Beside the Sea (1): Mermaid's Purse and Crab

Happy New Year, 2011!

Mermaid's Purse on the beach at Oxwich Bay

We stumbled across this curious object on our way back to the car this afternoon, after an hour or so photographing Oystercatchers at the edge of the water. We thought it might be a Mermaid's Purse, but the only ones I have ever seen have been black. I am grateful to the Seashore site for helping us to make an identification. How amazing to think that a metre-long member of the Shark family could emerge from this small sac (once fully grown, of course!). I wonder if we should have popped it back into the sea? We felt - in our ignorance - that it was best not to interfere.  

A Shore Crab of some kind ... I think

Edible Crab? ... the one with the crimping!

Oxwich Bay, Gower, near Swansea, Wales, UK

• Jewellery in the shape of Mermaids' Purses (thanks to Google!)