SURG and family members turned up for the inaugural Rock Ramble at Woolgoolga Headland on the 13th April. The weather was fine and sunny, and even with a large amount of kelp in some of the more accessible pools, there was plenty of territory to explore. In one rock pool alone we found nudibranches, sea hares, hermit crabs, lots of urchins and molluscs and to our surprise a small wobbegong.
No animals (or participants!) were harmed in the day’s proceedings, only some pictures taken and then the animals were returned to their habitat. There are a few more photos on the SURG Facebook page for those keen to see what we got up to.
Members participated in different ways. Some recorded what they observed using the Climate Watch recording forms, http://www.climatewatch.org.au/get-involved/marine, others immersed themselves in the rock pools photographing what was there while others located unusual animals. There were also a few children involved and it was great to see the enthusiasm they had for what lives in the pools or under rocks. Everyone agreed that this was a great way to focus interest on research that involved not only divers, but also non-divers and children, and we decided it should continue. Our next rock ramble will be at low tide (around lunch time) on the 11thMay at Sawtell Headland.
