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Wednesday - pencil slate sea urchin with its dazzling bright red spines
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date: 17/9/2008
Author:Laura Smith
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Not-a-cloud-in-the-sky sunny! | Air Temp: 24°C | Wind: Variable 5/10 knots | Water Temp: 22°C | Water Visibility: ~ 30 m+ | Sea State: Calm
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
Whales, whales, whales!!
Breaching, fin slapping, spouting, tail slapping – you name it. The humpback whales were putting on a show for all viewers today. Guests on the glass bottom boat tour were wowed by the antics of these enormous creatures, as a group of about six individuals frolicked on the surface. Simultaneously, guests on the morning flight from Hervey Bay caught a birds-eye view of three separate groups of whales.
Meanwhile, “turtles are breeding all over the place!” The turtle mating season is well underway, with SCUBA divers and snorkellers alike frequently witnessing courting behaviours of the these fascinating reptiles. From now and for the next couple of months, turtles will be engaged in frenzied mating sessions. Sea turtles are polygamous, mating with many different partners over the course of one season. Females actually have a sperm storage organ in their reproductive systems, so they can “save up” sperm throughout a season and dispense it to egg clutches in stages. This means that turtle hatchlings from one individual clutch may not be full-brothers/sisters, but rather have many different fathers. Amazing! Back on land, the very first sea turtle tracks of the season were noticed this morning! It is for anybody to speculate as to whether these tracks are those of a female investigating potential nesting sites (albeit very early for the nesting season), or whether it might be a female coming ashore to earn a break from the harassment of males. Either way, it is an exciting precursor for the months to come, when loggerhead and green sea turtles will come to our shores to lay their eggs.
The seabirds of Lady Elliot Island stole the limelight at the tucker tour this morning. Their numbers are noticeably increasing just about every day now. The white-capped noddies can now be seen lining tree branches not only during the nighttime but also throughout the day. The noddies frequently sun their feathers on paths around the resort, and sun-baking flocks are getting larger and larger. It is thought that the sun’s heat may stimulate oil production to increase the waterproofing of their feathers, and that it may also kill parasites.
Conditions for the afternoon reef walk couldn’t have been better, with little wind, glassy water and the sun on our backs. Guests were amazed by the beautiful blue Linckia sea stars; so vivid is the colour of these animals that guests often question whether they are in fact real! Likewise the pencil slate sea urchin with its dazzling bright red spines certainly is a sight to see. Guests today were lucky enough to see one that had ventured into full sunlight, revealing its breathtaking colours in full.
Special Guests:
Congratulations to Tanya Brown and Paul Hunt! Tanya and Paul met on this very island 5 years ago. They were married on Monday, and have returned back to Lady Elliot Island for their honeymoon. How romantic! |
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turtles mating - Wayne Fox
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click to download flash player