Aquatic Archives - the bird on fire

A Battle for Water

May 15, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

We talked about food. And, while most of us were consumed with smoothies, Grandpa’s goodies, candy, and California Pizza Kitchen, Sophia worried about water. And, she put that worry to verse.

By Middle-School Blogger Sophia Bottine

Before the rain,

The dry plants reign,

They long for a taste of water,

The weak ones falter,

It’s a continuous slaughter under the ground,

The roots run around,

Only the strongest survive the drought,

The others burn out,

It all seems like a distant dream,

The sun rays hit like a laser beam,

But during the rain,

The plants strain,

The bloodstains fade,

Some give aid,

Sibling plants annoy each other once more,

No thought of the lifelong war,

But the thought still lingers in their minds,

A constant nightmare…

A Clam Graduation

May 19, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

In this season of 5th-grade promotions, 8th-grade promotions, high-school graduations, and college graduations, of course we need to check in with Levi’s underwater friends to hear about . . . the clam graduation.

A bildungsroman by Levi Kassinove

Food poisoning is no joke. Deep in the waters of the North Atlantic ocean, a young clam by the name of Adam fights his impending diarrhea as he struggles to finish his AP Clamculus exam. Just a few more questions, I can hold it, he thinks as his stomach produces ungodly sounds that echo throughout the high school. His consciousness fades; Satan’s army knocks at his intestines, and finally he cannot bear it any longer. Forget the integrals. Adam rushes to the bathroom. By the time he gets back, there is 5 minutes left for the exam. He curses under his breath. I think someone put laxatives in my morning fruit shake.

When the exam finished, Adam went home, barely talking to anyone. He had just endured a silent yet excruciating battle, and nobody would ever know.

Later that day, Adam burrowed in the sand and isolated himself from humaniclamity. Was he worth anything? The school year is ending, and so is clam childhood. Soon all of his friends would be in college; most would never see each other again. And, yet, his friends chose to waste precious time on ClamTok every day, every morning, every break, and every lunch. They were consumed by consumerism. Adam felt dead inside. His clamgirlfriend loved him and made him happy, of course, but Adam cared about everyone. However, he felt as if few really cared about him. Would he be missed? In college, in old age, where are those who share the memories?

Adam dozed off. He resolved that he knows nothing, and that he will merely ride the waves of the ocean. That’s really all we can do.

“DUDE, IT’S CLAM GRADUATION DAY” Adam’s phone buzzed, awakening him just 10 minutes before school started. It was his friend Jerryclam. Adam decided that he would no longer be rotten. He would suck it up (because he’s a filter feeder after all) and get to class. When he arrived, none of his friends said “Hi” to him. None even looked up from their phones. His final assignments were piling up and he couldn’t find in the deepest part of his shell the motivation to finish them. The world was ending right before his very eyes. He had already sunk to the bottom of the ocean, yet somehow he felt as if he could still sink lower.

Finally, it was time for the graduation ceremony. It was underneath a kelp forest, brimming with marine society. High above the ceremony, seahorses danced among the seaweed. A school of tuna contorted, twisted, gyrated, transformed, and molded into various 3-dimensional shapes. A squid shot its ink in the face of a small shark, and an octopus blended in perfectly with the seaweeds. Dolphins slapped and tossed a pufferfish through the air, like in a game of catch or football. Light shown in an extremely particular way through the kelp, creating a viridescent glow upon the ocean floor. But in between the kelp was a certain slant of light that reflected only off the shell of Adam. This spotlight on Adam was almost mocking, teasing, inviting him to enjoy the ceremony, inviting him to join in.

The senior class of 2024 gathered underneath the kelp. Adam was indifferent. The universe is one big ocean, with waves crashing onto you every second. He could care less about graduating. Each clam was called one by one, donning their black cloaks and wearing those square caps, to get their diplomas. Adam’s name was called. But, before he went off, his friend Christopher pulled him aside. “Hey, are you okay? I know I’ve been somewhat distant, and I’m sorry.Maybe after school we can play video games?”

Adam smiled. It was the second time he had felt any happiness that day, since Jerryclam texted him. As he took a picture with the Head of School, holding his diploma, a pearl suddenly materialized in his shell!

Adam knew at that moment that everything was going to be okay. He happily flapped his shell home. As he was approaching his crater in the sand, he got caught in a net. All of his newfound feelings of joy and revival disappeared like an octopus escaping a predator.

A few hours later, Adam was being served in a lovely garlic pasta in an upscale Italian restaurant. At least he wasn’t rotten.

Several Deep Sea Journeys; Volume 3, Episode 8: The Retrieval

May 9, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Special Guest Blogger and Math Teacher Extraordinaire, Mr. Eric Hesson

Note: The following is a work of fiction written with no regard for scientific accuracy. The technical terminology used is meaningless nonsense included because it sounded nice.
Mr. Hesson

Commander Jechtus Appleberry floated above the seabed, eyeing the makeshift contraption.

“Set axial ray to drop at 1.4 lithometers.”

Lead Engineer Pepper Marshelina was at his side, gripping a stabilizing rod for support as she tapped commands into the console.

“Copy, ax to drop at one-four.”

“Stabilize revert cable.”

“Stabilizing… cable set.”

“Alright. Initialize retrieval protocol in 3… 2… 1… NOW.”

Pepper flipped a switch and the mobile generator rumbled to life. Power flowed to the junction and the retrieval cage dropped through the fissure and plummeted into the abyss. Jechtus sighed with relief.

“Keep an eye on degradation. We can’t afford to lose this one.”

“Copy. Holding so far. Pressure’s reading at ten off max.”

Their eyes were fixed on the monitors, scanning the data as it poured in, parsing for anomalies. A soft thump echoed from below.

“Axial ray in place. Continuing descent.”

The generator’s hum seemed to grow louder, wailing against the silence of the sea.

“You like pancakes?”

“What?”

“Flapjacks. You know. Hot off the griddle. Sopping with butter.”
“Respectfully, sir, I… don’t really have an opinion.”

“You don’t like them?”

‘I’m not sure I’ve had them.’

“What? Really?”
“I’ve had crepes.”

“Ew, what? No. I’m talking rich buttermilk hotcakes! Stacked up and slathered in syrup!”

Pepper shook her head. The light from her helmet swiveled across the seafloor, illuminating hosts of strange fungi in the distance.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to hector you. I’m just homesick. We’ve been out here so long. I retreat into my memories. Breakfast on a summer morning. Fixing coffee for my mother while she doted on her swans. Pancakes…”

“I’ll have to try some. If we make it back.”
“When.”

“Right…”

The cable snapped tight. The cage had completed its descent.

“Contact?”

“Positive.”

“Ok. Let’s bring it in.”

Pepper flipped another switch on the control array, and sixty fathoms below them the gripping clamp jutted from its casing, slid toward the target, and clenched its mechanical fist.

“Clamp is locked. We have the artifact.”

Pepper turned to face him and they shared a smile, squinting in each others’ lamplight. But her eyes were pulled upward by a distant trick of light, a swaying glint upon the darkness…

They felt it then, a pressure bearing down through the waters. And with it a sound, a deep and heavy groan.

The pressure intensified. Something was moving, something close. And then it caught the light, and they saw it – a tentacle, of incomprehensible size, hurtling down from above. It passed mere meters from their post… and slammed into the seafloor, knocking up a massive torrent of debris and rocketing the surveyors helplessly out into the void.

*The Bird on Fire welcomes guest submissions–especially from teachers.

The Little Fish That Never Could

May 2, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

As the Blog Staff imagines how life would have progressed with certain figures or events “erased,” Levi imagines(?) what life would have been if the “missing link” never crawled from the seas onto land.

By Junior Levi Kassinove

“A real life ‘tail’ of what would have happened 400 billion years ago if fish never walked on the land.”
Levi Kassinove

400 billion years ago, one brave aquarian caused a paradigm shift in the fabric of reality when he, Gleb, dared to travel above the surface. He saw unimaginable, incomprehensible sights. He gazed upon fantastical green mountains stretched across the horizon, giant blue mushrooms gossiping amongst themselves (presumably about our Gleb), and an old alte kaker of a rainbow eucalyptus tree yelling at clouds off in a forgotten corner of the forest. In the distance, there was a sick broadsword, a remnant of a lost civilization, halfway stuck in a boulder calling Gleb’s name. Alongside that was a goblin man eagerly waiting for someone’s arrival. On the ground and in the mountains, Gleb saw impossible materials. Impenetrable ore. Beauty beyond measure. Dragons flew freely in the skies. They flew freely.

Gleb laid his eyes upon these sights, pathetically flopping about the sandy shore. The sand was coarse, like some brands of Himalayan pink salt, and it clawed and tore at his flesh. By the time Gleb decided with a nasally inner voice that it was time to head back into the ocean, he looked like Prometheus after an eagle was sent to peck out his liver.

The Ghoti Residence – An anemone in the Pacific Ocean

“…And that is the story of Gleb, the heroic clownfish.”

“Can you please tell us another bedtime story, Momma?” asked little Steven.

“No, it’s time to go to sleep, Steven,” answered Momma Ghoti.

“That was a stupid story. Everyone knows that Gleb wasn’t real. It’s just a fairy tale,” snarled Steven’s brother Jack.

Momma Ghoti grew angry, while little Steven gasped. Now distraught, little Steven called for his father, Daddy Ghoti. A sullen, aged parrotfish materialized through the anemone. He had an intelligent demeanor, although there was no hope or ambition left in his eyes. He had heard and been fooled by the same story so many times. Daddy Ghoti comforted little Steven through his first existential crisis, and they fell asleep beside each other. “The Ballad of Gleb” never happened. Really, no fish had ever gone beyond the surface, and lived to tell the tale. There was a period in time when fish were interested in the place between sea and clouds, when Ernest Herringway wrote extensively about it. But it was not their lack of bravery that prevented various fish from reaching beyond; it was the crabs who were mostly to blame.

Crabs are the guardians of exploration and self-improvement. They are the fun police. The ones who tell you No, that’s a bad idea; or You should not take that risk because you’re just gonna fail. They are also the ones who narc on seaweed dealers at music festivals. In a distant universe, where fish somehow did make it onto land, the earth’s main inhabitants are vile creatures called humans. The one thing humans are good at is keeping crabs in a bucket. You know why? Because whenever one crab tries to escape, all the other crabs would pull the escapee back down with their claws. The humans don’t even have to do anything because the only thing crabs hate more than others is…themselves. Now, the ocean can be thought of as one giant bucket. The crabs are the reason why no fish has ever gone beyond the surface.

Mundanity

The water is filled with crab-cameras. They are in every road, every corner, every alleyway, and every home. CRABF (Crustaceans Really Against Basic Freedoms) is an organization outside of the government and beyond the police. Their main goal is to prevent any marine life from escaping the ocean. Daddy Ghoti was another nobody stuck in the shrimp-race; he thought deeply and with concerns about CRABF on his way to work. He reasoned that CRABF must have convinced several governments of the benefits of total control, stripping any politician of their humanifish. Benefits that he, along with millions of others, were lied to about: benefits such as “reducing crime rates” and “increasing safety.” Are those really benefits? rang through Daddy Ghoti’s head. There was a splinter in his mind, like a pebble you can’t get out of your shoe. He swam on, careful not to go over the speed limit. If the crab-cameras notice any unpredictable or idiosyncratic behavior, the perpetrator will be taken in for interrogation and then possibly executed. What do you think happened to Ernest Herringway? There are no jails. That was another promise made by governments, another benefit. Yes, it is true that upon partnering with CRABF, jails were abolished around the ocean. Jails are gone. There are no jails. There is little to no crime anywhere. Everyone obeys the law. The absolute law. Don’t even think about courthouses. If you’re innocent, you should have nothing to worry about. Don’t go beyond the surface. Stay in your bubble. Get back in line. There are no more jails.

A little red dot flashed inside Daddy Ghoti’s head. It was barely visible, perhaps only visible to the surrounding plankton. He thought of his sons–little Steven, and Jack, who was recently arrested for swimming too close to the surface–and his beloved Momma Ghoti, who knows in her heart that the world isn’t right. But she ignores it because it’s uncomfortable, and she has kids to worry about, after all.

Molecules of water drift aimlessly. For a moment, flowers bloom on the roots of trees, and mountains blow in the wind like leaves.

He kept on swimming.

I Saved A Turtle

January 19, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Junior Luke Sonderman

By the title you may think I’m one of those paper straws, anti-plastic, and save-the-turtles-shirt type of guy. You’re 100% wrong. I don’t do anything small. I go big. Instead of picking up trash on the beach and posting those little save-the-turtle squares on Instagram, I did the real thing and I saved an actual turtle. You may be wondering what I mean by “I saved a turtle.“

It all started at the Tamale Festival in November. I did my usual thing… eat tamales and drink horchata, but as I wandered the fair grounds I noticed a small easy-up with those little plastic aquariums. What I saw inside the aquariums was absolutely mind boggling. THEY WERE GIVING AWAY TURTLES TO CHILDREN WHO WON THE CARNIVAL GAME. I had to get one of the turtles and save him from the wrath of young children with little dirty fingers.

My turtle’s name is Demetrious or Demetry. Whatever you prefer. He is a Red-Eared Slider who is around 2.5 inches long. Most people think that owning a turtle is a high maintenance job, but it is actually pretty easy.

Every day, I like to start my morning by getting up and turning on Demetry’s UV light. This is his source of sunlight and vitamin D. This usually wakes him up in the morning. One important thing you have to put in sub-aquatic turtle tanks is a basking platform. This can be any dry platform above the water with sunlight pointed at it. This is where they dry off and absorb sunlight. This is also where I feed my turtle Demetry. My basking platform is a floating styrofoam rock structure.

When it comes to feeding my turtle, I used to like to put his turtle pellets on the basking platform. Demetry, smart little fellow, kept knocking the pellets in the water. The reason–turtles only eat underwater. I also learned turtles mostly poop while they’re eating. So as a shortcut to cleanliness, I feed Demetry in a plastic container full of water. When he’s done eating, I put him back in the untainted tank and clean the soiled container.

The one pain that comes with having a turtle is replacing the water and cleaning the tank. I replace half of the water in his tank every two weeks or sooner depending on how musty the tank looks. Once the rocks at the bottom of the tank collect enough sludge and grime, I empty the whole tank and clean off the rocks in the tank. It is important to keep the water clean, and there are chemicals I put in the water weekly that reduce the amount of sludge, grime, and murkiness in the water. I also clean off Demetry when I replace the water because his shell will get sludge from the water on it.

I highly recommend getting a lil turtle like mine. He is very cute and isn’t susceptible to the ocean threat of plastic straws. A turtle is a very easy pet to own and very lovable. Demetry and I play a game of hide and seek. Since I’m bigger, he swims to the other side of the tank when I walk towards the aquarium. But, I sense I’m winning him over.

Save me

October 20, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

I challenged the blog staff to write a short story. Luke was especially happy about that. Penny took up the challenge with her own fish tale.
Blog Advisor Zachik

A Short Story by Middle-Schooler Penny Andreas

“Welcome! Welcome Ladies and Gentleman to the ‘Great World Circus!’” Thomas W. Ratgrape stood in front of the crowd, feeding off of their applause. His great big smile on his face stood out in the spotlight, and his brightly colored red suit shone in the circus ring.

“Thank you. Thank you, everyone. No, really, I mean it. Now, first up, we have your one, and only, ‘Dancing Monkey!’”

The brass music boomed over the speaker. Thomas rushed behind the curtain, his support-staff followers running after him.

“Sir, you go back on after the monkey.”

“Sir, sir, your suit is unbuttoning!”

“Sir Your father wants to–”

“JUST SHUT UP!” Thomas yelled. “I DO NOT CARE! JUST GET ME THAT FISH!”

Everyone looked at each other, wondering who should move first.

“WELL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THE FISH ISN’T GOING TO COME BY ITSELF!”

They all started running again, worried that their master, Thomas, would yell and fire them. Soon enough, the monkey was done dancing, and the crowd was becoming bored. Thomas quickly looked around, desperately looking to see if the fish was there.

“Gertrude! Gertrude, where is the fish?” Thomas frantically said to Gertrude, who was the janitor of the circus.

“I dunno,” she said.

Thomas sighed and quickly started to pace across the maroon carpet.

“I’ve got it! I’ve got the fish coming throoooooough!”

“Lacey? You were the last person I thought would get the fish. Is it well? Eh, no matter, we have to get it on!”

Thomas ran out of the curtains and quickly took his spotlight. The music stopped, and a loud drum roll burst out of the speakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the amazing, magnificent ‘Talking Fish!’”

Gertrude placed the giant fish tank onto the scooter, and rolled it out into the circus ring. The fish, Margarine, tried to swim, but her tank was too small. She couldn’t even move.

“How incredibly rude. What do they even want me to do?” Margarine asked. She looked beyond her dirty, small glass like aquarium, and saw the crowd. Her eyes were blinded by the lights. She refused to look at the crowd and tried to turn her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thomas and his mean, stink-eye glare. He slowly walked over to her.

“Fish, if you don’t start talking, I will make your life worse than it is.”

He walked away squinting at her. Margarine floated there, speechless. What am I supposed to do? She pushed on the glass, daring to break it, daring an escape. The glass was strong, yet Margarine was stronger. That glass popped out and shattered on the hard cement ground. Water spilled out, creating a tidal wave that carried Margarine across the ground. She frantically tried to swim, hoping she could make it to the clear water pond just outside the door of the tent. She was almost there when Thomas stepped in front of her and picked her up. He apologized to the bored audience and quickly walked backstage. As soon as he was behind the curtain, he threw the fish against the wall into a water tank.

“HOW DARE YOU EMBARRASS ME IN FRONT OF MY PEOPLE?! MY AUDIENCE?! YOU ARE A DISGRACE! YOU SHOULD BE SORRY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!”

He stormed out of the room, leaving Margarine alone in the dark. She swam to the bottom of the tank, and belly flopped onto the gravel. She longed for her sweet, clean, clear pond that they polluted in order to capture her. She missed her poor family, swimming alone in the river to which they were transferred. She missed them so dearly. But at that moment, *click*.

The custodian Gertrude walked through the door and turned on the lights. She took out her mop and bucket of water and started to clean the floor.

“Hello, Gertrude,” said Margarine.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” Gertrude yelled, dropping her mop.

“Well, don’t be frightened for goodness sake. I was only being polite.

”Gertrude stared at her in awe. How could the fish be speaking? Was she dreaming? Was she even alive?

“You really speak? How?”

Margarine laughed.

“I don’t really know. I just started to talk one day. But when the world found out, they captured me, and pulled me into this…this horrible place.”

“Well, I guess we are similar in that way. I wanted to go to college, but I got fired from my job and lost all my money and had to work at this dump.”

“Perhaps we could someday escape, though that day would be far far away due to the situation here,” Margarine sighed.

That’s when Gertrude had an idea. They could escape. They could get out of this miserable, terrible, horrible place.

Gerturde jumped up into the air. “I know how we can escape!”

Margarine was delighted. “How might we do that?”

“Tomorrow night, when you perform for the last time, you can tell the audience how bad Thomas is treating you, and then they will have to all leave, and right then we could leave, too!”

Margarine was thrilled. She was so happy with the thought that she could see her loving family and pond again. That night, she slept for the first time.

The next day, Margarine woke up with joy, but suddenly it diminished like water on fire. She awoke to everyone running around, yelling, and frantically waving their arms. Thomas was not around surprisingly. At the corner of her eye, she noticed Gertrude standing with her mop. Gertrude met eyes with Margarine, and broke a small smile.

“WHAT IS ALL THE CHAOS?!” Thomas suddenly walked into the main room. Everybody froze and immediately turned to Lacey. Thomas started to slowly walk across the room.

“What…is going….on?” snarled Thomas.

Lacey’s eyes were wide open, and her legs were trembling. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I-I–I…I LOST THE MONKEY!” Lacey started to cry. She went down on her knees. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Thomas looked down at her like a hawk watching its prey from above. He walked silently to the back of the room.

“Find it. Or else,” Thomas said. He walked out of the room, smoke metaphorically fuming out of his ears. Gertrude rushed over to Margarine.

“Don’t worry,” whispered Gertrude, “I stole the dancing monkey, and I’m going to replace it with a normal foolish monkey.”

Margarine sighed, worried that the plan wouldn’t work. She swam to the top of the tank and said, “He will have to put me on instead, and then we can escape?”

“Precisely,” smiled Gertrude. She then walked away and went back to her mopping.

Two hours later, Thomas prepared for the show, for he was on in 5 minutes.

“Are we prepared? Is everything ready? Where is the monkey?”

Gertrude pretended to be rushed and threw herself onto the ground, the fake monkey in her hand. “I’ve found it!”

Thomas looked down at her. “Thank you,” he said, and he snatched the monkey out of her hand and walked off.

Gertrude was thrilled as she got up off of the ground. She was ready to get out of this dump.

The music started to grow out of the big bass speakers, and the spotlights circled around the circus ring.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome once again to the circus!”

The loud brass music played, which was heard from backstage, where Gertrude and Margarine were desperately waiting to see the magnificent fail of Thomas.

“First up, I will joyfully present to you, the one, the only…Dancing Monkey!”

The spotlight appeared suddenly on a miniature stage, with the fake monkey on it. The monkey blocked the light with his hands, and ran off the tiny stage to the door and ran out. Thomas stood there speechless, surprised that he had just lost the monkey. His mind quickly turned to the crowd though, and he rushed to take the spotlight.

“Well, that was unexpected! To keep your interest, I want to show you the magnificent, amazing “Talking Fish!” Thomas said nervously.

Gertrude pushed Margarine to the center of the dusty stage. Margarine looked out to the crowd, hoping this would work.

“Hi. My name is Margarine. I am a talking fish. And although many people stare at me in awe when I speak, some people treat me wrong for it. They give me small fish tanks, which smell and are unclean. They also force me to talk and punish me if I don’t. I don’t like the disrespect at all. I find it quite rude. And these people, they are horrible. And I know one person who is like this. Thomas W. Ratgrape.”

The audience gasped when they heard this, and immediately refused to stay in the circus tent any longer. People demanded their money back, and some climbed out of the seats. Soon enough, people were carrying Margarine’s fish tank outside, and placing her in a beautiful pond outside of the circus. Gertrude followed, cheering for her and Margarine’s freedom.

And they all lived happily ever after. Except Thomas W. Ratgrape.

The Place I Would Like to See

September 20, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

If Alyna could go anywhere back in history, she’d go to the opulent Titanic . . . , only to helicopter out before any iceberg appeared on the scene.

By Junior Alyna Rei

There are many places in the world I would like to see. The places I would love to visit are pretty well known. Something I would like to experience is the Titanic before it sinks. I want to see the atmosphere and the feeling of the biggest ship on water. Obviously, I’d rather not see or live through the end of the Titanic and the ship sinking. I’m basing what I envision of the Titanic off of the 1997 film. It was that lavish movie that gave me the idea of writing this post.

Who do I want to see on the Titanic?

From the 1997 film of the Titanic, I would love to see Rose and Jack and how two opposites fall in love. (I am aware that they never existed). Another person I would love to meet is the captain. Hearing how the Titanic launched would be very fascinating to hear. Perhaps we could converse over a many-course dinner.

What would I like to see?

Just being on the ship would make me happy. One of the many things I would like to see are the two parties, the rich and the poor. I would like to experience both–whether that is a fancy dinner with royalty or an energetic dance party with hundreds of people, I would beg to see any of those scenes. Another iconic and popular setting I would love to see or rather stand on is the very front of the ship, the bow. I want to stand in that tiny space and see the dolphins and flowing water below me with the sunset in the distance.

Why the Titanic?

The Titanic was one of the most iconic creations on the planet. And to see how it was in the film makes me want to be there. I want to feel what the people felt boarding the ship. I want to taste the delicious food. I want to see the water and beautiful sunsets from the deck of this huge ship.

Since the Titanic is not with us right now, or at least above water, other places I would like to see are the cool museums that honor the Titanic and have the coolest facts about the ship. Some of these museums are in Springfield, Belfast, Southampton, etc. I believe those museums are the closest I will be to the Titanic.

‘Sup, Beaches

March 21, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Blog Beachcomber Hannah Hall

“Let’s go to the beach, each, let’s go get away”–Nicki Minaj

You know what has water? Beaches! As we explore the aquatic life this week, let’s explore beaches. Here–according to Hannah– are seven of the most beautiful beaches around the world to go and visit.

Giants Causeway Beach – Ireland

You may not want to take a dip in this beach of cliffs, but it definitely is a sight to see! The waters crash up against basalt columns of all sizes.

Hidden Beach – The Marieta Islands by Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This “beach” isn’t just any beach. It’s a giant hole. It was formed by a bomb while the Mexican military was testing bombs down by the coast–just 20th-century things. To make this “holey” beach an even cooler spot, you get here by walking through a water tunnel!

Pink Sands Beach – Harbour Island, Bahamas

The title of this beach pretty much gives it away….the sand is pink! This is a pretty hot tourist attraction, so watch out for those flashing cameras!

Anse Source d’Argent – La Digue, Republic of Seychelles

Imagine a water-smoothed rock. See these rocks washing up on the shore basking in the sun. Now, blow the imagined size up 100 times. Here, at Anse Source d’Argent, you will be surrounded by tall stones draped with bright green trees beside crystal clear waters.

Benagil Sea Cave Beach – Algarve, Portugal

Yes, this beach is THAT beach. On Instagram, I know I see this beach pop up on my feed alllllll summer long. To get to the water, you will enter hollow caves with holes on the top that are just big enough to see the clear skies and to let the warm sun in.

Whitehaven Beach – Whitsunday Island, Australia

This beach looks like clouds sitting just under water. This is because the sand is white and made of 90% pure silica. You will need to travel here by boat, but ditch the sandals because this sand doesn’t retain heat.

Bioluminescent Beach – Vaadhoo, Maldives

Washing up onto this shore at night might feel like swimming with little fireflies. But, no. The shimmering light is actually caused by bioluminescent phytoplankton. The best time to see these blue little lights is during the months of July to February.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Sources:

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/best-beaches-in-the-world

https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-04-19/the-most-beautiful-pink-sand-beaches-in-the-world

15 Of The Most Exotic Beaches In The World

fishes: a-z

March 20, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Makena Behnke, who may learn to swim with the fishes

since this week’s theme is fish, or rather aquatic, i’m giving you a very nice list of fish. if you’re like me, you don’t know much about fish, but you think they’re pretty cool. there are so many different types of fish with different colors, sizes, and breeds. here is an a-z list of fish:

alligator gar. this swimmer is particularly scary-looking, very dinosaur-esque. usually found in the southern US in rivers, reservoirs, and bays.
blue tilapia. this one is probably my favorite fish on this list. it’s just so pretty. found in mainly Florida.
cobia. this fish weighs an average of a whopping eighty-two pounds and is about the length of a grown man’s wingspan. found in the Virginia area and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
discus. this fish is properly named seeing as it is shaped like a disc. also known as the king of the aquarium fish. found in the Amazon River basin.
eagle ray. a more interesting-looking ray than the usual grey/silver-ish ray. found in New Zealand bays and rocky reefs.
flounder. no, not the blue and yellow fish from The Little Mermaid. the arrowtooth flounder is found in northeast Pacific Ocean.
gag grouper. found from North Carolina to Brazil. they like to feed on round scad, sardines, porgies, crabs, shrimp, and squid.
hogfish. found from Canada to northern South America in coral reefs. they are also protogynous hermaphrodites.
indian glassfish. staying true to its name of “glassfish,” this fish is transparent. found in mainly South Asian waters.
jarbydy. found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, they’re omnivorous and are big fans of small fish.
knobbed porgy. found from North Carolina to southern Florida. they grace the waters with their silver body and a red tint.
lemon tetra. found in South America, they feed on worms and crustaceans.
mudskipper. found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. these guys are easy to catch and fun to play around with (according to Makena and her “personal experience”).
northern hog sucker. found in the Great Lake area. it sucks up snails and insects, hence the name sucker.
opaline gourami. found in Southeast Asia. lives in lowland wetlands, marshy and swampy areas.
pomfret. found all across the Pacific Ocean. they stay close to the surface of the water, and they’re rarely caught inshore.
quillfish. found in the North Pacific. they’re found at the surface at night and burrow in the sand during the day.
redbreast acara. found in Central American waters. they prefer more stagnant waters.
swordsnout grenadier. found in the Western-Center of the Atlantic and the Eastern Atlantic. they feed on crustaceans and small fish.
tapar. found in European and Asian waters. they inhabit large rivers and freshwater lakes.
uaru. found in South America. they feed on crustaceans and small fish, but eat plants to get their nutrients.
vermilion snapper. found from the western Atlantic to southeastern Brazil. the adults prefer deep water and rocky bottoms.
wahoo. found from New Jersey to Columbia. they travel in loose groups of fish rather than compact schools.
x-ray tetra. found in South America. they feed on worms and small fish.
yellow cichlid. found in lower river valleys in Central America.
zander. found in Europe and Asia. they inhabit brackish lakes and rivers.

Sources

www.wideopenspaces.com

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/fish-finder

https://www.fishbase.de/search.php

https://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/fish/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/

Editor: Luke Langlois

1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Oarfish

March 20, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Blurb by Aquatic Mastermind Luke Langlois

Our recent aquatic theme has inspired mystery both amongst the blog staff and amongst our readers. Just a few days ago, Ms. Tasha Romo’s memory was prompted to jump back a whole six years to a time where a few enigmatic deep-sea creatures known as the oarfish washed up on the shores of California. Two oarfish washed up in Oceanside, and another washed up on Catalina Island. Take a look at the picture that Ms. Romo shared of the Catalina oarfish below. If you happen to be someone who went on Palm Valley’s 6th-grade field trip to Catalina, you may recognize this camp as the one you explored. Anyways, enjoy the oarfish!

Photo taken after Catalina residents pulled the washed-up oarfish out of the water.

Editor: Holden Hartle

If you too have a contribution to a theme, send it to szachik@pvs.org. Our editors will take a look at it. If it adds to the week’s thematic coverage, we’ll post!