Favorite TOS Posts and Photos, 2014

2014 was theoutershores’ second full year in business. I published 23 new posts and uploaded 361 images. Last year I enjoyed looking back on the year’s most popular posts and sharing some thoughts about a few of my favorite photographs. It’s the end of December, 2014 and I’m going to do it again. Among TOS readers, the most popular 2014 posts were:

1. Red-eyed medusa, Polyorchis penicillatus. – I wrote that one back in March; it’s just a few thoughts about one of the most attractive little jellies I’ve seen on thoutershores.

2. Rockweed, Fucus gardneri. – This one is from October 2013; it contains photos of rockweed at it’s prime.

3. California Beach Hopper, Megalorchestia californiana. – A natural history account, also from October, 2014. Something good was going on in October.

4. Mermaid’s Purse. – Second time on the top posts list! Last year it was number two. It’s just three images of a good-sized big skate egg case I found back in March 2013.

and

1. Comparing King Tides. King tides are the highest spring tides of the year. This post from January is a comparison of 10.4′ high tides from the winters of 2013 and 2014.

My favorite photos featured for the first time in 2014 are:

From Comparing King Tides. Getting close in the early morning light was a treat.
 
 

From Idotea, an Intertidal Isopod. This reminds me of so much of the Oregon coast – sandy beaches separated by rocky outcrops or headlands. I waited for a good low tide to get this shot.
 
 

From Oceanic Crab Makes Landfall. I can still feel the surprise of discovering scads of Planes on a large homemade float that had washed up on the beach.
 
 

From Aggregating Anemones Handle the Sand. Giant greens are beautiful in a still pool.
 
 

From Exploring the Highest Intertidal Fringes. Sea cabbage, Saccharina sessilis, which, incidentally, occurs in the lowest intertidal fringes.
 
 

Also from Exploring the Highest Intertidal Fringes. Acorn barnacles use the cracks and crevices, seemingly inching toward the sky.
 
 

From Coming Full Circle with Hermessinda crassicornis. I have a soft spot for nudibranchs.
 
 

From Walk on a Sandy Beach. Redtails are one of my closest connections to the surf zone.

Thanks a lot for dropping by theoutershores. Wishing you the best in 2015.