At Sea
This morning we awoke to crystal blue skies and a warm tropical breeze pushing us towards our next destination, the Marquesas. We, the guests of National Geographic Endeavour, have a day at sea, and after the last 3 days of intensely investigating the Tuamotus, it is a much needed reprieve for our minds and senses. Most of us have kicked back in a lounge chair on the sun deck or found a cozy chair in the library, only changing positions to grab a bite to eat or attend one of our naturalist’s presentation.
Our experiences of the last week have been superb. We have been greeted with warm smiles and kisses on the cheek, invited into homes to taste fresh fruit, and astounded by the gyrating hips of the local dancers. However, no trip to the South Pacific would be complete without a dip in the legendary azure waters, and many of us have taken every opportunity to get wet, whether it is from a beach or our custom-built swim platform. Seeing what is going on below the surface has been amazing, with every reef holding a new surprise for us, whether it be inquisitive butterfly fish or baby sharks.
Pictured here is a Lemon Shark spotted off the reef surrounding Bora Bora. This shark stays in the relative shallows, generally not straying below 300 feet, and will inhabit areas like coral reefs, mangrove, and sounds and river mouths. As you can see, it is quite a stocky shark which can grow up to 12 feet long, enough to make anyone feel small and just a little bit wary. Luckily, it is not overly aggressive, and there has never been a documented death from a Lemon Shark.
The Lemon Shark is targeted by commercial and recreational fishermen along the US Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The US bottom longline fishery commonly targets this species, and it is also caught as by-catch in both pelagic and gillnet fisheries. Their fins are highly prized and exported to Asia for shark fin soup, their meat can also be consumed, and their skin may be used for leather, all of which makes this shark very marketable. There is some concern that populations in the western north Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean are declining due to over-fishing, which is why the World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC) rates this species as "Near Threatened."
The second photo is of a Camouflaged Grouper. Groupers typically are stout and slow, with a large mouth. They actually swallow their prey rather than biting pieces off, so the larger the mouth, the bigger the prey, habitually eating fish, octopus, crab, and lobster. On coral reefs they are mostly a lie and wait predator, settling into cracks or under rock ledges, waiting for their dinner to swim by, attacking quickly before once again lying on the bottom. Groupers are a fine tasting fish, and sought-after for restaurant and home consumption. Their slow swimming speed, combined with an affinity for lying in one place makes them an easy target for spear fishermen. Most species of Grouper are now on the Endangered Fish List.
Despite enjoying a day of rest, we cannot help but turn our eyes to the horizon, as we eagerly anticipate our next adventure in the Marquesas. These islands are wild, rugged, and lush, often considered to be among the most beautiful islands on the planet.
This morning we awoke to crystal blue skies and a warm tropical breeze pushing us towards our next destination, the Marquesas. We, the guests of National Geographic Endeavour, have a day at sea, and after the last 3 days of intensely investigating the Tuamotus, it is a much needed reprieve for our minds and senses. Most of us have kicked back in a lounge chair on the sun deck or found a cozy chair in the library, only changing positions to grab a bite to eat or attend one of our naturalist’s presentation.
Our experiences of the last week have been superb. We have been greeted with warm smiles and kisses on the cheek, invited into homes to taste fresh fruit, and astounded by the gyrating hips of the local dancers. However, no trip to the South Pacific would be complete without a dip in the legendary azure waters, and many of us have taken every opportunity to get wet, whether it is from a beach or our custom-built swim platform. Seeing what is going on below the surface has been amazing, with every reef holding a new surprise for us, whether it be inquisitive butterfly fish or baby sharks.
Pictured here is a Lemon Shark spotted off the reef surrounding Bora Bora. This shark stays in the relative shallows, generally not straying below 300 feet, and will inhabit areas like coral reefs, mangrove, and sounds and river mouths. As you can see, it is quite a stocky shark which can grow up to 12 feet long, enough to make anyone feel small and just a little bit wary. Luckily, it is not overly aggressive, and there has never been a documented death from a Lemon Shark.
The Lemon Shark is targeted by commercial and recreational fishermen along the US Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The US bottom longline fishery commonly targets this species, and it is also caught as by-catch in both pelagic and gillnet fisheries. Their fins are highly prized and exported to Asia for shark fin soup, their meat can also be consumed, and their skin may be used for leather, all of which makes this shark very marketable. There is some concern that populations in the western north Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean are declining due to over-fishing, which is why the World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC) rates this species as "Near Threatened."
The second photo is of a Camouflaged Grouper. Groupers typically are stout and slow, with a large mouth. They actually swallow their prey rather than biting pieces off, so the larger the mouth, the bigger the prey, habitually eating fish, octopus, crab, and lobster. On coral reefs they are mostly a lie and wait predator, settling into cracks or under rock ledges, waiting for their dinner to swim by, attacking quickly before once again lying on the bottom. Groupers are a fine tasting fish, and sought-after for restaurant and home consumption. Their slow swimming speed, combined with an affinity for lying in one place makes them an easy target for spear fishermen. Most species of Grouper are now on the Endangered Fish List.
Despite enjoying a day of rest, we cannot help but turn our eyes to the horizon, as we eagerly anticipate our next adventure in the Marquesas. These islands are wild, rugged, and lush, often considered to be among the most beautiful islands on the planet.
