Gelatinous zooplankton everywhere in the plankton net and all over the beach. Gray whales near the shore. Surfing sea lions. A spectacular, sunny day in January.
A California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) surfing a glassy wave. A leaping fish, perhaps a surf smelt or a grunion, jumped and left a splash in front of the sea lion.
This gelatinous marble is Pleurobrachia bachei, a member of a special phylum of animals known as the Ctenophores, sometimes called sea gooseberries or comb jellies.