McAbee Beach

Discovered by serendipity in early 2004, the anchor farm's main feature was four multi-ton large ship anchors connected to each other and a number of large concrete blocks with substantial chain. Three of the four anchors were dragged to another location some 600 feet away when a cruise ship mired its own anchor in the collection. Happily, this location survives on other merits. Part of the vast network of shale ledges that extend for miles off Monterey's Del Monte beach, the Anchor Farm is home to sundry species of nudibranchs seldom seen elsewhere on the Monterey peninsula.

This ant-sized three-lined aeolid (Flabellina trilineata) can move
surprisingly quickly. One doesn't usually think of slugs as particularly speedy,
but if you pick up a camera, you'll likely notice that your shot's composition
changes much faster than you might like. In fact, I was much chagrined by my
first attempt to photograph the beautiful and unusual Aeolidea papillosa.
Simply put, I was, well, outrun -- or, outslithered to be perfectly accurate.
You might notice that there are still no pictures of this animal on the site.

    "McAbee Beach", Monterey Bay, California
    July 16, 2006






This three-lined aeolid (Flabellina trilineata) is cruising along a stipe
of giant kelp (Macrocystis sp.) in search of prey.

    "McAbee Beach", Monterey Bay, California
    July 16, 2006



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