– by Tina Kelly –
If you’re not a boat owner, you may assume there is no reason to visit your local marina. Think again – docks and wharves are home to a wide diversity of marine animals. Unlike fixed piers, floating docks rise and fall with the tide and offer you an opportunity for marine exploration without consulting a tide table.
Organisms adapted to clinging to rocky shorelines also attach to man-made structures. Have you heard of bryozoans, chitons, sea squirts, nudibranchs or tube worms? These lesser-known invertebrates abound in this habitat but don’t fret, your favourites can be found here too – anemones, sea stars, urchins and crabs. Settlement of animals can vary with dock location; to find a variety of animals, explore docks closest to shore as well as those farther out. Consider taking a laminated – and therefore waterproof – field guide to help you identify your finds.
Before the nice weather ends, head out for a dock walk and keep these tips in mind:
1) Protect your knees and legs. Docks are made from a variety of materials – none of them comfortable. Consider wearing long shorts or pants to be more comfortable on wood or cement.
2) Watch out for boat cleats. Cleats are just one example of a tripping hazard so be careful where you’re walking.
3) Consider wearing a life jacket and lay prone, or flat on your belly, to minimize the chance of falling in. Boat slips rarely have ladders; a quick exit from an accidental swim won’t be easy.
4) Visually assess the water quality. If you see oil, gas or “sludge” on the surface, move to another location. The farther reaches of marinas are usually cleaner because of increased water movement.
5) Leave animals where you found them. Don’t remove or pry animals off of the dock, they cannot reattach on your command. These animals are adapted to this habitat; removing them and dropping them into the water could place them in a location where they can’t find food, a mate or protection from predators.
6) Watch your hats, glasses, cameras, phones and other belongings; they’ll sink instead of swim.
7) Respect the privacy of marina residents and if in doubt ask permission before accessing docks and marinas. Consider the safety of boat owners and don’t block access to their slips.
8) Don’t limit your focus to the docks alone. Look for fish, birds and seals.
9) Leave pets at home. Dogs can scare away the wildlife mentioned in #8.
10) Avoid feeding any wildlife. Habituating birds, seals, or other wildlife to humans can have a negative impact on their behaviour and health.
Happy dock walking!
Tina Kelly is an Ocean Advocate at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Visit www.oceandiscovery.ca for more information.
