As you might have read in Fishwrecked Reeltime (Issue 2 I think?) - there is more to the rocky coast than meets the eye!!

There is an excursion by the Royal Society of WA (a grand name for a bunch of people who are fans of WA)

Sunday 11th of April

9am - 12pm

Muderup Rocks, Cottesloe

Get down to Cottesloe and find out more about why our coast is so special -

Local science experts/legends Loisette Marsh (WA Museum), John Huisman (DEC) and Vic Semeniuk (RSWA) will explain the rocks and all the things growing on them on the shoreline and below it.

More details here: http://www.rswa.org.au/

The limestone tells a pretty interesting story of times gone by - it gives a pretty huge perspective on what sea level rise means for us, and (most importantly!) it provides us with places to fish from, and things to catch.

If you've ever looked at the patterns in the rock, or the shells embedded in it, or on it, or looked at the chain of islands and reefs up the coast and wondered why - these guys can definitely tell you!

All three are highly respected and experienced and have done much of the research along the WA coast, that is the basis of our scientific understandings of it today.

Loisette Marsh has an enormous wealth of knowledge on all the animals growing on the reefs, starfish, sea urchins, limpets and the like - she is very experienced in WA marine invertebrates - animals without backbones.

John Huisman is an expert on marine algae - seaweeds - known around the world. I shall, in particular, be asking him which ones I can eat!

Vic Semeniuk is a specialist in coastal landforms - he can tell us where past sea levels were and maybe where they will be, and how the coast came to look like it does.

It's quite a rare treat to have these three together in the field to ask questions of - I'm stoked! If you or your kids have ever pondered the why about our coast - this is the place to be...

Cheers,

Ewan