

Christine with a short and sweet video:

And another. There's a tiny bit of speaking at the beginning, and you can just shut your eyes and listen for a while to the sound we go to sleep with every night, if you are so inclined:

And last night I woke up at 12:30 a.m. and decided it was time for a good nighttime walk. I headed north, took a left down a street of no particular significance, and ran into the body of water known as Narrabeen Lakes. Nice.

Then I saw it: a brushtail possum. (Also called brush-tailed.) Fast as a cat. I used my uncanny photography skills to capture forever an image of the rascal:

Hmmm. Something must have been wrong with the camera. I tried again:

I was actually kicked by a passing kangaroo right when that shot was taken. Swear to god. One more time:

Now that's a bit better, but as you can probably tell I cropped it, and it's not very sharp. But look at those ears! It looks like Piglet.

Okay, now I'm going to get it:

Oh well, close enough for folk music.

That's two Australian possum species so far, loads to go.