At Sea
As we continue to cruise our way to Ascension Island, one cannot help but wonder about the depth of the ocean, and what it contains. Our days at sea are spent with anticipation of what might be sighted; what weird or wonderful creature might present itself. So far we have not been disappointed. A lazy hammerhead shark on the surface was spotted just off the bridge wing; many felt a marlin was playing in the swell when a large splash was heard and seen off the starboard side. There have also been flying fish, dolphins, and whales suddenly appearing from the deep blue depths of the sea.
On MS Endeavour we make a point of finding out just what the waters we travel in contain, not just on the surface, but below as well. Our undersea specialist onboard, currently Dennis Cornejo, takes as many opportunities as possible to explore. He has many devices to help him do so: a handheld underwater video camera, snorkeling equipment, and SCUBA gear. At any one of the many islands we travel to, he tumbles into the water to “ see what he can see.” But having a bottom to search is not a requirement; just the other day Dennis and our Video Chronicler, Tove Petterson, were snorkeling in blue water, the sea bottom 3000 meters below him, filming the pilot whales we encountered. After each of his dives, Dennis takes his underwater footage, edits it, and shows us the remarkable film, in the comfort of the lounge.
The picture accompanying this piece is of a surgeonfish, taken at the island of Fogo, in the Cape Verde Islands. This fish gets its name from the razor sharp spine on either side of the tail. It is as “sharp as a surgeons scalpel.” They use these spines for defense, protecting themselves by swishing their tail from side to side. The spine, when not in use, folds forward against the body. In the picture, the spine is circled in red. This fish is mainly a reef fish, preferring to stay in relatively shallow waters, feeding on algae which can only grow in shallow sunlit waters. These particular fish that you see here are inhabiting a wreck, and it is not uncommon to see them together in such large numbers.
The ocean holds many mysteries. It’s depth vastness make it impossible to know everything about it. Here onboard, we try to contribute as much as we can to the exploration of the oceans, and to learn as much as possible of the waters in which we travel.
As we continue to cruise our way to Ascension Island, one cannot help but wonder about the depth of the ocean, and what it contains. Our days at sea are spent with anticipation of what might be sighted; what weird or wonderful creature might present itself. So far we have not been disappointed. A lazy hammerhead shark on the surface was spotted just off the bridge wing; many felt a marlin was playing in the swell when a large splash was heard and seen off the starboard side. There have also been flying fish, dolphins, and whales suddenly appearing from the deep blue depths of the sea.
On MS Endeavour we make a point of finding out just what the waters we travel in contain, not just on the surface, but below as well. Our undersea specialist onboard, currently Dennis Cornejo, takes as many opportunities as possible to explore. He has many devices to help him do so: a handheld underwater video camera, snorkeling equipment, and SCUBA gear. At any one of the many islands we travel to, he tumbles into the water to “ see what he can see.” But having a bottom to search is not a requirement; just the other day Dennis and our Video Chronicler, Tove Petterson, were snorkeling in blue water, the sea bottom 3000 meters below him, filming the pilot whales we encountered. After each of his dives, Dennis takes his underwater footage, edits it, and shows us the remarkable film, in the comfort of the lounge.
The picture accompanying this piece is of a surgeonfish, taken at the island of Fogo, in the Cape Verde Islands. This fish gets its name from the razor sharp spine on either side of the tail. It is as “sharp as a surgeons scalpel.” They use these spines for defense, protecting themselves by swishing their tail from side to side. The spine, when not in use, folds forward against the body. In the picture, the spine is circled in red. This fish is mainly a reef fish, preferring to stay in relatively shallow waters, feeding on algae which can only grow in shallow sunlit waters. These particular fish that you see here are inhabiting a wreck, and it is not uncommon to see them together in such large numbers.
The ocean holds many mysteries. It’s depth vastness make it impossible to know everything about it. Here onboard, we try to contribute as much as we can to the exploration of the oceans, and to learn as much as possible of the waters in which we travel.
