Join marine biologist Nancy Treneman in searching the tide pools for one of the ocean’s most colorful and weird-looking creatures.

Tidepool on Wonderland Trail at Acadia National Park Twice a day, tides seep across Acadia National Park’s rocky beaches and against its cliffs. When each tide recedes, some of the saltwater is lef…

Join marine biologist Nancy Treneman in searching the tide pools for one of the ocean’s most colorful and weird-looking creatures.

YouTube video by Sylvia Meller

Nature lovers often hit the beach at low tide to catch glimpses of underwater life in fleeting tidepools at the margins of Puget Sound. Some nature nerds like

Despite their unusual appearances, nudibranchs share a surprising trait: they’re carnivores. And their reproduction even has an artistic flair. Nudibranchs possess both male and female reproductive organs, and many deposit their eggs in delicate ribbons, spirals or rosettes that resemble underwater lace.

Join marine biologist Nancy Treneman in searching the tide pools for one of the ocean’s most colorful and weird-looking creatures.

Nature lovers often hit the beach at low tide to catch glimpses of underwater life in fleeting tidepools at the margins of Puget Sound. Some nature nerds like to hang off the edge of a dock instead. About 40 people walked onto the docks of a marina near Olympia, Washington, on a sunny October Sunday, though not for the usual reason of hopping on a boat. This crew came to get down — on their knees, or even their bellies, for some of the best views into another world. “You can see all of these skeleton shrimp in there, kind of moving around. But there's tons of them all over the dock right now,” Luan Roberts of Seattle said while sprawled face down on the floating dock, with her head and shoulders out over the water. Alexander Prescott of Olympia lay next to her as they peered just below the surface. Throughout the day, Roberts pointed out strange animals living on the underside of the dock for Prescott and others. Some creatures looked like plants, or feather dusters, or butterflies, or skeletons. It was almost like an underwater costume party. “Oh, wow, yeah. Those are so cool,” Prescott said when...

Nature lovers often hit the beach at low tide to catch glimpses of underwater life in fleeting tidepools at the margins of Puget Sound. Some nature nerds like to hang off the edge of a dock instead. About 40 people walked onto the docks of a marina near Olympia, Washington, on a sunny October Sunday, though not for the usual reason of hopping on a boat. This crew came to get down — on their knees, or even their bellies, for some of the best views into another world. “You can see all of these skeleton shrimp in there, kind of moving around. But there's tons of them all over the dock right now,” Luan Roberts of Seattle said while sprawled face down on the floating dock, with her head and shoulders out over the water. Alexander Prescott of Olympia lay next to her as they peered just below the surface. Throughout the day, Roberts pointed out strange animals living on the underside of the dock for Prescott and others. Some creatures looked like plants, or feather dusters, or butterflies, or skeletons. It was almost like an underwater costume party. “Oh, wow, yeah. Those are so cool,” Prescott said when...