Show us your legs: 2

I'm back on barnacles again (well if Charles Darwin can spend 8 years writing a book on them they must be worthy of more than just being stood upon).  We found a pool full of barnacles on top of an outcrop of rock jutting out into the sea. This meant that if I stood on the sand adjacent to the outcrop, the pool was at my eye level. So I was able to stand and stare at their feeding antics in comfort rather than the usual head-down-bum-up rockpooling position.

Out then back in, wait a bit, out then back in...  The gentle wafting of their fishing net feet has a mesmerising, relaxing rhythm.  I highly recommend it for a cheap chill. Pick a barnacle (metaphorically speaking) and just stare at it. Your shoulders will drop and your heart rate slow, or your money back.  Fishing with your feet - that's neat.  Then you can cogitate on how all that kit fits back into the tiny shell.

(The picture is worth a click to enlarge it a bit)

If you broaden your gaze and take in a patch of them the pace hots up as different barnacles get their legs out and wave them about at different times. Your eyes end up flicking rapidly around trying to guess which one is going to shake a leg next.  It suddenly reminded me of that frantic fairground game where plastic moles pop out of holes at random while you try to thump them with a mallet. Time to move on...

Some related and not-so-related posts:-

Semi-interesting semibalanus stuff

Show us your legs: 1