The cleaning station is where fish go to get parasites picked off their body by juvenile fish, small wrasses, gobies or shrimp. You may see a fish with its head up, fins out and mouth open, this is one typical position to signify that it is ready to be cleaned. Many times you will see a moray eel or a large grouper sitting motionless, with its mouth open, while a shrimp or cleaner fish cleans the inside of its mouth. A gentle shake of the grouper or eels head signifies to the cleaner that the cleaning is done and they both part ways, each having gained from the bargain. One got a free bath and the other a free meal.
Christmas Reef Wreath - Merry Christmas!
Littering the ocean floor around the island of Statia in the Caribbean are numerous anchors some of them dating back hundreds of years. Many were caught on coral and had to be cut away so the ship could sail. Some were cut away to free the ship from approaching storms or enemy ships. Over time these anchors have become encrusted with generations of coral and sponge.
Leaf Scorpionfish
On the Fijian island of Viti Levu we stayed at a remote resort called Wananavu which means wonderful in Fijian. This scorpionfish was perched on a coral head at a dive site called Vatu Express in the Bligh Waters. Yes it is named after the famous Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. It is a beautiful dive site with clear water, lots of hard and soft coral and an abundance of fish life.
The scorpionfish is an ambush predator that will normally rest on the bottom until prey comes within range. They have the ability to change color for better camouflage. This fish is of the yellow variation but can also be white, pink, tan, brown and black with mottling. While the scorpionfish looks docile it does have venomous fin spines with poison embedded on both sides of their spines.
The scorpionfish is an ambush predator that will normally rest on the bottom until prey comes within range. They have the ability to change color for better camouflage. This fish is of the yellow variation but can also be white, pink, tan, brown and black with mottling. While the scorpionfish looks docile it does have venomous fin spines with poison embedded on both sides of their spines.
Cuttlefish at Lionfish Rock
The first and last giant stride you make, off the Palau Aggressor, is at the first dive site called Lionfish Rock. All other dives are conveniently made from a skiff that is lowered into the water with you in it.
If you were to ask me what irritates me most about diving, I would say it is the obligatory T.A.D. TAD is an acronym I made up for "Throw Away Dive". Each dive shop has you do a TAD to check you out and usually it is a monumental waste of underwater experience. So most TAD's really are throw away dives, but, not on the Aggressor. This first dive was one of our favorite and the reason was the Cuttlefish at Lionfish Rock.
If you were to ask me what irritates me most about diving, I would say it is the obligatory T.A.D. TAD is an acronym I made up for "Throw Away Dive". Each dive shop has you do a TAD to check you out and usually it is a monumental waste of underwater experience. So most TAD's really are throw away dives, but, not on the Aggressor. This first dive was one of our favorite and the reason was the Cuttlefish at Lionfish Rock.
Dark Descent
Gabriel Ganme is an instructor in Sao Paulo, Brazil at the Diving College. Mary and I dove with Gabriel's group in both Palau and Yap.
Eel Wars at Watamula
At a dive site called Watamula, in Curacao, Mary had spotted a free swimming spotted moray eel so I moved in to take a photograph. I was framing a shot for one eel when suddenly another one popped up from the sand, giving me a unique photograph of two spotted moray eels in one shot. Immediately upon taking the photo, one eel attacked the other eel. A fierce battle ensued, resulting in an lightening attack that displayed the strength and agility of these magnificient creatures. One of the eels came out of the coral at lightening speed headed directly toward me and a part of my anatomy that shall remain nameless. I put my camera down to block him, from the aforementioned nameless private parts, as he rushed past me and circled back to engage in another heated exchange, that I was just able to catch on video. It all happened so fast that I really was lucky to get any of it. Of course, Mary was laughing at me the whole time!
Black Brotula - A Lucky Find
At a dive site in Curacao, called Jeremy, I was struggling with focusing my camera on a juvenile trunkfish, the size of a green pea, when Mary banged her tank and gave me the come here sign. She was pointing excitedly toward an opening between two coral mounds. You almost had to stand on your head to see into it and at first I could see nothing. Mary shined her light into the tunnel and we waited. Suddenly a small creature, no bigger than 1-1 ½ inches, darted across the light beam. Its locomotion was ribbon like with a blunt head and tapered torso surrounded by continuous dorsal and anal fins ending in a pointed tail.
Humphead Wrasse
Diving Palau aboard the Aggressor Liveaboard, Mary and I came across this Humphead Wrasse, also called a Maori or Napoleon Wrasse. They are one of the largest fish and can live up to 30 years. They are friendly and not afraid to approach divers. Threatened by overfishing they are knocked out with cyanide gas and served live in some Asian countries. Going for over $100USD per kilogram it may not be long before there are no more Humphead Wrasse.
The Humphead Wrasse can grow to over 7.5ft (229 cm). You can get an idea of how big this one is in relation to the diver. It is huge...the fish not the diver!
Man House - Hidden Art of Yap
The island of Yap is located in Micronesia, between Palau and Guam. Mary and I had travelled to Yap to see manta rays after a week of diving Palau. On a surface interval Gordon, our divemaster, took us to see a Man House.
Each village has a man house, sort of a community dwelling like a city hall, where official business of the village is conducted.
Each village has a man house, sort of a community dwelling like a city hall, where official business of the village is conducted.On our visit Gordon relayed a story that the night before the elders of the village had held a council, at the man house, to discuss the the fate of two teenage boys. They had apparently damaged someones property and it was up to the elders to determine how the boys would be punished.
Curacao Underwater - A Photographic Selection
Mary and I just returned from Curacao where we stayed at the Kura Hulanda Lodge on the West End and dove with Ocean Encounters West. To view a selection of photographs of Curacao Underwater please click on the link below.
Photographs of Curacao Underwater
Photographs of Curacao Underwater
Sergeant Major Egg Feeding Frenzy
Sergeant Majors are damselfish, feisty little fish, with five distinct vertical black stripes from which they derive their name. They lay their eggs in round patches on hard structures and the male generally guards them like a pit bull.
We found this purple nest of eggs on a dive in Curacao called "Airplane". Someone had the brilliant idea to sink a Fokker Fairchild 27 airplane onto an otherwise healthy reef not realizing that in a few years time it would become a junk pile of aluminum and wire. What we found interesting was that surrounding the "junk pile" were a myriad of sergeant major nests where high drama in real life was taking place.
This nest was being guarded by two sergeant majors, male and female, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the ferocity of the feeding frenzy. Yellowhead wrasse, bluehead wrasse, parrotfish, other damselfish and even a graysby join in the feeding. The poor sergeant major loses his eggs in a matter of seconds.
We found this purple nest of eggs on a dive in Curacao called "Airplane". Someone had the brilliant idea to sink a Fokker Fairchild 27 airplane onto an otherwise healthy reef not realizing that in a few years time it would become a junk pile of aluminum and wire. What we found interesting was that surrounding the "junk pile" were a myriad of sergeant major nests where high drama in real life was taking place.
This nest was being guarded by two sergeant majors, male and female, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the ferocity of the feeding frenzy. Yellowhead wrasse, bluehead wrasse, parrotfish, other damselfish and even a graysby join in the feeding. The poor sergeant major loses his eggs in a matter of seconds.
First Lionfish Sighting On West Side of Curacao
Watamula is the northern most, and most pristine, dive site in Curacao. At the mooring you can see the white-caps from the windward point to the north and the rock cliffs to the east. Upon descent you see a sandy bit of bottom with robust giant soft coral surrounded by an expanse of hard coral not yet damaged by human encroachment.
Hovering near a giant soft coral, Toni McNally, our dive master with Ocean Encounters West, got my attention and clasped her hands with interlocking fingers and then excitedly pointed at the base of a soft coral. Not recognizing the sign I swam over to look and found a juvenile lionfish.
Toni later told us that this was the first sighting of a lionfish on the west side of Curacao. So I had, in another Forrest Gump moment, taken the first photograph of the first lionfish sighting on the west side on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:00a.m. If I had known the significance I definitely would have composed a better photograph, but, I was really focused on finding a seahorse we had seen on a previous dive, and didn’t give the shot due consideration.
While excited at the find we are also concerned with the damage the introduction of an alien species may cause to the local reef system. In a previous posting, Lionfish – Alien Invasion, we discussed that the lionfish is a prolific breeder with a less than discriminating appetite. With no known predators its presence, unfortunately, may create unintended consequences to the health of the reefs.
Hovering near a giant soft coral, Toni McNally, our dive master with Ocean Encounters West, got my attention and clasped her hands with interlocking fingers and then excitedly pointed at the base of a soft coral. Not recognizing the sign I swam over to look and found a juvenile lionfish.
Toni later told us that this was the first sighting of a lionfish on the west side of Curacao. So I had, in another Forrest Gump moment, taken the first photograph of the first lionfish sighting on the west side on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:00a.m. If I had known the significance I definitely would have composed a better photograph, but, I was really focused on finding a seahorse we had seen on a previous dive, and didn’t give the shot due consideration.
While excited at the find we are also concerned with the damage the introduction of an alien species may cause to the local reef system. In a previous posting, Lionfish – Alien Invasion, we discussed that the lionfish is a prolific breeder with a less than discriminating appetite. With no known predators its presence, unfortunately, may create unintended consequences to the health of the reefs.
Tale of Encrusting Sponge Scary Face
Of the island of Bonaire is a dive site called Witches Hut home to the diver eating Encrusting Sponge Scary Face.....
Have a Great Halloween!
...and the monsterous Witches Hand.
Many divers have decended into the depths at Witches Hut only to be dragged down by the Witches Hand and eatin by the evil Encrusting Sponge Scary Face. It is said that on Halloween night you can see all the divers rise up from the deep to reclaim their lost certification cards....
Have a Great Halloween!
A Great Day to Dive!
One of our favorite islands is Utila, off the coast of Honduras, where we always stay at Laguna Beach Resort. Utila is known for great diving, and if you are lucky, whale sharks. Wagner, our boat captain, has a true gift for finding whale sharks.
On this special day we were doing our surface interval in the channel when Wagner spied a flock of birds circling and swooping down to the water in the distance. It was whale sharks feeding. As the whale shark comes up from the depth, with its big mouth open, schools of baitfish try to escape and boil up to the surface. The birds swoop in to feed.
Wagner said he would put us right on top of the whale shark, all we had to do was wait until he said jump.
With mask, snorkel and fins we jumped on the given signal and swam down with a lung full of air. In the abyss I could see something huge coming straight toward us but I was too mesmerized to move. My lungs were beginning to burn for fresh air but there was no way I was going to miss this experience. Suddenly the huge fish was upon us with its mouth open wide enough to swallow us whole. I looked over at Mary and her eyes were wide with excitement. I just knew it was going to hit me but it made a graceful turn. As it glided by it looked at me with an inquiring eye and the gentle giant’s dorsal and tail fin narrowly missed me.
On this special day we were doing our surface interval in the channel when Wagner spied a flock of birds circling and swooping down to the water in the distance. It was whale sharks feeding. As the whale shark comes up from the depth, with its big mouth open, schools of baitfish try to escape and boil up to the surface. The birds swoop in to feed.
Wagner said he would put us right on top of the whale shark, all we had to do was wait until he said jump.
With mask, snorkel and fins we jumped on the given signal and swam down with a lung full of air. In the abyss I could see something huge coming straight toward us but I was too mesmerized to move. My lungs were beginning to burn for fresh air but there was no way I was going to miss this experience. Suddenly the huge fish was upon us with its mouth open wide enough to swallow us whole. I looked over at Mary and her eyes were wide with excitement. I just knew it was going to hit me but it made a graceful turn. As it glided by it looked at me with an inquiring eye and the gentle giant’s dorsal and tail fin narrowly missed me.
Shark Bites: by the Numbers
400 million
How long sharks have existed on planet Earth.
20-100 million
The number of sharks killed by humans each year.
10
The number of humans killed by sharks each year.
20,000
How many teeth a shark may use over its lifetime. Sharks never run out of teeth; when one is lost, another spins up front from the rows of backup teeth.
2
How many months a great white shark can go without feeding.
20
Speed, in MPH, of the shortfin mako. Making it the world's fastest shark.
60
Length, in feet, that the worlds largest shark, (actually a fish), the whale shark, can grow to. Don't worry, it eats plankton!How long sharks have existed on planet Earth.
20-100 million
The number of sharks killed by humans each year.
10
The number of humans killed by sharks each year.
20,000
How many teeth a shark may use over its lifetime. Sharks never run out of teeth; when one is lost, another spins up front from the rows of backup teeth.
2
How many months a great white shark can go without feeding.
20
Speed, in MPH, of the shortfin mako. Making it the world's fastest shark.
60
$400
Blood money paid for shark fins per kilogram- this is what ignorant people pay so they can eat soup!
source: National Geographic News
Donor's Choose Challenge! We Still Need Your Donation!
Wow, with the help of Kevin and Dr. M at Deep Sea News and Lauren, an environmental educator for a park in NYC , our challenge was met and as a result Memories has made a matching contribution of $50. That brings Memories contribution for the Ocean Bloggers Oceans in the Classrom Initiative to $175! Read below the projects our donations will help to fund.
Nemo in the Classroom" or "Invertebrates in my Tank"
"I am the teacher for the districts 5th Grade Gifted and Talented students. Our district pulls out these students for 2 days a week to come to our campus for enriched classes of differentiated instruction. We try to have students use knowledge and make connections between subjects and create projects of high quality.
Breaking Science News
"My project will expose students to current events in Science through Weekly Reader's "Current Science" magazine. Most of my students are from impoverished backgrounds and have received few chances of being exposed to current events. Most of the households do not receive newspapers.
Experience Sea Floor Spreading
"Have you ever wondered what happens at our last frontier in the depths of the ocean on the sea floor?
My 6th grade science class lives in a high poverty area that is located far from any sea or ocean. Many students have never had the experience of seeing the ocean. Most students coming into 6th grade have little knowledge of the sea floor or what occurs there.
Remember there are still unfunded projects needing donations and you help by making a donation at DonorsChoose.org.
Be sure and visit Deep Sea News to read: We Did It! But We Can Do So Much More!
Nemo in the Classroom" or "Invertebrates in my Tank"
"I am the teacher for the districts 5th Grade Gifted and Talented students. Our district pulls out these students for 2 days a week to come to our campus for enriched classes of differentiated instruction. We try to have students use knowledge and make connections between subjects and create projects of high quality.
Breaking Science News
"My project will expose students to current events in Science through Weekly Reader's "Current Science" magazine. Most of my students are from impoverished backgrounds and have received few chances of being exposed to current events. Most of the households do not receive newspapers.
Experience Sea Floor Spreading
"Have you ever wondered what happens at our last frontier in the depths of the ocean on the sea floor?
My 6th grade science class lives in a high poverty area that is located far from any sea or ocean. Many students have never had the experience of seeing the ocean. Most students coming into 6th grade have little knowledge of the sea floor or what occurs there.
Remember there are still unfunded projects needing donations and you help by making a donation at DonorsChoose.org.
Be sure and visit Deep Sea News to read: We Did It! But We Can Do So Much More!
Save the Oceans!: One Kid at a Time and YOU can help!
Every so often an opportunity presents itself to allow us to pass on to future generations the wonders of our most precious resource, the living seas. Memories is proud to be teaming with other Ocean Bloggers to promote Ocean Literacy through an "Oceans in the Classroom Initiative". This worthy initiative allows individual K-12 teachers to bring ocean literacy to the classroom through educational projects designed to teach about coral reefs, marine life and science of the sea.
As you know the oceans are being strained from a myriad of environmental impacts. The survival of healthy oceans depends on future generations understanding, respecting and enjoying the oceans of the world. Your financial assistance can help in a large way toward ocean literacy.
Please take a look at the Ocean Bloggers Oceans in the Classroom Initiative and help us bring ocean literacy to the classroom. The wonderful teachers developing these projects are resourceful and creative so any donation is appreciated. A donation of $10 helps to reach many students and of course the more we donate the more students we reach.
Memories wants to thank Deep-Sea News, The Right Blue, and all the other ocean and nature bloggers for allowing us the opportunity to participate as a sponsor in such a worthy cause.
Please visit the DonorsChoose.org site and donate today!
As you know the oceans are being strained from a myriad of environmental impacts. The survival of healthy oceans depends on future generations understanding, respecting and enjoying the oceans of the world. Your financial assistance can help in a large way toward ocean literacy.
Please take a look at the Ocean Bloggers Oceans in the Classroom Initiative and help us bring ocean literacy to the classroom. The wonderful teachers developing these projects are resourceful and creative so any donation is appreciated. A donation of $10 helps to reach many students and of course the more we donate the more students we reach.
Memories wants to thank Deep-Sea News, The Right Blue, and all the other ocean and nature bloggers for allowing us the opportunity to participate as a sponsor in such a worthy cause.
Please visit the DonorsChoose.org site and donate today!
Lionfish - Alien Invasion
Beauty and timidity belie the lionfish’s true demeanor; that of an efficient predator. Docile during the day, the lionfish is a very effective hunter at night. It uses its fanned-out pectoral fins, like fingers, to trap small prey which it stuns with its venomous dorsal spines before swallowing them whole.
Welcome to Jellyfish Lake - Palau
You hike up this steep trail, holding on to roots, to get to the Jellyfish Lake. As you descend the trail you see a dock not unlike others you might see around a lake. There is some apprehension about being the first person to enter the water, but my excitement cannot wait, so I quickly don my mask and snorkel to ease into the lake.
Jellyfish Lake is a salt water lake located in the Rock Islands of the Pacific island of Palau. It was morning, the sun was low, and as I swam through the lake I didn't see any jellyfish. Just as I entered the area of the lake with the greatest sunlight there they were, millions of them, glowing and moving through the water with a throbbing rhythm.
These jellyfish have been isolated in this salt water lake for millions of years and, as a result, have evolved very small stinging cells so you can snorkel with them without risk of being stung.
The dock at Jellyfish Lake
The unassuming Jellyfish Lake
NO WAR
Have you ever had a Forrest Gump moment? When you just happen to be present at an historic moment but did not know it.
On the morning of March 18, 2003, Mary and I were sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House when we saw people running around the building.
Right over our heads two guys had climbed the building and painted “NO WAR” in big red letters on the roof. Needless to say it was quite a big deal and not a little embarrassing to the local police who were suppose to be on extra alert for terrorists.
These two guys climbed the building carrying paint buckets and brushes up to the building’s highest sail and nobody notices until it is over. This was our Forrest Gump moment.
Unbeknownst to us it was also the eve of the Iraq war and this was the initial protest.
The next day we waited at our hotel to take a van to the Sydney Airport. The driver was noticeable nervous but we have no clue why. So we all blissfully pile into the van when he says we need to leave early. He tries to enter the main highway only to be blocked by police barricades and hundreds of protesters. I ask the driver what is going on and he says “guess you haven’t heard mate but your Bush declared war today.”
He took another turn and more police on horseback blocking our route. He backed up, turned around and took another street, still more protesters and police. After over two hours of stop and go traffic on side streets we finally get to the airport. Only problem is we have missed our flight time by an hour.
We go to the Qantas ticket counter to see if we can get on another flight and the guy says “no worries, you didn’t miss your flight because the plane hasn’t arrived from Cairns yet.” Seems there was a baggage strike and our flight was delayed. We spent three more hours in the Sydney Airport before the plane finally arrived.
On the morning of March 18, 2003, Mary and I were sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House when we saw people running around the building.
Right over our heads two guys had climbed the building and painted “NO WAR” in big red letters on the roof. Needless to say it was quite a big deal and not a little embarrassing to the local police who were suppose to be on extra alert for terrorists.
These two guys climbed the building carrying paint buckets and brushes up to the building’s highest sail and nobody notices until it is over. This was our Forrest Gump moment.
Unbeknownst to us it was also the eve of the Iraq war and this was the initial protest.
The next day we waited at our hotel to take a van to the Sydney Airport. The driver was noticeable nervous but we have no clue why. So we all blissfully pile into the van when he says we need to leave early. He tries to enter the main highway only to be blocked by police barricades and hundreds of protesters. I ask the driver what is going on and he says “guess you haven’t heard mate but your Bush declared war today.”
He took another turn and more police on horseback blocking our route. He backed up, turned around and took another street, still more protesters and police. After over two hours of stop and go traffic on side streets we finally get to the airport. Only problem is we have missed our flight time by an hour.
We go to the Qantas ticket counter to see if we can get on another flight and the guy says “no worries, you didn’t miss your flight because the plane hasn’t arrived from Cairns yet.” Seems there was a baggage strike and our flight was delayed. We spent three more hours in the Sydney Airport before the plane finally arrived.
Building crew power washing the NO WAR off the Sail
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
