When you’re at the water’s edge you never know what surprises may come your way.  Well, if you were on the US West coast in 2014, you may have witnessed large goopy messes of decaying starfish.  The research was referenced in this article:  http://www.geekwire.com/2016/starfish-die-off-traced-to-virus-plus-warmer-seas/

This article show images of the decaying starfish losing limbs, and just falling apart.  The viral disease causing this mass starfish die-off is still under investigation, but for me, events like this reminds me the delicate nature of ocean life.  a little change may go a long way to expose the extreme vulnerability of ocean critters. We, humans, just assume that ocean life will always be around no matter what.  Witnessing a starfish die-off provides some food for thought on that.

In a followup blog I’ll show a few of my pieces inspired by this vulnerability, and the subsequent struggle to survive.

Robert Kokenyesi, Beachfront Pottery, Godfrey, IL