creatures on the beach

it is never a dull moment when you visit the shore area, especially at low tide. you will be able to see a variety of living organisms in the shallows as well as on the exposed shore. it is always interesting because each time you will see or discover new things.

today, for example, i saw a baby horseshoe crab swimming on its back. i had assumed that that was their normal way of movement but found out later that this was not the case. the crab, the size of a fifty cent coin, was on its back all the time when i was watching it.

scattered over the muddy stretch at low tide were more than twenty dead crabs. they were not flower crabs but swamp crabs. they could have been dumped there by someone. but, why would anyone want to do that? or they could have made their way there from the mangrove swamp near the shore to meet their tragic end?

there was this sea snake which seemed to be feeding on the many mussels found on the muddy stretch of the shore. it was in the same position for sometime until i decided to disturb it by dropping a dry leaf on it. then, it slithered away.

these are the organisms that are visible. there are lots more which are hidden; they have burrowed themselves into the mud or live in the mud.