Saturday, October 20, 2012

Sunfish on a foggy day

The fog this morning was as thick as pea soup. Warm air arrived after evening showers. This type of fog on the beach always makes my morning run a challenge.



While running on my usual beach route, I literally stumbled up this rather large marine creature. The "fish" was about four feet long and probably weighed about 300 pounds. I almost fell over it while I was running in the thick fog. I stopped and looked at it.
Was is a baby whale or Sea Cow?  I had no idea.


After my run, I went back home and got my camera and took some pictures. I needed to know what this creature was. After posting this picture on Facebook, many of my friends identified it as a Ocean Sunfish.


According to wikipedia:
The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

You never know what you'll find running on this long beach: Whales, large tropical fish, ghost ships. or lobster traps!



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