At Sea
We awoke this morning to the sometimes formidable Drake Passage but which was now pushing us gently along to our final destination of Ushuaia, Argentina, with long low swells. Birds circle the ship gracefully and seemingly effortlessly, our Southern Ocean escorts. For the last week and a half we have had our senses bombarded by the wonderment of Antarctica. We have seen marine mammals and three different penguin species. The giant icebergs inspired our imagination, each of us transforming them into our own particular shape or creature. We have kayaked around icebergs, and have experienced every form of weather the Antarctic had to offer. It is only now, as Endeavour heads northward that we can really begin to take in all that we have seen.
The Southern Ocean holds many surprises and delights, both above and below its surface. While in Antarctica, undersea specialist Dennis Cornejo and I were able to explore what lies below the surface by a variety of means, bringing back vivid images for the guests of Endeavour to enjoy in the comfort of the lounge. We dove below the icy waters, peaking at -2 degrees Celsius or 28 degrees Fahrenheit. We also have a ROV (remotely operated vehicle), which can travel well below diving depths to 500 feet. It is here where some of the strangest and incredible creatures are found. One might think this chilly water would limit bottom life, but in actuality there is a plethora of life, fed by the oxygen rich waters the southern ocean provides. On our underwater excursions we encountered hydras, anemones of all shapes and sizes, fish, sea cucumbers, and the wonderful creature pictured here, the nudibranch.
The nudibranch is essentially a snail without a shell. This particular species, Tritoniella belli, pictured here is wrapped around a sea whip, or hydroid, is found in the Antarctic from depths of 7 to 700 meters. This one in particular was found at 100 meters. You will notice that the body of this nudibranch is translucent to milky white, as are the tips of the cerate, rhinophores (second antennae) and oral tentacles. However, many nudibranchs are brilliantly colored, which may serve as a warning system for predators and/or a camouflage. It is thought to feed on hydroids and sponges, but some studies have shown that it will eat anemones and soft corals. T. belli will consume creatures, such as the hydroids, who have nematocysts, or stinging cells. After they consume these creatures, these nematocysts will migrate to the end of the cerate, where they are used as defense mechanisms by the nudibranch.
The nudibranch is just one of the new, and interesting wonders that we have found on our trip to Antarctica. We were lucky for the last twelve days to experience, even just a small part of the diversity and richness that Antarctica holds.
We awoke this morning to the sometimes formidable Drake Passage but which was now pushing us gently along to our final destination of Ushuaia, Argentina, with long low swells. Birds circle the ship gracefully and seemingly effortlessly, our Southern Ocean escorts. For the last week and a half we have had our senses bombarded by the wonderment of Antarctica. We have seen marine mammals and three different penguin species. The giant icebergs inspired our imagination, each of us transforming them into our own particular shape or creature. We have kayaked around icebergs, and have experienced every form of weather the Antarctic had to offer. It is only now, as Endeavour heads northward that we can really begin to take in all that we have seen.
The Southern Ocean holds many surprises and delights, both above and below its surface. While in Antarctica, undersea specialist Dennis Cornejo and I were able to explore what lies below the surface by a variety of means, bringing back vivid images for the guests of Endeavour to enjoy in the comfort of the lounge. We dove below the icy waters, peaking at -2 degrees Celsius or 28 degrees Fahrenheit. We also have a ROV (remotely operated vehicle), which can travel well below diving depths to 500 feet. It is here where some of the strangest and incredible creatures are found. One might think this chilly water would limit bottom life, but in actuality there is a plethora of life, fed by the oxygen rich waters the southern ocean provides. On our underwater excursions we encountered hydras, anemones of all shapes and sizes, fish, sea cucumbers, and the wonderful creature pictured here, the nudibranch.
The nudibranch is essentially a snail without a shell. This particular species, Tritoniella belli, pictured here is wrapped around a sea whip, or hydroid, is found in the Antarctic from depths of 7 to 700 meters. This one in particular was found at 100 meters. You will notice that the body of this nudibranch is translucent to milky white, as are the tips of the cerate, rhinophores (second antennae) and oral tentacles. However, many nudibranchs are brilliantly colored, which may serve as a warning system for predators and/or a camouflage. It is thought to feed on hydroids and sponges, but some studies have shown that it will eat anemones and soft corals. T. belli will consume creatures, such as the hydroids, who have nematocysts, or stinging cells. After they consume these creatures, these nematocysts will migrate to the end of the cerate, where they are used as defense mechanisms by the nudibranch.
The nudibranch is just one of the new, and interesting wonders that we have found on our trip to Antarctica. We were lucky for the last twelve days to experience, even just a small part of the diversity and richness that Antarctica holds.
