When it is sunny and hot at mid-day in GTMO and you are tired of looking at four walls and listening to the mind numbing sound of window air conditioners then the thing to do is jump in the water. Any of the swimming pools on base will do if you prefer the clear chlorinated water over salt water. But if you want to experience the beauty of iridescent blue salt water and listen to the sound of waves splashing against the rocky shoreline then you must go to one of the beaches. Also the ocean front beaches or the beaches that are on the bay often provide the stunning beauty and colors of reef fish and other sea life that defy words to describe them.Since my time off usually falls on weekdays we can visit beaches that are often deserted. One we frequent that is on the bay is called Glass Beach. Since the ocean is often used as a garbage dump (more in times past than present) broken glass of all colors becomes rounded translucent nuggets that wash up on beaches in many places. Glass Beach is a good spot to find these "gems". The water feels so good on a hot day.
Recently we went to Glass Beach for a short swim before I had an evening shift. We splashed around and bobbed effortlessly in the salty sea and cooled down nicely. After awhile I decided to grab my snorkel gear to see what was in the sea. I expected the usual compliment of Sergeant Majors, Parrot fish and Yellow Tail Snappers. I put on my gear and clumsily re-entered the water adjusting the flippers after I was floating in about 10 or 12 feet of water about 25 feet off shore.
I put my face into the water to look around and instantly saw a 4 foot Green Moray right underneath me. His mouth was wide open and he was staring at me with the razor sharp teeth clearly visible. I had no idea that Moray eels would come in so close to shore since they are usually seen hiding in nooks and crannies of coral reefs. The coral formations were some distance away. After the initial shock (they are not electric eels so no pun intended) I began to follow him as he swam out into deeper water. He (or maybe she) stopped and coiled around to watch me baring those teeth. I did not know if this was a warning or just typical behavior so I retreated.
I described this to Cathy who promptly decided that beach combing was the better option that day. I can't say that I blamed her. Later after a little study we found out that Moray eels usually have mouths agape as part of breathing and do not pose a hazard unless cornered.
PS. The photo above was borrowed off the Internet. We do not have an underwater camera yet. The eel above looks just like the rascal I encountered.
4 comments:
That's a great entry. I can only imagine what I would think entering the ocean and seeing one of those face to face! What's the water temperature there?
It's probably about 78 degrees right now -- it takes about 2 minutes to get used to it since it initially feels pretty cool. (The only reason I can state the temperature with some authority is that the swimming pool I go to for water aerobics has a thermometer in it -- I hadn't realized how chilly 80 degree water can feel!)
That's good to hear the water is not too warm. On occasion, I've gone down to the Gulf in late August and the water must be in the mid-80s and it feels like bath water. It is not very refreshing.
Wow! What a great story. How long did it take for your adrenalin levels to get back to normal, Vince? Love the picture, too -- he is an interesting looking "rascal"
It's snowing here right now, and it looks beautiful, but I would relish a couple of days in the warmer temperatures you've described. Now that I'm employed, I may actually be able to visit you some day.
In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to April 4th!!
MF
Post a Comment