We’re all drawn to everything that is mysterious and unknown and the deep oceans with their queer undersea life are no exception. Sure, it all looks calm and peaceful on the outside, from the shore, but do you ever wonder what’s really going on deep down? While you’re quietly enjoying a Mojito on your chaise-lounge, perfecting your tan and displaying that six pack you’ve been working on the whole winter, hundreds of underwater species go about their lives without you having any idea about their existence. Here’s an inkling into some unique moments caught on film that will shed some light on a world you probably had no idea is so wild and vast.
10. Swimming with the Jellyfish
Palau, a small island in the Pacific Ocean is the home of a lake fully packed with jellyfish that are head over heels in love with the Sun. What does this exactly entail? From the first rays of light in the morning, till sunset, as many as 13 million jellyfish cross the lake back and forth. This behavior stems from the relation between the jellyfish and the special type of algae that inhabit their tissue. These algae make the daily journey of the jellyfish look like a magical dance through the water.
9. Baby squids being brought into the world
From over 300 squid species lurking in the oceans of our planet, the black-eyed squid is by far one of the most impressive and unique creatures in its lot. What sets it apart from its brethren is that it doesn’t lay eggs, but carries them in a black sack. It doesn’t sound too complicated so far, but here’s the kick: the black-eyed squid will have as many as 3000 eggs at once for the entire gestation period that lasts up to 9 months. When the time’s up, the tiny squids’ birth is a true wonder: they are small, fragile, cute and ready to start exploring the ocean.
8. The h(a)unting octopus
When you imagine an octopus you’re probably thinking about an undersea creature with something that look like limp legs, slowly drifting through the deep waters, minding its own business. If you’re nodding reading this description, we have some breaking news for you. Not only are octopuses quick and agile, but they’re also not shy to jump out of the water and snatch a snack. Before you scream “pics or it didn’t happen”, there’s actually a video for you to check out and witness the killer moves of the octopus in action.
7. Stop! Hammerhead time!
Thanks to people like Andy Casagrande, we can now get snippets from the life of hammerheads. You’d think you would like to put as much distance as possible between you and a hammerhead, but not this guy: he ventured to strap a camera on a hammerhead, all in the name of science. Besides gliding over the sea floor, hammerhead sharks are notorious predators with the unique ability of detecting very low electrical signals.
6. The barreleye fish
Holding the title of the weirdest fish out there, the barreleye fish is more widely known as the anglerfish. They live at around 700m below the surface of the sea and sport a transparent dome like head. Ever wondered what’s it like to look through your own head? The anglerfish could answer this, since its eyes can spin until it can look through its own skull.
5. Dolphins just wanna have fun
There’s more to dolphins than meets the eye. Sure, we’re used to the cute images from movies and the entertaining shows we see at different aquariums, but you should know dolphins are also prone to acts of premeditated violence. When they’re not killing their trainers by drowning, Flipper’s brothers and sisters love a good surf, both by their own or accompanying a fellow human surfer.
4. The undersea equivalent of the chameleon
Wondering if the undersea worlds have a chameleon of their own? The answer is yes. The flounder fish can easily disguise itself in a world where surviving requires improvisation and all sorts of camouflaging skills. This highly adaptive sea creatures are fast color changers and perform well under any conditions. They even succeeded in impressing scientists by effortlessly imitating a check-board pattern in the blink of an eye.
3. Shark attack
It’s nothing new under the Sun that sharks are ferocious predators, but seeing them in action right on the beach where you’re playing volleyball would give goose bumps to anyone. A dozen of what is believed to be blacktip sharks decided to venture out of their comfort zone and ventured on a beach in North Carolina for a fast food stop. To the amazement of the spectators, the sharks snacked on seagulls and pelicans for about five minutes before leaving the beach with full stomachs.
2. Silversides Tunnel
“The more the merrier” perfectly suits a school of silversides. You couldn’t find many things to say about these 13cm fish that nibble on insects and algae. That is, when they are each on their own. When they all get together, they turn into a vibrating spectacle of silvery light. Known as the “silver rush” amongst the divers, this phenomenon takes place once a year in July or August in the Grand Cayman, in the Devil’s Grotto.
1. Flying rays
How can sunshine rays fly, I hear you asking. They can’t. But a cool species of fish can. It’s called flying rays because these fish can jump out of the water as high as 2 metres. They have flaps which they use to stabilize their “flight”, but nobody knows why they are doing it. One theory suggests that the fish splashing into the water drive schools of shrimp to the surface of the water. Another more likely theory is that flying rays know how to have a good time.
