At Sea/ Crossing the Tropic of Cancer
Endeavor is now sailing her way south and westward, expecting landfall on the Cape Verde Islands two days from now. Ahhh, to be out at sea, surrounded by nothing but the open ocean, no land to be had for 400 miles, a warm following breeze blowing gently, and for every breath to be proper sea air. Today we will cross the Tropic of Cancer, bringing us into those favorable latitudes where the water becomes warmer, the seas calmer, and the sun notoriously shines for much of the year. For most, days at sea are something to look forward to, and can be as busy or as leisurely as one would make them. For some, this means most of the day is spent out on deck peering through binoculars, looking for seabirds or marine mammals; for others, time in the library looking out onto the watery horizon, becoming hypnotized by the passing sea, is a favorite distraction.
Days at sea also give us time to reflect on what we have done in the last few days. We have been busy! Our days having been occupied exploring the island of Madeira, and two islands in the Canary’s. For Undersea Specialist, Dennis Cornejo, and myself as dive buddy, it has been a busy time exploring the waters that surround the islands. All the islands we have visited are volcanic, their coastlines an abrupt halt of lava, cooled quickly by the sea. Over time the wave action of the sea has eroded some of the coastlines, making them a gradual drop-off, and even occasionally making room for a black cinder beach. However, some of the more recently active islands, such as the Azores, the coastlines are dramatic escarpments that drop steeply into the sea. The Canary’s are the former, and have been gradually weathered, the sea bottom sloping slowly downward. The water is the deep azure blue, that beckons to be swam in, and the toasty temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, makes it even more inviting. Armed with an underwater digital camera, Dennis flips off the dive Zodiac, and descends to take photos of the creatures which inhabit this underwater ecosystem.
Pictured here is a rare find during the day. This common octopus, traditionally a night hunter, was caught swimming across the bottom at La Gomera. Swimming by jet propulsion, rapidly expelling water from their mantle cavity, these octopuses are very strong swimmers, finding it no problem to move through the 1 knot current we found ourselves held in place by. Octopus have a carnivorous diet, mainly fish, bivalves, and sometimes other squids, and are highly adapted for hunting with very developed eyes, They use their tentacles to capture their prey, and bring it to their mouth. This mouth is extremely powerful, and it has been known to cause painful bites to divers if they threaten it. One of the most interesting aspects of the octopus, is it is an underwater chameleon. While swimming across the bottom, Dennis and I watched it change color several times, trying to blend into the sea bottom. It finally settled on trying to be a rock, mimicking the sponge and algae encrustations, but just between us, we were not fooled.
We have only just begun this Atlantic Odyssey. Southward we head through the diverse islands, each one bringing a new culture, scenery, and adventure.
Endeavor is now sailing her way south and westward, expecting landfall on the Cape Verde Islands two days from now. Ahhh, to be out at sea, surrounded by nothing but the open ocean, no land to be had for 400 miles, a warm following breeze blowing gently, and for every breath to be proper sea air. Today we will cross the Tropic of Cancer, bringing us into those favorable latitudes where the water becomes warmer, the seas calmer, and the sun notoriously shines for much of the year. For most, days at sea are something to look forward to, and can be as busy or as leisurely as one would make them. For some, this means most of the day is spent out on deck peering through binoculars, looking for seabirds or marine mammals; for others, time in the library looking out onto the watery horizon, becoming hypnotized by the passing sea, is a favorite distraction.
Days at sea also give us time to reflect on what we have done in the last few days. We have been busy! Our days having been occupied exploring the island of Madeira, and two islands in the Canary’s. For Undersea Specialist, Dennis Cornejo, and myself as dive buddy, it has been a busy time exploring the waters that surround the islands. All the islands we have visited are volcanic, their coastlines an abrupt halt of lava, cooled quickly by the sea. Over time the wave action of the sea has eroded some of the coastlines, making them a gradual drop-off, and even occasionally making room for a black cinder beach. However, some of the more recently active islands, such as the Azores, the coastlines are dramatic escarpments that drop steeply into the sea. The Canary’s are the former, and have been gradually weathered, the sea bottom sloping slowly downward. The water is the deep azure blue, that beckons to be swam in, and the toasty temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, makes it even more inviting. Armed with an underwater digital camera, Dennis flips off the dive Zodiac, and descends to take photos of the creatures which inhabit this underwater ecosystem.
Pictured here is a rare find during the day. This common octopus, traditionally a night hunter, was caught swimming across the bottom at La Gomera. Swimming by jet propulsion, rapidly expelling water from their mantle cavity, these octopuses are very strong swimmers, finding it no problem to move through the 1 knot current we found ourselves held in place by. Octopus have a carnivorous diet, mainly fish, bivalves, and sometimes other squids, and are highly adapted for hunting with very developed eyes, They use their tentacles to capture their prey, and bring it to their mouth. This mouth is extremely powerful, and it has been known to cause painful bites to divers if they threaten it. One of the most interesting aspects of the octopus, is it is an underwater chameleon. While swimming across the bottom, Dennis and I watched it change color several times, trying to blend into the sea bottom. It finally settled on trying to be a rock, mimicking the sponge and algae encrustations, but just between us, we were not fooled.
We have only just begun this Atlantic Odyssey. Southward we head through the diverse islands, each one bringing a new culture, scenery, and adventure.
