An observer strolling past the Jack London Square waterfront on a recent Saturday afternoon might have witnessed an unusual sight: A group of people on the dock, some of whom were lying on their bellies with their heads dangling just above the water, scooping up what looks like green and brown gunk. Others huddled over plastic Tupperware containers excitedly passing around hand lenses to peer at wriggling specimens.

They were among a group of about 30 attendees who gathered Nov. 8 to try out what’s known as dock fouling — observing the aquatic life that’s taken up residence underwater on the dock that are considered to be “fouling” it. In other words, they were looking up close at the mystifying and frequently difficult to identify marine creatures that live under the water attached to th

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