Mole Crab

Mole Crab

The Mole Crab or Sand Bug Emerita talpoida lives on ( or rather in ) ocean beaches, burrowing in the surf zone, and at times free swimming. It is totally harmless and grows to 1.5". These odd and somewhat comical little creatures seem to do everything in reverse - they dig backwards, walk backwards, and swim backwards. Fishermen dig them up for bait.

Mole Crab
Mole Crab

Sand Bugs filter feed with their long feathery antennas, which are withdrawn into protective sheaths when not in use. Not the long eye stalks that allow the animal to remain completely buried, and the short powerful limbs. They are unable to walk in any conventional sense, but are powerful diggers, and also surprisingly swift ( if somewhat random ) swimmers.


2016 Update

Styles and fads come and go, but the advice below remains the same for Buoyancy Compensators. Unless someone figures out how to turn them into gold, there is nothing new to say about lead weights.

These items, along with tanks, are generally considered separately, something that I think is a mistake that often leads to buying equipment that quickly becomes inadequate, especially in the rigorous environment of the North Atlantic. However, it is not difficult to select items that both perform well and allow for future expansion, once you consider the requirements and interactions. To that end, I suggest that you read both the sections on BC & weight systems, and the section on tanks.