Encounters with marine life

A couple of days ago we came across a thick rope that had been adrift in the ocean for a while and pulled it up on board. A nice bonus: while we were at it a whale started breaching right off the ship and slapping its pectoral fins as if in a thanks. 

When we pulled the rope on board we found that it had become home for a whole community of gooseneck barnacles and crabs of all ages, from tiny transparent babies to well-grown sturdy reddish adults. Our team fished out all the crabs, much as they tried to run for it and escape from the big two-legged creatures in colored hard hats, which they did, and released them back into the water. 

The barnacles, being attached to the rope, were less lucky and, to be honest, we all feel really sorry for them.