This afternoon I went paddling from the rower's dock at Swantown, and I was astonished to see swarms of jellyfish right up by the dock (incidentally, a swarm of jellyfish is called a "bloom"). As I looked out, I could see that they were filling the water from the dock all the way out into the Sound. Luckily, these are Moon Jellyfish, and their stings are usually not powerful enough to penetrate human skin, so if I did fall in and get stung, I probably wouldn't even feel it. The jellies are beautiful to watch, with their glowy, translucent bodies. Still, there is something about many creatures swarming that gives me pause. I felt a little wary about plunking my board right in among them, but it was such a nice day that I decided to go for it. It was windy and challenging going out, but that was good, as I was looking for a workout today, and let me tell you, I got one! On the way back, the wind had settled down, and it was balmy and idyllic, which is the best way to come back in after a vigorous paddle.
Puget Sound was at its majestic best today, and I'm so grateful that I got a chance to enjoy it. I've found
pugetsoundsealife useful for identifying the creatures I see and learning more about them. The Sound is full of an incredible array of life, and it is fun and interesting to learn more about the vast world below me as I paddle around it.
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