It was Tuesday, February 11, 2014 in a cloudless sky as the scintillating rays of the sun gleamed against the windows of the plane to greet everybody on board after a seven hour flight from New York; the jetlag was nonexistent as there was no difference between the Eastern Standard and Eastern Caribbean time zones. I had just awaken to the pilots beginning to touch down onto the overview of the capital city but they had maneuvered into a holding pattern which likened my visual perception into that of a hawk encircling prey above its eyrie onto the tarmac. I had arrived at José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport as I was here in Guayaquil, Ecuador solely to conduct anthropological and biological research on the distinctive fauna of the Galápagos Islands for their seemingly innate ecological reciprocity with another. Shortly after baggage claim, I departed for the N.G. Endeavor a little after noon to begin sailing toward my first stop in a loop of island hopping within a 10 day study. The luxury liner efficiently cut through the murky blue Pacific like the most modern, streamlined deforester as the white surf was kicked up, leaving the calm waters behind in disarray. Quite some hours after dusk had fell, I could see the horizon where the celestial bodies met the high seas and in between was the island of Santa Cruz, a sight more illustrating than Rhone; I had truly felt at the center of the world. As we pulled into port, the lights illuminated the dark waters into a bevy of colors from a glistening emerald to a translucent cerulean. I stood at the very front tip of the deck and looked down to when the ocean became crystal clear, whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus) swam curiously by; then faded back into unlit waters, retreated to the mu... ... middle of paper ... ...st 10 minutes before resurfacing but it was not the depleting oxygen supply that caused them to ascend; it was their rapidly descending body temperature as their movements became more sluggish, the longer the dip that was taken; once set to bask, they returned to their gargoyle like state. The little red crabs were within the air pockets of the volcanic rock and other than that there was not much else to take in beside the serenity of the atmosphere. I was unable to spot any turtles on Tortuga Bay today but they are known to lurk beneath the tide with their natural predator, the hammerhead. I was unable to schedule a dive instruction at the dive center into my schedule for today, however, I plan to experience it on the oldest island of Española. Thus, concluded my first day, researching the numerous endemic species of the Galápagos and their mannerisms with another.
Throughout the film there are many experts about the ocean and the animals that live in it. Researcher Ritter the misconception of the shark’s species is blown out of proportion by the media, which is why sharks have such an awful reputation. Experts touch up on this subject adding how even one of the biggest movies Jaws is a very large portion from where people get their fears from or it could be from all of the “shark attacks” on the news. Rob discusses how at the rate we are going we can destroy all of the food chains in the marine ecosystem, and this is where most of our oxygen comes from. Throughout the film experts Rob Stewart and Paul Watson are trying to get long lining banned in Costa Rica. Paul makes a really interesting point saying how the biggest problem is that we do not understand what we are and we are just a bunch of “conceited naked apes” that are out of
Lemonick, Michael D. Oct 30, 1995. Can the Galapagos survive? Time 146 (18): 80 (3)
In Mexico City on September 4th thousands of sea turtles came out of the ocean the lay their eggs. Tourist were not being respectful of the turtles by taking pictures and posing their children on top of the turtle's backs which made them return to the sea. Yamileth Baltodano, a tour guide who was at the scene said, “It was a mess”. The nesting season is from August through October, which is Costa Rica's rainy season, usually provides a natural border to help protect the turtles. Through this time the beach is cut off by the flood tide of the swollen Nosara River. This year was different due to the low rainfall caused by El Nino left the river dry, making access to the beach super simple. Officials are working to make changes before the next
Knowlton, Nancy. Citizens of the Sea, Wondrous Creatures from the Census of Marine Life. Washington DC: National Geographic Society, 2006. Print.
Over the past two months Julian Psyridis’ has expanded his search and has started to search near the coast of Mexico. During
“Imagine walking on the beach at night, the sky completely full of stars. Suddenly you see this big dinosaur lumbering out of the sea—a 1,000-pound, 2-meter-long (450-kilogram, 6.5-foot-long) turtle. With incredible concentration, she uses her flippers to dig a huge nest in the sand."
"Home - Shark Research Institute." Shark Research Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014. .
Beginning with the simplest one-celled organism, an extraordinary animal rose in the murky waters entitled to a non-comparable killing-eating machine. This organism has become nature’s most genuine and most successful creature that it has remained unchanged for over 250 million years. Nature finally invented the perfect king of the sea. This animal has given the sea it’s “living” adjective; in turn, it was entitled—the “great white shark.”
Thesis: Sharks should be conserved because they are an important part of the ocean, attacks are often incidental, and human behavior influences the behavior of sharks.
Arising over 350 million years ago, the shark species has been labeled as a human devourer. Now, with the increase in human population, the demand for shark meat, fins, and cartilage are at an all time high; therefore, the existence of the shark is becoming a concern (Budker 1971). Individuals are conditioned to think of sharks as a negative aspect to the environment, which is prolonging the effort to save shark species from becoming extinct. With that in mind, some private as well as national organizations have accepted the challenge of educating and informing people about the existence of the shark specie and its importance to the sea.
Rhys, Jean, and Judith L. Raiskin. "Wide Sargasso Sea." Wide Saragossa Sea: Backgrounds, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. 3-112. Print.
Walking along the nature trail on the island that is surrounded by beautiful green plants and palm trees I came across stingray cove, a place where you can swim with the stingrays. Enjoying the sights of the stingrays I spot a colossal starfish by a rock in the water. I came across the lagoon that I could have ridden jet skis in or kayaked, but couldn’t get to close due to the plants and rocks. Making my way back towards the beach I watch as people ride horses in the water. Starting to smell something great I realized that it was time for a bohemian meal. While enjoying a delicious meal, a band was playing some relaxing reggae. Quickly my time at Half Moon Cay came to an end, I was not ready to leave the tropical paradise. I cannot wait to take another cruise just to come back and relax. Half Moon Cay also known as Little San Salvador Island with only 2 percent of the island begin developed, is an international bird sanctuary and natural preserve. With that being said the only way to visit is by cruise ship. Whether just wanting to relax on the beautiful beach, explore the island, or do excursions like snorkeling Half Moon Cay, Bahamas is a place I look forward to visiting
Raiskin, Judith L., ed. Wide Sargasso Sea: Backgrounds, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 1999. Print.
.... It looked like its skin was so smooth and soft. Before I knew what I was doing I put my arm out an inch at a time, until I stroked the shark as it swam less than a foot away from me. I had realized instantly that it was a nurse shark, and it was very calm, which is common in nurse sharks. I noticed the light flickering above me, the other explorers were returning to the boat and I knew it was time to go back to my own familiar world. As I rose to the surface I knew that I would never forget that day, and all the new unusual creatures I saw. That day will stick with me forever, the new experience, the beauty of it all, but the thing I will remember the most is facing my fear. To actually touch one of the strange creatures that was the root of my fear was very invigorating and freeing, even if it was a harmless relative of the real the real man eaters I had feared.