Programs Blog

Author: Sophie Strock, Eckerd College

Ship’s Log

Date: 10/19/2023
Time: 16:35
Location: 13˚ 25.54’ S 176˚ 20.10’ E
Weather: Winds from the East, 31 Celsius, clear skies

Hi Everyone! This is Sophie once again. I am a student from Eckerd College
studying marine biology and I am from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A few days
ago we left Tuvalu and I am very grateful that we got to experience such an
unique country that only a few people in this world get to visit. In a
course of a day I was able to walk around most of the island and see both
coasts. While it is a small and remote island, it is still very lively and
busy. This country is threatened by rising ocean levels and in the next 50
years, the island itself may not exist. As I was walking around, it was
hard to conceptualize this fact with the bustling streets, the cheerful
schools, and of course the beautiful landscapes. My favorite site of the
day was watching a bunch of kids and families playing on the tarmac at
sunset. Only a few flights come in and out of the country during the month,
so it tends to be free range. It is hard to imagine what the people of this
country will do next couple of decades. Will they stay and try to fight the
rising sea levels or will they have to leave their home? Something that I
have learned from this trip so far is that the ocean is a beautiful beast
that can offer so much, but it can also take back everything that belongs
to it in a heartbeat.

While standing lookout, sometimes things can get boring, but if you are
lucky, you may be surprised by the sight of flying fish! Some of my
favorite memories have involved watching flying fish glaze over the waves.
The first time I went shark diving, I watched dozens of flying fish pass
over me right before I slipped into the water. At my home on the cape, my
brother and I were swimming out to the docks on a wavy day when witnessed a
singular flying fish leap out of the water. And I now have the gift of
watching these fish sail over the ocean almost every day. If you have never
heard of these mythical fish, I am here to inform you. Flying fish
(Exocoetidaes) earned their name from their ability to emerge from the
ocean and glide above the waves on wing-like pectoral fins for distances up
to 300 meters. They are pelagic and prefer deep-water areas, where they
feed on plankton and their eggs have special filaments that stick to
floating plant matter until hatching. They are truly special creatures.
Fun Fact: Sometimes they fly into our ventilation system (aka tubas) and
become mummified.

To my family and friends: Happy Birthday to Mimi, Alex, Anna, Emily, and
Willow! Missing the comfy Strock household! Can’t wait to see the Skordas
Family in a few weeks! And also missing my Eckerd fam. Love you all!