One dull late afternoon, four of us waded out to our Zodiak to do a plankton haul from the research station on Lizard Island. In waist deep water we were all finding these seeds clinging to our legs and wetsuit jackets. I made a scoop with one hand to look at some more closely and couldn't believe my eyes. They were not seeds, but millions of minute Porpita juveniles. We had never seen them so small before, let alone in such numbers, let alone in wind-rows half a mile long. Porpita lies in the sea's surface film where surface tension holds it fast at the surface, from which it trawls for micro planktonic prey with mildly stinging tentacles.

Lizard Island, Australia (2001)

Nikon F4 | Nikon Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8 | Fuji Velvia