Beneath Pacific Tides
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    • Layman List - Galleries of the Goods
    • Scientific Sort - Phylogenetic Central California Species >
      • Algae and Plants - Domain Eukaryota >
        • Division Cholorophyta - Green Algae >
          • Ulva sp. - Sea Lettuce
        • Class Phaeophyceae - Brown Algae >
          • Order Fucales - Rock Weeds >
            • Stephanocystis osmundacea - Chain-Bladder Kelp
          • Order Laminariales - Kelp >
            • Alaria marginata - Winged Kelp
            • Costaria costata - Ribbed Kelp
            • Desmarestia ligulata - Acid Kelp
            • Dictyoneuropsis reticulata - Dictyoneuropsis
            • Egregia menziesii - Feather Boa Kelp
            • Eisenia arborea - Southern Sea Palm / Crotch Kelp
            • Laminaria setchellii - Laminaria
            • Macrocystis pyrifera - Giant Kelp
            • Nereocystis luetkeana - Bull Kelp
            • Pleurophycus gardneri - Pleurophycus
            • Pterygophora californica - Walking Kelp
        • Kingdom Plantae - Plants >
          • Phyllospadix sp. - Surf Grass
          • Zostera marina - Eel Grass
        • Division Rhodophyta - Red Algae >
          • Botryocladia pseudodichotoma - Sea Grapes
          • Calliarthron spp. - Coralline Algae
          • Chondracanthus corymbiferus - Turkish Towel/Cow's Tongue
          • Gracilaria sp. - Gracilaria / Ogonori
          • Microcladia coulteri - Epiphytic Red Alga
          • Opuntiella californica - Opuntiella
          • Plocamium pacificum - Red Algae
      • Birds - Class Aves >
        • Family Laridae - Gulls >
          • Larus heermanni - Heermann's Gull
        • Family Phalacrocoracidae - Cormorants >
          • Phalacrocorax pelagicus - Pelagic Cormorant
      • Fish - Subphylum Vertebrata >
        • Class Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous Fishes >
          • Superorder Selachii - Modern Sharks >
            • Order Carcharhiniformes - Ground Sharks >
              • Cephaloscyllium ventriosum - Swell Shark
              • Triakis semifasciata - Leopard Shark
            • Order Heterodontiformes - Bullhead Sharks >
              • Heterodontus francisci - Horn Shark
            • Order Lamniformes - Mackerel Sharks >
              • Carcharodon carcharias - Great White Shark
            • Order Squatiniformes - Angel Sharks >
              • Squatina californica - Pacific Angel Shark
          • Superorder Batoidea - Rays and Skates >
            • Order Torpediniformes - Electric Rays >
              • Torpedo californica - Pacific Electric Ray
            • Order Myliobatiformes - Rays >
              • Platyrhinoidis triseriata - Thornback Ray
        • Class Osteichthyes - Bony Fishes >
          • Family Agonidae - Poachers >
            • Odontopyxis trispinosa - Pygmy Poacher
          • Family Anarhichadidae - Sea Wolfs >
            • Anarrhichthys ocellatus - Wolf Eel
          • Family Atherinopsidae - Topsmelts and Silversides >
            • Atherinops affinis - Topsmelt
          • Family Aulorhynchidae - Tubesnouts >
            • Aulorhynchus flavidus - Tubesnout
          • Family Bathymasteridae - Ronquils >
            • Rathbunella sp. - Ronquil
          • Family Batrachoididae - Toadfishes >
            • Porichthys notatus - Plainfin Midshipman
          • Family Chaenopsidae - Pike, Tube, and Flag Blennies >
            • Neoclinus uninotatus - Onespot Fringehead
            • Neoclinus stephensae - Yellowfin Fringehead
          • Family Clinidae - Kelpfishes >
            • Gibbonsia sp. - Kelpfish
          • Family Cottidae - Common Sculpins >
            • Artedius corallinus - Coralline Sculpin
            • Hemilepidotus spinosus - Brown Irish Lord
            • Jordania zonope - Longfin Sculpin
            • Leptocottus armatus - Pacific Staghorn Sculpin
            • Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus - Great Sculpin
            • Nautichthys oculofasciatus - Sailfin Sculpin
            • Orthonopias triacis - Snubnose Sculpin
            • Scorpaenichthys marmoratus - Cabezon
          • Family Embioticidae - Surfperches >
            • Brachyistius frenatus - Kelp Perch
            • Cymatogaster aggregata - Shiner Surfperch
            • Embiotoca jacksoni - Black Surfperch
            • Embiotoca lateralis - Striped Surfperch
            • Hyperprosopon argenteum - Walleye Surfperch
            • Hypsurus caryi - Rainbow Surfperch
            • Phanerodon atripes - Sharpnose Surfperch
            • Phanerodon furcatus - White Surfperch
            • Rhacochilus toxotes - Rubberlip Surfperch
            • Rhacochilus vacca - Pile Surfperch
          • Family Gobiesocidae - Clingfishes >
            • Gobiesox meandricus - Northern Clingfish
          • Family Gobiidae - Gobies >
            • Rhinogobiops nicholsii - Black-Eyed Goby
          • Family Hexagrammidae - Greenlings >
            • Hexagrammos decagrammus - Kelp Greenling
            • Ophiodon elongatus - Lingcod
            • Oxylebius pictus - Painted Greenling
          • Family Kyphosidae - Sea Chubs >
            • Girella nigricans - Opal Eye
          • Family Labridae - Wrasses >
            • Oxyjulis californica - Señorita
            • Semicossyphus pulcher - California Sheephead
          • Family Malacanthidae - Tilefishes >
            • Caulolatilus princeps - Ocean Whitefish
          • Family Muraenidae - Moray Eels >
            • Gymnothorax mordax - California Moray Eel
          • Family Ophidiidae - Cusk-Eels >
            • Ophidion scrippsae - Basketweave Cusk-Eel
          • Family Paralichthyidae - Left-Eye Flounders >
            • Citharichthys stigmaeus - Speckled Sanddab
          • Family Pholidae - Gunnels >
            • Apodichthys flavidus - Penpoint Gunnel
          • Family Pleuronectidae - Right-Eye Flounders >
            • Pleuronichthys sp. - Sole / Turbot
          • Family Pomacentridae - Damselfishes >
            • Chromis punctipinnis - Blacksmith
          • Family Sebastidae - Rockfishes >
            • Sebastes atrovirens - Kelp Rockfish
            • Sebastes auriculatus - Brown Rockfish
            • Sebastes caurinus - Copper Rockfish
            • Sebastes carnatus - Gopher Rockfish
            • Sebastes chrysomelas - Black and Yellow Rockfish
            • Sebastes constellatus - Starry Rockfish
            • Sebastes flavidus - Yellowtail Rockfish
            • Sebastes melanops - Black Rockfish
            • Sebastes miniatus - Vermillion Rockfish
            • Sebastes mystinus - Blue Rockfish
            • Sebastes nebulosus - China Rockfish
            • Sebastes paucispinis - Boccacio
            • Sebastes pinniger - Canary Rockfish
            • Sebastes rastrelliger - Grass Rockfish
            • Sebastes rosaceus - Rosy Rockfish
            • Sebastes semicintus - Half-Banded Rockfish
            • Sebastes serranoides - Olive Rockfish
            • Sebastes serriceps - Treefish
          • Family Serranidae - Bass and Groupers >
            • Paralabrax clathratus - Kelp Bass
          • Family Stichaeidae - Pricklebacks >
            • Cebidichthys violaceus - Monkeyface Eel
            • Ernogrammus walkeri - Masked Prickleback
          • Family Stromateidae - Butterfishes >
            • Peprillus simillimus - Pacific Butterfish/Pompano
          • Family Sygnathidae - Pipefishes and Seahorses >
            • Sygnathus sp. - Pipefish
          • Family Synodontidae - Lizardfishes >
            • Synodus lucioceps - California Lizarfish
          • Family Molidae - Molas >
            • Mola mola - Ocean Sunfish
      • Invertebrates - 97% of Animalia >
        • Phylum Annelida - Ringed Worms >
          • Class Polychaeta - Bristle Worms >
            • Order Aciculata - Bristle-Foot Worms >
              • Nereis sp. - Pile Worm
            • Order Eunicida - Eunicid Worms >
              • Diopatra ornata - Ornate Tube Worm
            • Order Sabellida - Fan Worms >
              • Eudistylia polymorpha - Feather Duster Worm
              • Eudistylia vancouveri - Giant Feather Duster Worm
              • Myxicola infundibulum - Slime Fan Worm
              • Phragmatopoma californica - Honeycomb Worm
            • Order Scolecida - Tube 'O Mucus Worms >
              • Arenicola brasiliensis - Lug Worm
              • Praxillura maculata - Windmill Worm
            • Order Spionida - Twin-Palp Worms >
              • Phyllochaetopterus prolifica - Chaetopterid Worm
            • Order Terebellidae - Spaghetti Worms >
              • Dodecaceria fewkesi - Colonial Tube Worms
              • Thelepus crispus - Spaghetti Worm
          • Class Echiura - Spoon Worms >
            • Urechis caupo - Fat Innkeeper Worm
        • Phylum Arthropoda - Barnacles, Crabs, Shrimps >
          • Order Decapoda - Shrimp and Crabs >
            • Infraorder Anomura - Hermit Crabs and Allies >
              • Cryptolithodes sitchensis - Umbrella Crab
              • Discorsopagurus schmitti - Tube Worm Hermit Crab
              • Pagurus granosimanus - Hermit Crab
              • Pagurus hemphilli - Chlorostoma Hermit Crab
              • Phyllolithodes papillosus - Lithoid Crab
            • Infraorder Brachyura - True Crabs >
              • Cancer antennarius - Brown Rock Crab
              • Cancer magister - Dungeness Crab
              • Heterocrypta occidentalis - Elbow Crab
              • Loxorhynchus crispatus - Decorator Crab
              • Loxorhynchus grandis - Sheep Crab
              • Mimulus foliatus - Mimicking Crab
              • Pugettia producta - Northern Kelp Crab
              • Pugettia richii - Cryptic Kelp Crab
              • Pugettia gracilis - Graceful Kelp Crab
              • Scyra acutifrons - Sharpnose Crab
            • Infraorder Caridea - Caridean Shrimp >
              • Crangon sp. - Crangon Shrimp
              • Pandalus danae - Coon-Stripe / Dock Shrimp
          • Order Thoracica - Barnacles >
            • Alepas pacifica - Jellyfish Barnacle
            • Balanus nubilus - Giant Acorn Barnacle
            • Menesiniella aquila - Giant Acorn Barnacle
        • Phylum Bryozoa - Moss Animals >
          • Celleporella sp. - Northern Staghorn Bryozoan
          • Hippoporina insculpata - Fluted Bryozoan
          • Membranipora serrilamella - Bryozoan
          • Phidolopora pacifica - Lacy Bryozoan
          • Watersipora subtorquata - Red Bryozoan
        • Phylum Cnidaria - Jellies, Anemones, Hydrozoans >
          • Class Anthozoa - Anemones and Kin >
            • Order Actinaria - Anemones >
              • Anthopleura artemisia - Moonglow Anemone
              • Anthopleura sola - Sunburst Anemone
              • Anthopleura xanthogrammica - Giant Green Anemone
              • Epiactis prolifera - Brooding Anemone
              • Halcampa decemtentaculata - Burrowing Anemone
              • Metridium farcimen - Giant Plumose Anemone
              • Metridium senile - Plumose Anemone
              • Urticina columbiana - Sand Rose Anemone
              • Urticina coriacea - Stubby Rose Anemone
              • Urticina crassicornis - Painted Anemone
              • Urticina lofotensis - White-Spotted Rose Anemone
              • Urticina piscivora - Fish-Eating Anemone
            • Order Alcyonacea - Soft Corals >
              • Clavularia sp. - Octocoral
            • Order Ceriantharia - Tube Anemones >
              • Pachycerianthus fimbriatus - Tube Anemone
            • Order Corallimorpharia - Coral Anemones >
              • Corynactis californica - Strawberry Anemone
            • Order Pennatulacea - Sea Pens >
              • Stylatula elongata or Virgularia sp. - White Sea Pen
            • Order Scleractinia - Stone Corals >
              • Astrangia lajollaensis - Colonial Stone Coral
              • Balanophyllia elegans - Orange Cup Coral
              • Paracyathus stearnsi - Solitary Cup Coral
          • Class Hydrozoa - Hydra >
            • Order Anthomedusae >
              • Scrippsia pacifica - Giant Bell Jelly
              • Stylaster californicus - California Hydrocoral
              • Velella velella - By-The-Wind Sailor
            • Order Leptomedusae >
              • Aglaophenia spp. - Ostrich Plume Hydroid
              • Mitrocoma cellularia - Cross Jelly
            • Order Siphonophorae >
              • Calycophoran - Rocketship Siphonophore
              • Nanomia bijuga - Nanomia
              • Praya sp. - Praya Siphonophore
            • Order Narcomedusae >
              • Solmaris spp. - Solmaris
          • Class Scyphozoa - "True" Jellies >
            • Aurelia labiata - Moon Jelly
            • Chrysaora colorata - Purple-Striped Jelly
            • Chrysaora fuscescens - Brown Sea Nettle
            • Phacellophora camtschatica - Egg-Yolk Jelly
          • Class Staurozoa - Stalked Jellies >
            • Manania sp.- Stalked Jelly
        • Phylum Ctenophora - Comb Jellies >
          • Beroe spp. - Beroe
          • Mertensiid - Comb Jelly
          • Leucothea pulchra - Warty Comb Jelly
          • Ocyropsis spp. - Lobed Comb Jelly
          • Velamen parallelum - Flying-Wing Comb Jelly
        • Phylum Echinodermata - Stars, Cucumbers, Urchins >
          • Class Asteroidea - Seastars >
            • Patiria miniata - Bat Star
            • Astropecten verrilli - Spiny Sand Seastar
            • Dermasterias imbricata - Leather Seastar
            • Henricia leviuscula - Blood Seastar
            • Henricia pumila - Dwarf Brooding Seastar
            • Leptasterias sp. - Six-Rayed Seastar
            • Mediaster aequalis - Vermillion Seastar
            • Orthasterias koehleri - Rainbow Seastar
            • Pisaster brevispinus - Short-Spined Seastar
            • Pisaster giganteus - Jewel/Giant/Knobby Seastar
            • Pisaster ochraceus - Ochre Seastar
            • Pycnopodia helianthoides - Sunflower Seastar
            • Stylasterias forreri - Velcro Seastar
          • Class Holothuroidea - Sea Cucumbers >
            • Cucumaria miniata - Orange Sea Cucumber
            • Parastichopus californicus - California Sea Cucumber
            • Parastichopus parvimensis - Warty Sea Cucumber
            • Pseudocnus lubricus - White Sea Cucumber
          • Class Echinoidea - Urchins and Sanddollars >
            • Dendraster excentricus - Sanddollars
            • Mesocentrotus franciscanus - Red Sea Urchin
            • Strongylocentrotus purpuratus - Purple Sea Urchin
          • Class Ophiuroidea - Basket and Brittle Stars >
            • Amphiura arcystata - Sand Brittle Star
            • Ophioplocus esmarki - Day Brittle Star
            • Ophiothrix spiculata - Spiny Brittle Star
        • Phylum Mollusca - Gastropods, Bivalves, Cephalopods >
          • Class Bivalvia - Clams, Mussels, Cockles, Scallops, Etc. >
            • Clinocardium nuttallii - Nuttal's Cockle
          • Class Cephalopoda - Squids, Octopuses, Cuttlefishes >
            • Order Teuthida - Squids >
              • Dosidicus gigas - Humboldt Squid
              • Doryteuthis opalescens - California Market Squid
            • Order Octopoda - Octopuses >
              • Enteroctopus dofleini - Giant Pacific Octopus
              • Octopus bimaculoides - Two-Spot Octopus
              • Octopus rubescens - Red Octopus
          • Class Gastropoda - Snails, Slugs, Limpets, Nudibranchs >
            • "Prosobranchia" - Shelled Gastropods >
              • Acmaea mitra - Dunce Cap Limpet
              • Caesia fossatus - Sand Snail
              • Callianax biplicata - Olive Snail
              • Calliostoma annulatum - Jeweled Topsnail
              • Carinaria japonica - Heteropod
              • Ceratostoma foliatum - Leafy Hornmouth
              • Chlorostoma brunnea - Brown Turban Snail
              • Chlorostoma montereyi - Monterey Turban Snail
              • Conus californicus - California Cone
              • Diodora aspera - Keyhole Limpet
              • Haliotis kamtschatkana - Pinto abalone
              • Haliotis rufescens - Red Abalone
              • Haliotis walallensis - Flat Abalone
              • Lamellaria diegoensis - Ascidian Snail
              • Megasurcula carpenteriana - Carpenter's turrid
              • Megathura crenulata - Giant Keyhole Limpet
              • Mitra idae - Ida's Miter
              • Neobernaya spadicea - Chestnut Cowrie
              • Euspira lewisii - Moon Snail
              • Promartynia pulligo - Dusky Turban Snail
            • Subclass Opisthobranchia - Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs >
              • Aeolidia papillosa - Shaggy Mouse Nudibranch
              • Aplysia californica - California Sea Hare
              • Corolla spectabilis - Sea Butterfly
              • Dendronotus albus - White Dendronotus
              • Dendronotus iris - Rainbow Nudibranch
              • Diaulula sandiegensis - San Diego Dorid
              • Dirona picta - Shaggy Dirona
              • Doriopsilla albopunctata - Yellow Dorid
              • Doris montereyensis - Monterey Dorid
              • Doris odhneri - White Dorid
              • Hermissenda crassicornis - Opalescent Nudibranch
              • Melibe leonina - Lion's Mane Nudibranch
              • Navanax inermis - Navanax
              • Okenia rosacea - Hopkins Rose
              • Onchidoris bilamellata - Rough-Mantled Doris
              • Phidiana hiltoni - Hilton's Aeolid
              • Pleurobranchaea californica - California Sidegill Slug
              • Polycera atra - Black Dorid
              • Triopha catalinae - Clown Nudibranch
          • Class Polyplacophora - Chitons >
            • Cryptochiton stelleri - Gumboot Chiton
            • Stenoplax sp. - Chiton
            • Tonicella spp. - Lined Chiton
        • Phylum Porifera - Sponges >
          • Acarnus erithacus - Red Sponge
          • Leucandra heathi - Spiny Vase Sponge
          • Leucilla nuttingi - Finger Sponge
          • Mycale psila - Sulfur-Yellow Sponge
          • Polymastia pachymastia - Aggregated Nipple Sponge
          • Tethya californiana - Orange Puffball Sponge
          • Stelletta clarella - Mossy Sponge
        • Subphylum Urochordata - Salps and Tunicates >
          • Class Ascidiacea - Benthic Tunicates >
            • Boltenia villosa - Spiny-Headed Tunicate
            • Clavelina huntsmani - Lightbulb Tunicate
            • Cnemidocarpa finmarkiensis - Solitary Tunicate
            • Cystodytes lobatus - Lobed Tunicate
            • Didemnum carnulentum - Colonial Tunicate
            • Diplosoma listerianum - Compound Tunicate
            • Distaplia smithi - Smith's Compound Tunicate
            • Eudistoma psammion - Compound Tunicate
            • Polyclinum planum - Elephant Ear Tunicate
            • Ritterella rubra - Red Currant Tunicate
            • Styela montereyensis - Stalked Tunicate
            • Trididemnum opacum - Colonial Tunicate
          • Class Thaliacea - Salps and Kin >
            • Cyclosalpa affinis - Cyclical Salp
            • Cyclosalpa bakeri - Cyclical Salp
            • Thetys vagina - Suggestive Salp
      • Mammals - Class Mammalia >
        • Order Cetacea - Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises >
          • Order Mysticeti - Baleen Whales
          • Order Odontoceti - Toothed Whales
        • Pinnipedia - Seals, Sea Lions, Walruses >
          • Family Phocidae - Seals >
            • Phoca vitulina - Harbor Seal
          • Family Otariidae - Sea Lions and Fur Seals >
            • Zalophus californianus - California Sea Lion
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one gopro. one light. no life.

a labor of love, Obsession, and misguided priorities

Picture
Hello everyone. I have a problem. I feel like I'm in a constant race, but I don't know who I'm racing against and what the finish line looks like. But I'm always running, scared that I might lose to phantoms in the imaginary competition that exists in my mind. 

You're currently looking at one of the results of this madness: upwellings.com.

I went to UCSC and studied Marine Biology. The scientific diving class changed my life, I experienced field quarters and independent research and made lifelong friends in the diving community, and then I graduated. I got a job where I've always wanted to work, I made it, I won. 

But diving was not a part of my job. My friends left and went and fulfilled the dreams we had talked about while I made my 5 year-old self happy.

Doubt and guilt crept into my soul. 

"There you go man, you just got started diving, and now you're all washed up already. You blew it. Good you followed your childhood dream working where you do, but you never stopped to realize you could have grown up dreams. All that training, the time and energy and money you sunk into being a diver, the care and trust and hopes that your instructors gave to you, thrown out the window just like that. Great job. You're losing now. You're falling behind. Your friends are disappointed. You're a disappointment."

The phantoms tormented me and at times convinced me of my inadequacy. I forced myself to keep diving through the insecurity, bringing a camera along underwater to distract me from the fact that there was no data I was collecting, no purpose for being underwater except for voyeurism. One day I sat and I watched the gigabytes of useless video.

And I realized that there was no video of this animal, or that alga. Anywhere. Or at least, not that I could get to. We have pictures of these animals in guide books, I drew the thalli of many an alga in class, but I hadn't seen these organisms moving, in passing, out of focus and fleeting as they are underwater as you swim along in any of the textbooks. The life of the Pacific doesn't stay still, well-lit and properly-framed like the guide books; and then the stuff that does stay still is mixed in with a hundred other faces in a crowd so diverse I've been looking at this stuff for 5 years and I barely know what I'm looking at.

I had my solution to calm the demon of my own mind. I would dive, and I would bring the camera, to slowly but surely take shitty videos of everything I could recognize and a lot of the stuff that I don't. And while a field-guide without any ecological context is like biological stamp-collecting, a pathetic excuse for "science" bemoaned by Ed Ricketts and other great minds, I figured each species page could have a link to take visitors far from here and on to more learning.

This felt good to me.

And then if I made videos with music because I got stoked on a series of dives, people might also get stoked. And if I borrowed someone's camera I could take pictures and people like pictures so they could enjoy those too. And if I had a thought I could write it down and people could read if they cared about my experiences. Granted there isn't much there but there could be in the future. And if someone wanted to learn more they could through looking at the websites I've looked at and maybe that someone is like me in a way and wants to read more about me. And then maybe they would use my videos to share their stories of the animals and algae and show other people and maybe then I won't have wasted the responsibility my educators gave me to do something in life.

Perhaps my obsession can help you, entertain you, or help you feel better about yourself by peering into a troubled mind. In any case, I'm off to race the phantoms. 

Cheers,
Patrick
2/6/14

© Patrick Webster, 2017