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Summer Cruise Log: Sunfish? Sharks?
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| Scientists | Scenery |
| Sunsets | Science |
| AUTUMN CRUISE LOG | SPRING CRUISE LOG |
One of the most exciting events that happen on research cruises is sighting marine life such as sunfish, sharks, porpoises, and seals. When this happens, the word usually "gets around" quickly and soon much of the crew is on deck... searching for that telltale fin or blowhole spout.
The triangular shape of a dorsal fin is
both exciting and scary... is it a shark? or perhaps a less fierce creature
such as a sunfish.
Very few people could view either a porpoise
or dolphin surfing in the wake of ship without thinking... "I wish I
could do that!!"
Many times it's hard to distinguish what exactly is floating just before the surface... is it a seal (<<<)? a sunfish (>>>)? A fun mystery to solve... maybe that's why so many kids want to become marine biologists!
