The Helford River is an Area of Outstanding Beauty with an abundance of wildlife with birdlife, mammals and some lovely underwater life. Our guide Becky, a marine biologist has been out on a kayak and seeing what’s out there this Autumn and this is what she found.
Sea squirts are permanently fixed to the rock face. The body has an outer protective covering, the tunic, which is a cellulose-like substance.
Food and oxygen are taken from the water current as water passes through gill slits in the pharynx.
Beadlet anemones are attached to rocks all around the coast of the UK, the base of their body acting as a sucker to keep them secure in place.
Beadlet anemone is only revealed once the tide comes in, as it is only then that their thick short tentacles become visible. They use these tentacles to sting and catch passing prey like crabs, shrimp and small fish. These are then retracted at low tide or when disturbed.
Periwinkles are a family of sea snails that are found throughout the world’s tidal coastal areas. They are important herbivores. They can be distinguished from ‘top shells’, another common group of sea snail, by looking at the opening to their shell, which tends to be oval or tear drop shaped. In top shells this opening is circular.
Mullet prefer coastal and estuarine habitats and can often be seen swimming lazily close to the surface in harbours and marinas. Grey mullet are slow growing and late to mature.
Join the adventure with Koru Kayaking on our Helford Koru Kayak Adventures from Budock Vean Hotel available until the end of October Monday-Saturday and additional tris available during winter on request.
