From Adam to Earth Scientists in Training VI

Submitted by Adam Klaus on Sat, 05/02/2009 - 14:57

Topics:

wildlife

Dear Earth Scientists in Training,

AND NOW FOR SOME REALLY COOL PICTURES OF SOME OF THE ANIMALS WE’VE SEEN OUT HERE!

FISH THAT FLY! (AND SWIM TOO!): HERE IS A SERIES OF PICTURES THAT SHOW FLYING FISH. THEY SWIM FAST JUST UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN, THEN LAUNCH THEMSELVES UP OUT OF THE WATER AND THEN GLIDE THROUGH THE AIR WITH THE FINS THAT ACT LIKE WINGS.

THE FLYING FISH START TO LAUNCH THEMSELVES.

CHECK OUT THE S-SHAPED WAKE THEY MAKE AS THEY EXIT THE WATER.

NOW YOU CAN SEE THE FISH “FLYING?"

SOMETIMES THEY FLY SO HIGH THAT THEY HIT THE SHIP. SOME EVEN LAND ON THE DECK. CHECK OUT THE FLYING FISH THAT HIDETO (JAPAN) IS HOLDING. IT’S REALLY PRETTY.

HERE IS ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. THIS IS A WHALE SHARK. IT CAN GROW UP TO 40 FT LONG – ABOUT AS LONG AS A LARGE SCHOOL BUS! THIS ONE WAS ABOUT AS LONG AS OUR TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THIS WHALE SHARK SWAM AROUND THE SHIP FOR MOST OF A DAY LAST WEEK. THEY ARE VERY RARE AND ONLY LIVE IN THE TROPICAL OPEN OCEANS. THEY EAT PLANKTON AND ARE FILTER FEEDERS – SO NO SHARP TEETH! THE SAME DAY WE ALSO SAW A TURTLE AND 3 OR 4 TYPES OF FISH. WHAT A DAY! SOME OF THE GUYS ON THE SHIP WHO HAVE BEEN AT SEA FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE. VERY SPECIAL. YOUR TEACHERS CAN DOWNLOAD A VIDEO OF IT FROM THE YOUTUBE PAGE BELOW IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT SWIMMING AROUND.

MY FRIEND TOOK A PICTURE OF ME WITH THE WHALE SHARK IN THE WATER BELOW ME.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN A LOT OF MAHI-MAHI. THESE FISH ARE ALSO CALLED “DOLPHIN FISH”. THEY ARE FISH AND THEY HAVE VERY BEAUTIFUL COLORS. THEY ARE ALSO VERY TASTY, BUT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO FISHING FROM THE SHIP SINCE FISHING LINE COULD GET CAUGHT IN THE ENGINES THAT KEEP THE SHIP OVER OUR DRILL HOLE.