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Archive for July, 2009Jul 22, 09 Comments Off
 Pilot Whale stranding Hello everyone, Aimee here. This is one of the few times I have even sat down at the computer for the last week. This is what Emily and I have been up to! Last Tuesday (during Barry’s operation) the aquarium received a call that there was a stranded pilot whale in the Jan Thiel/Zanzibar area. So, George (the only man in the photo) drove the boat over to check out the situation. We did not know if it was dead or alive, injured or sick, young or old. The Curacao Sea Aquarium/Dolphin Academy recently established the Southern Caribbean Cetacean Network (SCCN) and George is the head of it. It has been made for just this type of situation. So, we got our first opportunity to set the wheel in motion. Wow, what a start! George was able to tell pretty quick that it was a juvenile and that it did not have any big injuries and was very, very thin. It was nightfall so we decided to get there bright and early in the morning with an entire emergency team. The next morning we were able to catch him and get a real close look to see what we were up against. The number one problem was that he was extremely dehydrated and emaciated. He was just too weak and tired to swim on his own. This species is one that runs in groups of 5-20 normally, so a lone animal would not be able to survive for long. We have no idea where his group is. That is just a missing piece of our puzzle. So, our plan was to give him fluids (fresh water: whales and dolphins don’t drink salt water, they get fresh water from the fish that they eat), take some blood and get him some antibiotics. We had to support him (we found out days later it was a him), by standing in the water for hour after hour. It only took a short time for us to realize that he was too large for us do hold on our own and then Bam, we saw a momma on the beach with her little one playing with a noodle! Yea! We asked if we could use it and she gladly let us have it. So, now our most useful tool for whale rescue seems to be noodles! Who knew? Well you can see it takes quite a few of us to hold him and in this photo we are actually swimming with him, that’s why you see some faces working hard. Our co-worker Marcus took this great photo. This guy has been everywhere and I think the first days spent as much time in waist deep water as we did! Emily is on the left behind George, and I am on the right up front (just where my momma would want me: NOT), and the others are the girls on my team and several from CDTC also. You cannot believe the hard work and dedication that has been shown by so many over the last week. After about 2 solid days of continuously holding him and giving him fluids, meds and food, he has gotten stronger and is doing just great! He is responding well to all our treatments and is now putting on weight. He no longer just lays there and George is able to sit on a surfboard and feed him from the water with the whale swimming around. We have a huge pen we made so he is in a type of netted pool. For anyone more interested you should check out http://www.sccnetwork.org/page/38/VolunteersSay this is an article I wrote for the network giving a bit more details plus there are some more photos. We have received huge support from the island of Curacao and appreciate all those working so hard. Well, this girl is tired and Emily and I have night watch tonight from 3-6 am, so I am off to bed! Just another day in paradise!
Aimee
22-07-2009
Jul 21, 09 Comments Off
 Queen Juliana Bridge Good evening friends, here is another fun panoramic for you, this is our giant Queen Juliana bridge! This bridge was named after Queen Juliana who was queen in Holland from 1948 to 1980. This bridge is one of the highest bridges in the world. It is 185 feet above the sea level of St. Anna Bay, weighs 3,400 tons and has 4 traffic lanes. It took almost a decade to build this bridge which was officially opened in 1974. No matter how often you cross the Queen Juliana Bridge, you will always be delighted with the breathtaking view. Depending from which side you come from, you can see the entire panorama of Punda, Otrobanda and the Schottegat. On the Otrobanda side you can pull over to make photos or videos. I had to do a little Sunday afternoon trespassing in order to get this shot. I found a construction site with a tall building currently being built and climbed up a ladder made of wooden pallets which placed me about 20 feet higher, it was the only way to get above the thorny green stuff. If you look all the way out to the entrance of the harbor you can see a massive oil tanker just arriving. I waited here about 30 minutes while the tanker came all the way in and went under the bridge, that was so cool to get to see!
This morning I left the house at 7:30 for a bike ride. I rode to Saint Joris then to Canoa and just kept going, actually I got lost! Well to make a really long two and a half hour bike ride story shorter, I have to learn the names of all these little towns! It’s so depressing when you think you know where you are but then you pull into an area and nothing is familiar, so I did a lot of back tracking today!!
Everything is going well, my eye seems to be doing great, our puppy has been sick all day and I am sitting here sweating to death waiting for the air-co repair guy to show up. Emily’s parents arrived to the island this morning and are coming over for dinner tonight so I need to get a moving!
Have a wonderful evening, Barry
21-07-2009
Jul 20, 09 Comments Off
 Two Island Dogs Good evening once again from Curacao! I always tell you all that we find all kinds of things washed ashore each morning but never imagined we would find a boat?? This had just recently found it’s way to shore overnight and of course Indi had to be the first to check it out!! On the other side of the boat there was a nice little entry way which I didn’t see at first. I was taking photos of the boat when up pops Indi and then to my surprise Brave Heart climbs up, I’m not sure Indi is setting a very good example?? Well once aboard I had a hard time getting them out as the whole thing must have smelled like “fresh catch of the day”, all three of them were busy licking the inside floor boards.
Aimee and I both got off work early today and took the dogs to the “dog beach” for an afternoon of fun in the hot sun! Little Brave is such a great swimmer! I think having those big ears helps as they act like small sails, really we couldn’t get her out of the water. Indi as well swam and swam but Inca well she just stood next to me on shore and watched, if I don’t get in she won’t get in, such a daddy’s girl!!
Aimee and Emily just left to help feed the whale, I have heard it is getting stronger and swimming on it’s own now. The plan is to get her well, find a passing pod of pilot whales and release her into it?? That’s the plan.
Till tomorrow, Barry
20-07-2009
Jul 19, 09 Comments Off
 Punda-Panoramic Good evening friends, I just got home from a fun few hours of driving around town shooting panoramas! I wanted to try this new program I got yesterday called AutopanoPro and it rocks!! For those of you interested check it out at www.autopano.net it’s a company from France. This is Punda, it’s our very colorful and historical downtown area. You can see the famous floating bridge over to the right and on the left in front of the big sail boat is our other favorite attraction the floating market. Here you can find fruits and vegetables along with the catch of the day all brought in daily on boats from Venezuela. Finding a safe place to take this photo was the challenge today, there is just not much room to pull over. At the base of our scary bridge I pulled the car over as far as I could, parked and climbed out of the passenger side window as there was too much traffic on the drivers side. I stood on a steel railing with my body up against the car and put the tripod over the rail, it worked pretty good.
My eye is doing great. I took our collection of canines to Saint Joris this morning for a long hike in hopes of wearing them out but as I type this they are already wanting to go out again?
That’s it, not much else for you today but hey it’s Sunday and most of you won’t even get this till tomorrow anyways! Off to go for a little bike ride,Barry
19-07-2009
Jul 18, 09 Comments Off
 Diver above Gorgonian Good evening all, I thought this was a perfect photo for you tonight as it kind of goes with yesterdays shot. This is what a Slit-Pore Sea Rod looks like, the photo yesterday was just a close-up of the top of one of the branches, pretty cool huh? This was taken East of the Aquarium the morning we got dropped off a ways up the coast and did that fun dive all the way back. You can see gorgonians do look a lot like bushes and many are as big as a small trees that’s why we some times refer to a big area of these as an underwater forest.
It was a very busy day at work today and next week is crazy busy, I thought this was our slow time?? Aimee and Emily were again with the whale all day. I will get a photo that someone else took and have her write you and tell you everything that has been going on, it’s quite the story. With our car down and the eye surgery I haven’t even been over there to see it yet, yeah I know crazy huh?
The girls are out walking dogs but will be home soon so I better wrap this up. Hope your having a great weekend, Barry
18-07-2009
Jul 17, 09 Comments Off
 Gorgonian Good evening all, just a quick note to say hi, it’s hot and all is well!! I went back to work today but it was weird! I have been using my left eye for so long to take pictures because I couldn’t see out of the right and now I can’t seem to switch back? I tried all day but it feels so strange, I can see this is not going to be an easy task. The weather here is getting hotter by the day. That nice rain we had a week ago did help put some green back into the island but now we have more humidity and of course mosquitoes!
This is a close-up view of the top of a Gorgonian. A Gorgonian is a soft coral. This is a the very top of a Giant Slit-Pore Sea Rod. These soft corals resemble thick-trunked, branched trees and sway back and forth underwater. I found taking this shot to be very difficult as you have to hover inches above it and try to focus while you and the gorgonian are swaying back and forth, makes for quite the challenge!
We just got our car back, cost a small fortune and still not sure what they did other than replace the battery? Good times!
I have to get the grill going, Aimee will be home with the dogs soon and Emily is playing volleyball on the beach with the Dolphin Academy group. I am sure to have two tired and hungry girls show-up real soon. Talk to you tomorrow, Barry
17-07-2009
Jul 16, 09 Comments Off
 Tugboat #2 Good evening friends! I had two requests asking to see what the other tugboat looked like that is in front of the Sea Aquarium at 165 feet. This is the only real shot I have of it, they are so big that it’s super tough to get them in a horizontal photo but will be trying again. The front of this boat is sitting just a few feet from a wall that goes straight down to thousands of feet! I have seen these tugs from the comfort and safety of the mini-sub and have seen parts of the wall as I went down to 500 feet on my last sub dive, and let me tell you that was cool!! This is my friend Marco above the boat and Hans over to the left, both are Dive Masters and Instructors so I’m not kidding when I say I am in good hands down there.
Our car died last night and had to be towed to a garage this morning, no idea what is wrong yet and as busy as the garage was we may not know for a few days! The neighbors have been great, one lent me a spare vehicle to use today and another made me some home-made split pea soup. I pretty much just stayed here all day not doing too much of anything. I went to get some ice cubes out of the freezer today and couldn’t even pull the tray out, so I proceeded to spend the next two hours defrosting the freezer! What a job, I used a blow dryer and it worked great although I made a serious mess!
Aimee and Emily are still with the stranded whale, I know nothing more than that! I was able to take the dogs on a one hour hike to the beach this morning besides getting rained on we all had a great time! We still have the puppy no time to find her a home lately or pursue the leads we have.
The eye is doing great I have to go back to see the doctor on the 22nd. See you tomorrow, Barry
16-07-2009
Jul 15, 09 Comments Off
 Sleeping Parrotfish Good afternoon one and all I just got my eye patch removed and it’s great!! I can see again! I have gone almost a full year without any sight in my right eye, it was that bad! The doctor said it would be around two weeks before I could go diving again but that’s just fine, I will still be able to photograph the up coming coral spawning.
Over the years I have seen and photographed a whole lot of sleeping parrotfish but never have I seen one in a home like this?? When I first saw him laying on top of this coral mound I thought there would be no way I would be able to get close enough for a shot. What I did was aim my lights down and ever so quietly swim in without any movement. I then laid on the sand, focused and shot, but to my surprise he didn’t move?? I used two big flashes on him and he never moved a muscle, how could this be I thought to myself? So I just kept on shooting! This big parrotfish was not about to leave his private little castle just because we were there, he seemed to be sound asleep! I was almost laughing at times because he looked like a fish sculpture sitting there, will have to go back on the next dive and see if this is a regularly used home for the night. During the day this Stoplight Parrotfish is a totally different color, at night they get those brown blotches all over them and their eyes turn bright orange, for blending in purposes.
Aimee and Emily are busy today with a little whale that beached over near the dog beach. He or she is just a baby, it’s still alive and they are doing everything can do to try and help it. Aimee said it was very skinny so they used two boats and a net and caught it or pushed it into shore near a local resort where they are now busy giving it liquids, food and taking blood, I think she said it was a baby pilot whale? So I am sure she will be there for the next few days doing whatever she can do to help, I will keep you posted.
That’s about it for today, my new eye is really flickering and is making me a little motion sick need to get off this computer! Talk to you tomorrow, Barry
15-07-2009
Jul 14, 09 Comments Off
 Lurking Danger Good evening all, I am home and all seems to be well, surgery was a success! They asked us the day before to arrive at 6:15am to get checked in but the actual surgery would not be till 10:30? Also along with pre-surgery rules they said no food or water after midnight last night. So we got checked in right on time and then Aimee went back home to walk the dogs and eat being that nothing would happen for hours! Well to my surprise at 7:00 the nurse walks in with a small tray of food and some hot tea. I never even questioned this as I figured a hospital nurse must know what’s she’s doing even though they said no eating the night before and like Inca gobbled the food down sitting before me, yummy! Well the next few hours I just laid in bed as they put painful drops in my eyes on the hour. it felt like they were pouring jalapeño juice in there but was a liquid to help dilate the pupils for surgery. Aimee came back at around 9:30 and the first thing I said to her was, “I had breakfast”!! She said, What?? Your not supposed to eat before surgery because your going to be on general anesthesia stupid!! After that we didn’t question it again Aimee just said ok what ever they must know what their doing? So at 10:30 they came in and wheeled me out in a wheelchair and parked me in front of the surgery door where I again waited for 30 minutes. The nurse finally came out and said “are you ready” and I said “let’s go”!! As she was pushing me thru the door she asked “now you haven’t had anything to eat today right”? There was complete silence. She must have know by the color I was turning that something was wrong and again asked me the same question again! In a voice only a mouse could hear I said “Yes” with my head hung low. Upon hearing the answer she said wait here and re-parked me in my little parking space in the corner. The doctor then immediately came out and asked how this could happen and I told him the staff brought me food and I ate it, someone’s in trouble tonight! So back I went to my room where I had to again just sit there for two more hours! Finally at 1:00 they came in gave me a shot in the butt and off I went (although I don’t remember) that’s some good gas they got there! I was out cold, all I remember was being back in my bed again and Aimee saying something about she had just talked to doctor and he said everything went well! I look like Caption Jack Sparrow tonight but have no pain and never got sick at all from the anesthesia, I go back tomorrow at 2:00 to get my pirates patch removed. Many thanks to Dr. Palm and Aimee for hanging in there and driving me home, I am now on the road to better picture taking!
This is a photo I took on last night’s dive at Pier Baai. I watched as this long spotted moray eel slowly slithered in and out of the gorgonians hunting for un-suspecting prey. I thought this sleeping parrotfish was a goner for sure and as you can see I was already for some action! I don’t think the eel could see him laying there but maybe he smelled him? The eel just bumped into the side of the fish which scared him off but there was no attack, could be that the eel knew the fish was too big or maybe parrotfish wasn’t on the menu this night. After the parrotfish swam off to rest in a new location just a few feet away the eel did catch a smaller fish in a cave and choked it down, I think it was a brown chromis?
Off to bed, this was a hard e-mail to write with only one eye! Bye now, Barry
14-07-2009
Jul 13, 09 Comments Off
 Mating Ocellate Swimming Crabs Good evening from Curacao! I had a wonderful night dive last night, it was one of those non-stop “finding cool stuff every minute” kind of dives, you divers know what I mean. Aimee and Emily got a table on the beach in front of the Dive Bus shack and ordered dinner just as we were heading in the ocean just a few feet from her table. We found one of the coolest sleeping parrotfish I have ever seen and it wasn’t the fish itself that was so unique it was where he decided to sleep for the night that was so cool, I will send it soon. We found countless octopus, eels of every kind, “and a few out hunting”, giant coral crabs, these mating crabs you see here and dozens and dozens of other wonderful things it was a blast. These two mating Ocellate Swimming Crabs could have cared less I was there! I am sure the larger male crab had spent a good part of the evening finding a mate and wasn’t ready to let her go! If she moved, he moved, I thought they made a nice couple? I am doing another dive here again in about an hour so I need to get a move on!
I have to go in at 6:15 am tomorrow for my eye surgery, Aimee will most likely send your photo out to you when she can find time, I am sure I will be in bed!
Have a great evening and fun day tomorrow, see you soon (no pun intended) Barry
13-07-2009
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