June 7, 2007

• Ocean

  The tentacles of the giant Arctic jellyfish can reach 120 feet (36.6 meters) in length.
  The greatest tide change on earth occurs in the Bay of Fundy.
  The pupil of an octopus’ eye is rectangular.
  The largest eggs in the world are laid by a shark.
  Sharks are immune to cancer.

  The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet (10,916 meters) deep and occurs in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.    I was able to swim in this part of the ocean when I was aboard USS Kitty Hawk.  Marines stood guard with rifles to shoot any sharks.  It was a huge jump from the hangar bay to the ocean and a lot of work to swim out from the ship, back in again and up the net ladder.  I gained a huge appreciation for the ocean that day. 

  

  he whale is mentioned in the first chapter of the Bible, 21st verse. “And God created great whales.” Some suppose that large fish of every kind are here meant.

  
         An animal called the leviathan is described in one of the last chapters of Job, which some suppose to be the whale. It certainly means a large and strong animal, as you will see by the questions asked about him: “Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook ? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

  
         Canst thou put a hook in his nose ? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid.

  
         The arrow cannot make him flee; he laugheth at the shaking of a spear; he maketh the deep to boil like a pot; one would think the deep to be hoary.” This is like the whale in some things; but you will remember that it is not certain that he is meant.

  
         The common whale for which so many sailors are always seeking on the great ocean, is an enormous animal. It is often found seventy feet long; and it is said that they have been found of the length of a hundred feet.

  
                It is covered with a coat of fat, sometimes more than a yard thick; and when this is cut up and put over fires in great kettles, a hundred barrels of oil are sometimes obtained from a single whale.

  
         Perhaps you already know how they take the whale. As soon as the sailors see one, they go towards him in a boat until they get as near to him as they dare. Then they throw their harpoons at him; these are sharp-pointed irons, fastened to a very long rope, one end of which they keep in the boat.

  
         As soon as the whale is wounded, he dives down into the water, and swims away to some distance. He is usually obliged to come up again in about half an hour to breathe, for he cannot live all the while under water; and then the men throw other harpoons at him. Sometimes he comes so near as to upset the boat with a blow of his strong tail.

  I loved the story of the two whales that were lost inland around San Francisco and eventually found their way back. 
  

  

  Where are you going for vacation this year?

  • 8:06 am
  • 21 Comments