Tiny monsters from the deep, a Zoea larva of a crab or lobster (on the left) and an adult copepod (on the right), both minute crustaceans, swim through a forest of algal filaments. We captured these animals and many other forms of planktonic wildlife today with our plankton net in the bay outside Kirkwall in Orkney.
Back on board the Caledonian Star we used the ship's new video microscope to view and record these strange life-forms. This allowed everyone in the lounge to follow along on the monitors while the naturalists focused the microscope on one strange sight after another. The cold waters around these remote islands support a rich marine food chain, which begins with microscopic algae and tiny animals like these and continues on up to the seabirds, seals and whales which feed on them either directly or indirectly. We all enjoyed getting our first glimpses of some of these creatures, both big and small, while we toured the famous archaeological sites on mainland Orkney or relaxed in the comfort of the lounge this afternoon.
