When serving dinner to some guests

Give them the crab called Dungeness

Serve it with butter

And they shall surely utter

“By gosh, this crab is the best!”

I got a message from some flounder

“Man, you’re just one great big downer”

Then the sea stars came out

And I started to shout

“Wow, this is one weird encounter!”

In matters concerning the squid

It’s hard for me not to kid

For when they make ink

They can’t even blink

For you see, they have no eyelids!

Consider the strange Mola Mola

Not many fish look much bolda’

For the tail and the head

Can be easily misread

So remember what I’ve told ya!

The Opah sure makes my heart swoon

As it darts about under the moon

Oh I like them allot

With their wild polka dots

And red fins like a crazy cartoon.

There’s a grumpy old fish called a Cabezon

And how that fish does carry on

Its head is gigantic

But it hardly seems frantic

When it opens its big mouth to yawn.

A dolphin called “Common” just doesn’t seem fair

For a creature that likes to vault in the air

And as they swim through the sea

They really seem to be

A creature that’s quite debonair.

I sometimes think of glowing sardines

Swimming about like old Hollywood scenes

With Doc Ricketts and Steinbeck

Looking down from the top deck

Of the Western Flyer, sailing on in my dreams.

Back in the Monterey cannery days

The seine boats enjoyed a great phase

They pumped fish galore

To the factories ashore

Their history is with us always.

Do anchovies think about pizza pies

Swimming through waves with tears in their eyes?

For I think it’s their fault

When I taste all the salt

Of their sorrow and longing and sighs.

If Mackerels were holy would they fly in the sky?

Amazing us all, “That’s stupendous!” we’d cry

Their halos no doubt

Would shine all about

Causing onlookers to cover their eyes.

When approaching a shark that is basking

It’s probably well worth the asking

If his mouth is wide open

He’s only hopin’

For krill and not multi-tasking.

When anglers hook a wild Coho

They sometimes do cry “Oh no, oh!”

For it puts up a fight

With all of its might

And leaps like it’s at a wild go-go.

Swordfish chase bait-balls with sabers so sharp

And threshers sharks streak up from the dark

The baitfish they’re bashing

With tails they are thrashing

Like a bait-ball bat used by a shark!

Leatherback turtles wearing backpacks

Provide data for scientists to track

They don’t seem to mind

They relax and unwind

Gobbling jellies like wiggly little snacks.

The rhinoceros auklet is an odd bird

And is hard to describe in just a few words

But suffice it to say

It needs no toupee

With feathered tufts both long and absurd!

If I was an elephant seal

There’s one thing that would make me squeal

If I saw a Great White

It would fill me with fright

For I wouldn’t want to be a shark meal!

The David Starr Jordan’s a ship

That scientists take on a trip

To study sea creatures

And cool ocean features

Oh man I think that’s so hip!

It’s fun to watch sea turtles

As through the water they hurtle

They glide here and there

Then come up for air

Oh the marvelous Loggerhead turtle.

Of plankton I sing words of praise

Plants and critters that will always amaze

Oh man they’re so tiny

In waters most briny

I shall love them ‘til the end of my days.

I am happy and oh so content

Thinking of a fish dubbed “magnificent”

For a rockfish called Flag

Is really my bag

Fish nerds must always represent!

Sperm whales dive down in the deep

To chase a creature using loud sonic bleeps

They eat giant squid

And I really don’t kid

That it kind of gives me the creeps.

Jellies just go with the drift

And nothing about them seems swift

They just cruise along

For all their lifelong

With tentacles that constantly sift.

Lingcod are very big Greenlings

With oh so combustible feelings

For they really get mad

Especially the dad’s

If into their nests you are stealing!

The Mahi Mahi is the fish for me

Rocketing about the deep blue sea

Flying fish in the air

Had better take care

So into the sky they do flee.

The largest of whales is the blue

And they do as all mammals do

They come up for air

And give maternal care

To their big babies, oh yes it’s so true.

Oh the great California Sea Lion

Is so graceful without really trying

They swim through the seas

With the greatest of ease

A very cool critter ain’t no denying!

Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna

Just might cross the finish line sooner

If a Marlin they race

They soon might outpace

Even the fastest of fast racing schooners.

The Black Douglas once cruised the coastal seas

And sailed about in the wild ocean breeze

As the seabirds took flight

In the slow fading light

The researchers aboard gained expertise.

Though named for a guy who wore red

The Garibaldi is quite orange instead

Even their manners are contrary

The males’ temper’s a bit scary

They don’t seem to be very well bred!

Sometimes I dream and pretend

That a Sea Bass is a Sheephead’s friend

And they’d never need help

When they meet in the kelp

Because they are such good pals in the end. 

Now here’s a most puzzling thing

In Canada this salmon’s called “Spring”

While some say Chinook

But I say just look

This salmon is clearly a King!

For the little rockfish called China

Nothing could be more divina’

With bright little spots

Speckles and dots

Could you ever see anything fina’ ?

Sea otters are always searchin’

For the prickly purple sea urchin

Then they lay on their backs

And eat ‘em like snacks

While in the waves they’re a’ lurchin’.

The Black-footed Albatross flies with the greatest of ease

When riding upon a smooth ocean breeze

And while Murrelets fly fast

And the Auklets do dash

When out exploring the green rolling seas.

Could you dive deep into the swirling ocean,

And tumble about in wild commotion?

For on this shore

In days of yore

Ama pried abalone with great devotion.

Hardhat divers dive down very deep

For tasty morsels to harvest and reap

As the kelpfish looks in

At the divers wide grin

A special moment to treasure and keep. 

The red crab’s a crustacean pelagic

Their travel to sea is quite magic

But they don’t think it’s fine

When big turtles dine

On their kind, it seems sort of tragic.

The leatherback turtles eat jellies

To fill their reptilian bellies

But I’m thinking, I am:

“They’d rather eat ham

But there are no mid-ocean delis.”

An albacore once had a notion,

To migrate across the broad ocean,

“I’m under the sway

Of bright lights in LA,”

It said with lots of emotion.