| SEAOTTER | Floating on its back, this northern Pacific marine mammal inhabits kelp beds and opens mollusks by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest. (3,5) |
| DUGONG | This marine mammal inhabits the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans and feeds on seagrasses; it is similar to the American manatee. (6) |
| DALLSPORPOISE | North Pacific marine mammal with Orca-like black and white markings: 2 wds. |
| SEALION | Pacific marine mammal (3,4) |
| MARINECROPS | The experimental kelp beds tended by a specialized US military branch? |
| OCEAN | Home to kelp beds |
| ALGAE | Kelp beds, essentially |
| OTTER | Marine creature that sleeps floating on its back |
| PORPOISES | Dall's ___ (Orca-in-appearance North Pacific marine mammals) |
| SEAOTTERS | North Pacific marine mammals |
| SUBWAY | Coach retires and opens warehouse and yard by underpass (6) |
| WALTON | Author whose River Dove-inspired The Compleat Angler features Charles Cotton's fishing house and opens with friends, Auceps a fowler, Piscator a fisherman and Venator a hunter, comparing pastimes (6) |
| STRATAGEMS | Plans for Rats reforming and opens for The Animals and The Stones (10) |
| BEDROOMS | Digs and opens space for the flowers - the ones favoured by retiring types (8) |
| BERINGSEA | Region of the Northern Pacific Ocean dividing Eurasia and The Americas (6,3) |
| ARTTHOUROMEO | Moriarty turns to the bookshelf and opens a Shakespeare play. A phrase is torn out just after "wherefore..." What was the rest? The number 1 is scribbled on the page |
| POD | Any seed vessel that dries and opens when ripe as that of a bean |
| BREAKER | Device that trips like a switch and opens the circuit when overloaded. (7) |
| COTS | Camp beds, and Step #2 of this puzzle's word ladder |
| WETLANDS | Bogs, fens, marshes, reed beds and other freshwater habitats whose species include dippers, herons, kingfishers, otters and water voles (8) |
