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  • - Wow it is windy out here today

  • so I'm gonna have to talk loud for the cameras

  • but right now we're exploring the mud flats

  • here in Haines, Alaska.

  • There is a water system pushing its way up through here

  • it's probably gonna draw in

  • a bunch of really cool creatures.

  • Lucky for me, I happened to bring this little net.

  • Let's head out in there and see what we can find.

  • Got it, yes!

  • Holy cow the net is absolutely full of them.

  • Oh no they're pricking me.

  • (exclaims)

  • (dramatic music)

  • - [Narrator] It doesn't matter where in the world you travel

  • as long as you can find a place

  • where the ocean meets the shoreline,

  • there are tide pools to be explored

  • and creatures waiting to be found.

  • Even as far north as Haines, Alaska.

  • - We're on a mud flat right now, the tide is low.

  • Maybe a good chance to find some creatures,

  • there's a bunch of little flies and bugs moving around.

  • Maybe some crabs, could be some marooned fish

  • let's head up this way and see what we can find.

  • I dunno what lives in these tide pools

  • so I'm just gonna kinda feel around Raccoon style

  • and see if I can scoop anything up.

  • Oh look at that.

  • - [Crew Member] Whoa. - Wow

  • I dunno what those are,

  • yeah they might be little sand fleas or something.

  • Alright let's check out this kelp bed.

  • I would love to find some sorta little crab in here.

  • Or maybe some fish, hopefully they don't bite.

  • - [Narrator] What we are looking at here are Kelp Isopods

  • and yeah they do bite.

  • - Oh it absolutely stinks,

  • like somewhere between the ocean and sewage.

  • Gross. Alright let's keep going.

  • Check this out, I just flipped over this rock,

  • look at this huge green worm like creature.

  • - [Crew Member] Is that a Nereid Worm?

  • - Yeah it is a Nereid Worm,

  • let me get it in some water and rinse it off.

  • - [Crew Member] That's a big one.

  • - Wow, that is a big one, umm here, back up a little bit.

  • Let me rinse it off.

  • Whoa it's all green and, look at that, look at that.

  • - [Crew Member] It's crazy. - Wow.

  • Hold on I'm gonna pick it back up in my hand.

  • Oh it's slimy. Got it.

  • Wow, that's a Nereid Worm right there.

  • It's like the caterpillar of the ocean.

  • I have never seen one of these up in this area,

  • we flipped over many rocks and this is

  • the first one that we've seen.

  • That is wicked looking.

  • - [Crew Member] And they can swim right?

  • - They can swim, they can also bite.

  • I'm not sure which species but look at

  • how iridescent this creature is,

  • emerald in coloration and it's just reflecting the sunlight.

  • That is so cool looking.

  • It's just kinda feeling around right now,

  • you see his front pinchers out there.

  • (exclaims) He tried to bite me.

  • - [Crew Member] Did it hurt?

  • - No, it didn't actually bite

  • but I saw it's pichers come out.

  • Alright I'm putting him back under his rock

  • and let's see what else we can find.

  • - [Narrator] After a near bite from a Nereid Worm,

  • it was time we move on to the next spot.

  • You never know what you will find at low tide

  • and these pools were alive with creepy crawlies.

  • - This could be a good rock to flip, let's check this out.

  • Whoa, holy cow, look at this, look at this.

  • Where'd it go, where'd it go.

  • It's a big Prickleback Eel, right there.

  • Got it.

  • - [Crew Member] That's a good one.

  • - Wow, look at that.

  • - [Narrator] The rock Prickleback has

  • a distinct eel like appearance, however,

  • they're not considered true eels

  • but rather are a species of bony fish.

  • They range up and down the Pacific coast

  • and can reach nearly two feet in length when fully grown.

  • - Yeah he's just slinking along

  • wanting to get back into the water.

  • I think If we move in deeper,

  • we'll find some pockets of water

  • that potentially have some larger fish.

  • - [Narrator] When the tide recedes animals will do

  • their best to stay hidden in the deeper pockets of water.

  • I often find that these areas yield the best results

  • when attempting to discover creatures.

  • And whether you are using your hands,

  • or in this case a small dip net,

  • all it takes is a little patience and eventually

  • your efforts will pay off.

  • - Guys, guys, we got a pocket of water up here

  • it's like alive with fish, I can't tell what kind it is

  • but it's a little bit deeper

  • and I think we can definitely catch some, come on.

  • Okay I can see 'em all moving up here

  • in this pocket of water.

  • I'm gonna just bring the net through, try to keep up with me

  • I'm gonna scoop up as many as I can.

  • Let's see how many I can catch, ready?

  • - [Crew Member] Yep go for it.

  • - Oh yeah I got a tonne of 'em, check this out.

  • Yes, holy cow man that is absolutely full of 'em.

  • We get all these weeds out.

  • Wow, and they look like some type of little Goby species.

  • Oh no they're pricking me.

  • Look at that, my net is full of fish.

  • Wow look at that, okay well

  • I've caught six of them in the net and honestly

  • I'm not sure exactly what species of fish this is.

  • They look like Gobys and I'm saying that because

  • their head kinda looks like a tadpole,

  • the body looks like a fish.

  • They also have these little spikes coming out of

  • the side of their head that are rather sharp.

  • I'm gonna actually have to look these up

  • but they are absolutely filling up these little tide pools,

  • they're absolutely everywhere.

  • And I could just see them skidding across the surface

  • because the water is shallow I was able to just

  • skim the net across and scoop up, what do I have there,

  • one two three four five six of them, right now, Wow.

  • - [Narrator] As it turns out,

  • this is actually a species known as

  • the Pacific Staghorn Sculpin,

  • which gets its name from the spines on the side of its head

  • which resemble the antlers of a stag.

  • And while I was excited to come across this fish

  • they're incredibly common in coastal lagoons.

  • - Let's take a moment to take a look at just a

  • single one of these fish because they're so unique looking.

  • Now if I was a predator and I were to come in

  • and try to eat this fish, I imagine those hooks

  • would get stuck in my throat,

  • could potentially choke me and kill me.

  • And their eyes are really beautiful,

  • almost looks like a rainbow design in the pupil

  • and he keeps puffing up his head.

  • Now if this is a species of Goby,

  • most Gobys are able to breathe air out of the water.

  • - [Narrator] Believe it or not, like a Goby,

  • the Sculpin is also capable of breathing air.

  • - That's one cool looking little ocean creature.

  • And that's one of the coolest things about

  • exploring tide pools, you never know

  • what it is that you're gonna come across.

  • I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave, stay wild,

  • we'll see on the next adventure.

  • - [Narrator] If you thought this adventure at low tide

  • was exciting, make sure to go back and watch

  • as we found and got up close with a giant black Sea Hare.

  • And don't forget, subscribe so you can join me and the crew

  • on our next big adventure.

  • - I can feel him gripping onto my arm,

  • I mean I can feel him actually, like, wrapping around me

  • and I can feel his little tongue under there,

  • can't bite right?

  • - [Guest Presenter] No, these guys are vegetarians

  • they mostly eat algae and kelp.

  • (animal noises)

- Wow it is windy out here today