Swim Calls in Tuvalu!

Author: Satya Advani, Colorado College

Hi all, Satya here to report on a special segment of life devoted to taking
in all the love and knowledge that our watery planet has to offer. As I am
starting to write this post many of our shipboard comrades have begun
plunging from the bow into the warm and unbelievably blue and turquoise
lagoon of the atoll nation of Tuvalu.

        The slated goal for this post is to provide some insight into the
weather phenomena we have been experiencing recently, so I will begin there
and then speak a bit more about life aboard the ship and this new place we
have all just begun to explore.

In general, we have been bearing witness to the low-pressure nature of
these lower latitudes; driven by high solar irradiance near the equator,
there is an excess of warm air that rises and is soon replaced by cooler
denser air from higher latitudes. As this warm sea-born air rises, it soon
reaches the lifting condensation level - the altitude at which condensation
occurs as a result of reduced atmospheric pressure. This condensation
results in often impressive cloud formation and resultant frequent
precipitation. Thus, our northward approach into Tuvalu over the last few
days would be best characterized by a baseline of quite sticky, warm
conditions dotted with the occasional drenching squall.

It is pretty interesting to consider that the amount of rainfall at these
low latitudes is so great that the top bit of the water column exhibits a
low salinity fingerprint of this phenomenon due to the effective dilution
of the seawater. It is this heavy precipitation that allows the people of
this region to survive despite the extremely limited water table.

        The combination of all this cloud formation and a near constant
unobstructed view of the horizon has made for some truly heart-tugging
sunsets, complete with those holy sunbeams known as crepuscular rays.
Crepuscular rays are formed by sunlight escaping from between clouds and
leaping across the sky; as one might expect, they have a counterpart, the
anti-crepuscular rays - these are the shadows cast by the same clouds and
are seen as large swaths of darkness stretching across the sky. At times
these patches can be dark enough that stars are visible during the day,
providing a unique opportunity for celestial navigation. To my knowledge a
strong example of anti-crepuscular rays has yet to be observed on this trip
but we’ve seen hints of these cloud shadows.

        During our transit from Fiji to Tuvalu quite an ethical
conversation arose surrounding the catching of fish. When the
sailing/science deployment situation allows for it, we have been trailing
two handlines, trying out various lures - poppers, squid skirts, and spoons
- in the hope of landing a few of these ocean friends. Before the first
fish - a small tuna -- was caught, a few of us had agreed to throw the
first one back as a thank you to the ocean, as an act of gratitude. But
once that powerful lively little fish was back in the deep blue and the
deck a sanguine hue, a critical conversation of whether this was the right
move began to surface. This notion of giving back to the ocean, to mother
earth as a whole, of demonstrating care by sparing a life, had come from a
good place - but was this really the caring act we had hoped it would be?
Was sinking a sharp piece of steel into the jaw of a creature in order to
haul them aboard and toss them back really an act of love? At this point I
would say it is not. Perhaps such a feeling of care and stewardship should
manifest in other ways. I think the conclusion many of us came to is that
despite our seemingly endless supply of dry stores, we are fishing to eat,
and if we don’t intend to eat nearly everything that ends up laying on the
quarterdeck with a hook in its mouth, the lines should stay out of the
water. That all being said, there is a good argument for releasing smaller
fish to allow growth towards a mature reproductive individual. Unless one
really needs to eat, nothing is black and white.

I’m sure further discussion surrounding these ethics will ensue; may this
simply be the first installment of thoughtful engagement with the bounty of
the natural world.

Shoutouts

Mom - As I lay floating on my back in the unimaginably blue waters of this
atoll lagoon, I have certainly been channeling all the great energy you
bring into this world. I hope you have found some watery happy places of
late.

All the real ones: you know who you are - sending best wishes to each of
you and all your current endeavors. Can’t wait to share some great stories.
Soraya: Ma vi mantas! They were so beautiful y pense en ti. Te amo rayita -
Soleil