About Lindsey Visser Expertise I would love to help you with your questions relating to oceanography, global warming, marine biology, microbial ecology, and marine botany. I can also help with any questions about taxonomy of marine species. If I cannot answer a question, I will look it up or point you in the right direction.
Experience I have a B.S. in marine biology, and am working on a M.S. in oceanography. I am FDA certified for the bacteriological examination of seawater and shellfish. I have experience in working in a microbial ecology lab, culturing marine phytoplankton, and species identification. I have spent time doing oceanography research at sea aboard a NOAA ship.
Education/Credentials B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University
M.S. in Oceanography expected 2008 from Texas A&M University
Expert: Lindsey Visser Date: 8/13/2007 Subject: A fish i can't identify
Question Hi i was in the outer banks, NC (OBX) just hanging in the waves with my brother when we saw this large creature surface in the waves about 5 to 6 feet infront of us. This was unusual to me b/c i didn't think that large animals came that far into the shore! The creature was also very strange looking it was brown in color and even though i didn't get a good look at the entire body it appeared to be almost 6ft in length! The creature surface like that of a sea surpent almost, not side to side but up and down. the creature also had on its lower back what looked like barnicles! and the tail, even though it was hard to see, looked almost fin like. Anyways if you could help me identify this mystery creature then that would be helpful, also a man who caught a climps of it said that it was a see musky!?? i looked pictures up of them on google and my brother and i didn't think that it looked like the mystery creature at all (if that helps at all)
Thanks for your time!
Answer Hi Andrew
Sorry for the delay, i've been out of town. This is a very intersting question. Could the creature be a manatee? that is the only thing i can think of that would grow barnacles besides turtles and whales. But then you mention the up and down movement- was it undulating? how wide/thin was the creaure- was it like an eel or much wider? Muskies are fresh water fish so I don't know why the guy told you that. The only thing i can think of that big and in your area are sharks and manatees. But like i said, sharks don't grow barnacles on their back. Let me know what you think, i hope we can solve this!
Lindsey
