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A Green Moray Eel (Gymnothorax funebris), snaking through the teal blue ocean. Credit to underwater photographer Micheal Ziegle. This month’s article series is going to discuss a small Caribbean island off the coast of Cuba known as Isla de la Juventud. This translates into English as the Isle of Youth, & Rejuvenation. The island is approximately 213.88 nautical miles (396.10576 kilometers or 246.128708 miles) from the mainland North American Continent. Isla de la Juventud is an island off the coast of Cuba, owned by the Cuban government. It is the second largest island Cuban Island, only second to the main island. The island is approximately 2419.05 square kilometers (934 square miles or 597,760 acres). The island is south of Havana, & is the seventh-largest island in the West Indies as a whole. The official language of the island is Spanish, & tourism is high. Ecologically, the island is covered in Pine forests. The island is mild, & not as tropical as the rest of the Caribbean. The island is incredibly well known for its gorgeous beaches, never-ending nightlife, historic prisons, biodiversity, & its reputation as a pirate hideaway. The coastline of the island is extremely biodiverse, & filled with nature preserves & coral reefs. The coral reefs are very large, & are of the fringing kind. These coral reefs house many interesting creatures, one of the strangest being the Green Moray Eel. The Green Moray eel is a large species of Moray Eel found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest species of Moray Eel so far. It is considered to be a true eel, meaning that it is classified under the order Angulliformes. Though they are commonly found in shallow water reefs, they inhabit waters as deep as 130 feet. They are generally found alone, & do not live in packs, or groups. In this article, we will discuss the life & discovery of the Green Moray Eel, the mating techniques, tactics, strategies, habits, procedures, & practices of the Green Moray Eel, the distribution of the Green Moray Eel, the scientific detailings of the Green Moray Eel, & the bite of the Green Moray Eel. With that being said, let us delve into this Underwater Beast. The Life & Discovery Of The Green Moray Eel The Green Moray Eel was first discovered by Camillo Ranzani, an Italian Priest, Professor, & Naturalist. He described the species in 1840, one year before his death. The maximum recorded length of a Green Moray Eel is 8 feet long, however individuals are usually closer to 5.5 feet long. Their maximum weight is approximately 65 pounds. There is no sexual dimorphism, & individuals look very similar regardless of sex. Individual’s lifespans range from 6 to 36 years. Though the Green Moray Eel is an understudied species, it is clear that they are more intelligent than most other reef fish. Green Moray eels are able to remember a diver for more than 2 weeks, & are able to show affection. Additionally, they are able to show jealousy over specific divers, who they deem to have a close relationship with. As a species, Green Moray Eels have existed since the Late Miocene, approximately 11 to 6 million years ago. In the wild, Green Moray Eels generally don’t interact with humans unless prompted. They can be rather vicious when provoked, & have been known to tear off divers fingers. They are territorial, & can become aggressive if humans or other eels intrude upon the little caves that they live in. Individuals are solitary, & don’t typically interact with one another unless they are breeding. Though moray eels are poor swimmers, they are incredibly agile, & are able to swiftly move through the water column. Moray eels are have very quick reaction times. This species does not have any fins, & is very smooth as well as flat. Though they lack fins, they are the only oceanic fish that are able to swim both forward & backward. They control their buoyancy by releasing chemicals in their blood that keep them lighter than the water around them. Moray eels are able to sleep by turning off half their brain, & moving themselves to an area where they feel safe. After moving to said area, they will sleep for a few hours at a time. Their eyes will remain open for this time, making it difficult to tell whether or not they are awake. The diet of a Green Moray eel largely consists of small fish, octopi, crabs, shrimp, & squid. During the day, they are ambush predators, & will simply wait for a fish to swim by instead of actively hunting it. During the night, they become incredibly active predators, & will actively go through the coral reef to find food. They locate food through scent, & have an incredibly strong sense of smell. Their metabolism seems to be normal. The primary predators of the Moray Eel are large Grouper Fish, Barracudas, & Sea Snakes. If attacked, occasionally, groups of Moray Eels will gather to attack the predator, & prevent the other Moray Eels from injury. Despite their name, Green Moray Eels are dark grey or brown, however underwater, they appear to be a yellowish-green. The reason for this is because they excrete a lot of mucus, that underwater, gives them the appearance of being yellow or green. They are incredibly smooth, with small eyes. As of 2026, they are ranked as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. They were last assessed on the 17th of August, 2011, & their ranking has not changed since. Their population trend is unknown. The Mating Techniques, Tactics, Strategies, Habits, Procedures, & Practices Of The Green Moray Eel The Moray Eel breeds via sexual reproduction, & has 2 distinct sexes. Moray eels are not hermaphroditic naturally. Their breeding system is polygamous, meaning that both males & females will take multiple partners each mating season. It is not clear when exactly they sexually mature. Their breeding season lasts from July to September, in which thousands of Moray Eels will congregate to breed with each other. It is also not how they initiate the release of eggs. When they do, females will release thousands of eggs, & males will release their sperm into the water nearby. Once the eggs are fertilized, the parents will have no involvement in their lives. Upon being introduced into the world, they have to fend for themselves. The Distribution Of The Green Moray Eel The Green Moray Eel is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from New Jersey to Brazil. In these areas, they live & hunt in coral reefs, living in small crevices throughout the reef. Though they can be found in shallow water coral reefs, they inhabit depths as deep as 130 feet (39.624 meters). The Scientific Detailings Of The Green Moray Eel One of the most interesting things about the Green Moray Eel is the fact that they have both an inner & outer Jaw. Green Moray Eels have an outer jaw, that they will use to clamp onto prey, this is the jaw that is visible to us. On the inside of their mouth, they have an inner jaw, that they will jerk forward to grab any food caught in their outer jaw. This way the food that gets caught in the outer jaw, gets pulled into the inner jaw. This allows them to swallow large prey, whole. They have very long flexible spines, & lack any kind of fins. Individuals have 2 rows of teeth on their upper jaw & one row of teeth on their lower Jaw. As moray eels don’t have gill covers, they constantly have to open & close their mouths to respirate. As of 2026, there are no recorded parasitic infections of the Green Moray Eel in captivity or the wild. Green Moray Eels produce a mucus like substance all around their bodies, leading to them feeling slimy to the touch. This mucus is also present in their mouth, & has a kind of toxin known as Crinotoxins in it. Though the effect of it is minimal, it is still toxic. This toxin cannot affect someone through their bite though, as Moray Eels are not venomous. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. This class comprises over 50% of living vertebrate species. Their order is Anguilliformes, which is the order of true eels. There are approximately 1,000 species categorized under this order, with 164 genera. Their family is Muraenidae, which is the family of Moray Eels. There are approximately 200 species categorized under this family. Species categorized under this family are almost exclusively marine, with there being very few freshwater moray eels. Their genus is Gymnothorax. Gymnothorax has approximately 120 species of moray eel categorized under it, & it is the largest genus of Moray Eel. Their binomial name is Gymnothorax Funebris. The Bite Of A Green Moray Eel Though divers commonly interact with Moray Eels, they are known to bite people. If provoked, a moray eel is able to bite off a person’s thumb with a 250 to 900 PSI. Below, will be a step by step guide as to how to deal with a Moray Eel’s bite. If you feel that you are in immediate danger or discomfort from a moray eel bite, then please seek medical attention. This guide is only to be used for minor Moray Eel injuries, & is not applicable or appropriate in all circumstances. Do not rely solely on this guide, & seek medical advice for personalized advice. With that being said, below is a guide to treating the Bite of a Moray Eel. Step No. 1: Remove Yourself From The Ocean. If you have not already gotten out of the ocean, then you must properly treat the wound. Step No. 2: Wash The Wound With Soap & Water. After removing yourself from the ocean, wash the wound thoroughly with soap & water. Step No. 3: Apply Pressure On The Wound To Stop The Bleeding. Apply light pressure on the wound with a cloth or a rag to stop the bleeding. Step No. 4: Apply Antibacterial Ointment. Apply Antibacterial Ointment on the wound, then cover it with a sterile bandage wrap. Step No. 5: If You Feel That Your Discomfort Level Is Too High, Consider Taking A Pain Reliever. Depending on your pain & discomfort level, consider taking an over the counter painkiller, such as Advil or Tylenol. These may help with pain, & possibly swelling. Step No. 6: Call Your Doctor. If you feel that you have not adequately dealt with the injury, do not hesitate to call your primary physician. Do not rely solely on this guide, & seek appropriate medical attention. A gorgeous Green Moray Eel darting across the ocean, near the sea floor. Credit to photographer P. Lindgren. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Aquarium. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://aqua.org/explore/animals/green-moray-eel Citation No. 2: “Marine Encyclopedia Of Ocean Fishes: Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceana. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://oceana.org/marine-life/green-mo Citation No. 3: “Gymnothorax Funebris” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Florida Museum Of National History. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/gymnothorax-funebris/ Citation No. 4: “Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Virginia Aquarium. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://virginiaaquarium.com/green-moray-eel Citation No. 5: “Gymnothorax Funebris” Written By Kyle Wilson, & Published in 2006. Published by the Animal Diversity Web. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gymnothorax_funebris/ Citation No. 6: “Sea Wonder: Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published on February 14th, 2020. Published by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-green-moray-eel/ Citation No. 7: “What To Do About A Moray Eel Bite” Written by Corey Whelan, & Published on March 2nd, 2021. Published by Healthline. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/health/moray-eel-bite Citation No. 8: “What It’s Like To Be Bitten By A Moray Eel” Written By Michelle Pugh & Brook Morton, & Published on December 9th, 2018. Published by The Scuba Diving Magazine. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024. https://www.scubadiving.com/what-its-like-to-be-bitten-by-moray-eel Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A brilliant photograph of the colourful houses of Chiloe Island, Chile. Credit to Tales From The Lens. https://talesfromthelens.com/ In this article, we shall be discussing the oceans surrounding Chiloe, Chile. Chiloe Island, also known as the Greater Island of Chiloe, is an island in the Chiloe Archipelago off the coast of Chile. The island is located off the southern coast of Chile, & is the largest island in the Chiloe Archipelago. The island has a rather small population, that being 154,775 people. The island has an area of approximately 3,291 square miles (8,523.651). The island is vaguely shaped like a rectangle. The island isn’t well known outside of Chile, & generally doesn’t receive much tourism. Ecologically, the isle is incredibly biodiverse. The southwestern portion of the island consists of temperate forests, & swamps. Mountains adorn the island from the Northwestern area to the southeast area. The island consists of beautiful rugged coastlines, that border the Pacific Ocean, & the Sea of Chiloe. While the Western shores have a relatively straight coastline, the Northern & Eastern shores have hundreds of bays, inlets, & peninsulas. There are very few cities along the Western shores of Chiloe. The few cities that are on the island, are generally in capes, inlets, or small bays. The island has many whales, dolphins, & pinnipeds to offer ecologically. The island has a marginal sea named after it, called the Sea Of Chiloe. This is the only body of water separating the island from the mainland. The island is temperate, & generally cool as well as misty. The island’s rainforests & mountains are also temperate, & receive a fair amount of rain each year. The island is located off the southern coast of Chile, & is the largest island in the Chiloe Archipelago. The island has a rather small population, that being 154,775 people. The island has an area of approximately 3,291 square miles (8,523.651). The island is vaguely shaped like a rectangle. The island isn’t well known outside of Chile, & generally doesn’t receive much tourism. Ecologically, the isle is incredibly biodiverse. The southwestern portion of the island consists of temperate forests, & swamps. Mountains adorn the island from the Northwestern area to the southeast area. The island consists of beautiful rugged coastlines, that border the Pacific Ocean, & the Sea of Chiloe. While the Western shores have a relatively straight coastline, the Northern & Eastern shores have hundreds of bays, inlets, & peninsulas. The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Depth Of The Oceans Surrounding Chiloe Unfortunately, the salinity of the oceans surrounding Chiloe has not officially been measured yet. Salinity is measured in 1000 gram increments of water. For every 1000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This is how salinity or saline level is measured. There are also no ongoing factors that would lead to the salinity level being altered. The tidal charts for Chiloe can be found on a small amount websites, 2 of which are: https://www.tideschart.com , & https://tides4fishing.com . Generally, the tides do not go over 7.2 meters (23.622 feet) high, & do not go below -1.24 meters (-4.068241 feet). The oceanic temperature charts can be found on similar websites, including https://seatemperature.info , & https://www.tideschart.com . The yearly average oceanic temperature is approximately 12.008333333333° Celsius (53.6149999999993554° Fahrenheit). Using a wetsuit guide, it is recommended that those who swim, dive, or do oceanic sports in the water at this temperature should wear 7 millimeter thick full-body wetsuit, or an 8 millimeter thick semi-drysuit. While swimming isn’t very common around the island, kayaking, & occasionally diving is. There are very few rip currents, & the ocean is generally safe for swimmers, apart from being cold. The most popular beaches for swimming, kayaking, & related oceanic activities are currently: Playa Tongoy, Playa Arena Gruesa, & beaches along Parque Nacional De Chiloe. Pollution is very limited, & the water is generally very clean. As of 2026, there are no officially designated marine protected areas around the island. The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of Chiloe Ecosystem Type No. 1: Intertidal Zones Intertidal zones are located along the coastlines, & are exposed to air at low tide. These zones are where the ocean meets the shoreline, & contrary to popular perception, are absolutely teeming with oceanic life. From crabs to bivalves, this ecosystem has a unique variety of marine life, as well as a unique variety of features. These zones generally have species from the phyla Echinodermata, Arthropoda, & Mollusca in them. Additionally, these zones may have tide pools. These zones are the closest to the shoreline, & are extremely rocky on Chiloe. Ecosystem Type No. 2: Kelp Forests Kelp forests are some of the largest ecosystems of Patagonia. Kelp forests are large areas of kelp, that stretch for miles & miles. Each kelp stalk ranges from 25 to 100 feet (7.62 meters to 30.48 meters) tall. There are between 25 & 30 species of kelp in each forest. These forests are paramount to the marine life of Patagonia, as they provide shelter, food, & areas to breed as well as spawn. In addition to being the summit of marine life, these kelp forests are cardinal to absorbing carbon dioxide. Similar to trees, kelp absorbs carbon, often at a much faster rate. Without these kelp forests, mitigating the effects of carbon dioxide emissions would be a much bleaker task. These kelp forests are usually found in areas no shallower than 27 feet (8.2296 meters), & areas no deeper than 179 feet (54.5592 meters). The Documented Marine Flora Of Chiloe Unfortunately, very little is known about the native marine flora of Chiloe. Occasionally, there are harmful algal blooms along the coastline. These harmful blooms are caused by the algae species Alexandrium catenella. Harmful Algal blooms are known to cause oxygen depletion in the water, & to release algae produced toxins. These will negatively affect the local wildlife, & render certain areas uninhabitable for multiple weeks or months due to the lack of oxygen. The Documented Marine Fauna Of Chiloe Chiloe Island is an incredibly biodiverse island, & is home to many unique terrestrial, avian, & oceanic creatures. These creatures not only contribute to a unique environment, but they bring in quite a lot of revenue for the island in ecotourism. There are many companies that will offer whale watching, penguin watching, & dolphin watching tours to both tourists & locals. These tours drive international & domestic tourists, as many would not get to see a penguin naturally otherwise. Many marine creatures are migratory or do not inhabit Chiloe year round. For this reason, tracking the exact amount of species in the area is extremely difficult. This is the reason why we are only choosing to include the most prominent marine animals in this article. The most prominent marine creatures found around the oceans of Chiloe include the following: Lagenorhynchus australis (Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin), Balaenoptera musculus (Blue Whale), Arctocephalus australis (South American Fur Seal), Mirounga leonina (Southern Elephant Seal), Otaria flavescens (South American Sea Lions), Grampus griseus (Risso’s Dolphin), Cephalohynchus commersonii (Commerson’s Dolphin), & Lagenorhynchus obscurus (Dusky Dolphins). The glorious coastline of Chiloe Island, Chile. Credit to photographer Kyle Little. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Wetsuit thickness & temperature guide”, Written By Mark Evans, & Published On April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: April 9th, 2024. https://www.scubadivermag.com/wetsuit-thickness-and-temperature-guide/#Scuba_diving_wetsuits Citation No. 2: “Seabirds & Whales of Chiloe Island: The Diverse Marine Wildlife Of Northern Patagonia”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Far South Expeditions. Retrieval Date: April 10th, 2024. https://farsouthexp.com/portfolio/chiloe-whale-watching-tour/ Citation No. 3: “Marine Animals of Patagonia” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Swoop Patagonia. Retrieval Date: April 10th, 2024. https://www.swoop-patagonia.com/visit/wildlife/marine-animals Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A striking portrait of marine scientist Richard Rathbun, the subject of today’s article. This article is part of our Marine Hall of Distinction collection. In this special collection, we discuss the marine biologists who have contributed most to marine biology & oceanography. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists & show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Richard Rathbun. Richard Rathbun was one of the most distinguished authorities on marine science in the 19th, & early 20th century. He was an essential figure to the development of the Smithsonian Institution, & was well known for his work with invertebrate zoology. He was extraordinarily accomplished in the fields of marine sciences, museum sciences, palaeontology, & geology. In today’s article, we will delve into his formative years & education, his personal life & career, as well as his achievements, awards, & accomplishments. With that being said, let’s plunge into the fascinating life of Richard Rathbun! His Formative Years & Education Richard Rathbun was born on January 25th, 1852, in Buffalo, New York. He was born to Charles Rathbun, & Jane Furey Rathbun. His father, Charles, was a descendant of a lineage of enterprising stone masons that immigrated from England during the early 1600's, & operated numerous successful quarries around the greater Buffalo area. He was educated as a young man in Buffalo Public Schools, & at the age of 15 years, began working as an overseer & financial clerk in one of his father’s quarries. Upon joining the quarry, he noticed that they would frequently stumble across Silurian-era fossils. This fascinated him deeply, leading him to spend his weekends, evenings, & even holidays researching palaeontology. This fervent interest led him to donate numerous fossils to the Boston Society of Natural Sciences, so much so that he was installed as the curator of palaeontology for their museum. In 1871, he met Charles Fred Hartt, a professor of geology at Cornell University. Dr. Hartt saw a fire in young Rathbun, encouraging him to join Cornell Universities geology program. Rathbun obliged, & entered the University that year, alongside the cohort of 1875. Dr. Hartt also assigned him the task of reviewing, & analyzing a collection of Devonian & Cretaceous fossils that Hartt had collected in Brazil, leading to the publication of his first paper “On Devonian Brachiopods of Erere, Province of Pará, Brazil”, in the bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. To prepare & gather information for the paper, he spent time under the guidance of James Hall. Soon after, he published “Preliminary Report on Cretaceous Lamellibranchs collected in the vicinity of Pernambuco, Brazil”, in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History in 1874. For research purposes, he attended the lectures of the prestigious Alexander Agassiz, during the last year of his life. His Personal Life & Career After spending 2 years at Cornell, he decided to leave, deciding to work with the Museum of Comparative Ecology, as well as be an assistant in zoology with the Boston Society of Natural History. He stayed in these roles from 1873, to 1875. During the summer months of these years, he volunteered under the guidance of Spencer Fullerton Baird, joining oceanic expeditionsl by the United States Fish Commission along the New England Coast. This sparked his connection with the Smithsonian Institution, as they took a prominent role in leading these expeditions. This connection would last for the rest of his life. In 1875, his mentor Professor Charles F. Hartt arranged for him to be appointed as a a geologist with the Geological Commission of Brazil. This allowed him to conduct a multitude of expeditions in the Bay of Bahia region, study the local fossils, the ethnology of the local people, & the coral reefs. A report on the geology & local coral reefs was published in 1878, through the National Museum of Sao Paulo. Upon returning to the United States in March, 1878, he donated a variety of Devonian & Cretaceous Era fossils to the United States National Museum. His connection with Spencer F. Baird lead him to entering the position of Scientific Assistant for the United States Fish Commission, a position which he stayed in until 1896. In 1880, as the United States National Museum was close to completion, he was transferred from New Haven, Connecticut, to Washington D.C. Upon being transferred, he would be appointed curator of marine invertebrates of the National Museum, while maintaining his position at the United States Commission of Fish. The administrative work assigned to Rathbun gradually grew until his mentor Spencer F. Baird’s death, in 1887. During research conducted in collaboration with marine scientist & professor A. E. Verill, Dr. Verill was made the official head of certain summer investigations with the Fish Commission. Although he was the technical head, Rathbun was the primary overseer of these collections, & handled day to day maintenance. He also worked to create duplicates of their marine invertebrate collection to send to other institutions such as museums, schools, & universities. Between 1880, & 1881, he was hired by the Tenth Census to research & report on the natural history & economic values of lobster, shrimp, crab, sponge, & corals. He contributed approximately 550 pages to this project, along with 106 plates. He would go on later to release similar papers on the decrease in lobster population, cultural value of lobsters, prawn & shrimp fisheries, fisheries in Washington state, fisheries in British Columbia, & giant squid. During the Great International Fisheries Exhibition of 1883, he presented this catalogue of information regarding the economic importance of these groups, along with another catalogue discussing the scientific investigation of the ocean & freshwater areas. He also participated in the preparation & publication of reports for dredging stations for the United States Fish Commission. Around this time, he organized the Paris fur seal Tribunal, which involved yearly surveys to the Bering Sea to assess the Fur Seal population, & also served as the representative on the Joint Commission with Great Britain relative to the preservation of fisheries contiguous in the United States & Canada. In 1896, he left the Commission of Fish in favour of the Smithsonian Institution. He was apparently Assistant Secretary in 1897. Due to his administrative duties, from this point onward, he had little time for original scientific inquiry. In his capacity as secretary,  he personally oversaw the National Gallery of Art being built, & assisted in the ingenuity of powered flight by personally responding to an inquiry of the Wright Brothers. Unfortunately, on July 16th, 1918, Richard Rathbun passed away in his home in Washington D.C. He was married to Lena Augusta Hume at an unknown date, & together they had 1 son, architect Seward Rathbun. His contributions to the field of marine science & palaeontology were immense, & his work will not be forgotten. He is fondly remembered by many, & remains a respected scholar today. His Achievements, Awards, & Accomplishments He was one of the reasons for the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, as he personally reviewed & orchestrated the delivery of pamphlets on aeronautics to their request in 1899. Orville & Wilbur Wright would go on to use their research to achieve the world’s first powered flight in 1903. He was the Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, & personally oversaw the installation of the National Gallery of Art. He was a fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science. He was awarded an honorary M.S. in 1893 by Indiana University, as well as a doctorate in science in 1894 by Bowdoin College. He was honoured by having a genus of Ronquil fish, Rathbunella, named after him, for his contributions to science. He was a member of numerous scientific societies, including the Biological Society of Washington, the Washington Academy of Sciences, the American Society of Naturalists, the Boston Society of Natural History, the Fisheries Society of Finland, the Russian Imperial Society of the Acclimatization of Animals & Plants, the American Fisheries Society, & the American Association of Museums. A scholarly photograph of Richard Rathbun writing at his desk. Directories / Credits No. 1: “Richard Rathbun”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Prabook. https://prabook.com/web/mobile/#!profile/1103904 No. 2: “Richard Rathbun Launched Wright Brothers’ Research”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Smithsonian Institution. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_3900 No. 3: “Richard Rathbun”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Smithsonian Institution. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_2966 No. 4:  “Richard Rathbun Papers, 1870-1918 and Undated”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Smithsonian Institution. https://www.si.edu/object/richard-rathbun-papers-1870-1918-and-undated:siris_arc_217236 No. 5: “Richard Rathbun and His Contributions to Zoology”, Written by Wesley R. Coe, & Published in December 1918. Published by the American Journal of Science. https://ajsonline.org/article/136592-richard-rathbun-and-his-contributions-to-zoology No. 6: “Richard Rathbun”, Written by Marcus Benjamin, & Published on September 6th, 1918. Published by JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1641962 Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

Today’s nautical chart is an ancient 278-year-old map of South Asia, & the Indo-Pacific. Until the early 1500s, maps & information about South Asia were not widely available across Europe. As the ability to mass-produce maps grew across Europe, information from all corners of the world began to reach the continent. The map is moderately sized at 34.5 inches wide, & 20.5 inches long. Uncharacteristically for the time, the chart is brightly coloured with greens, reds, yellows, & teals used to indicate different regions. In addition to being brightly coloured, an elaborate cartouche with designs of cannons, drums, spears, swords, anchors, & flags can be seen in the lower left corner. In today’s article, we are going to examine this antique map, discuss it, & perform an analysis of it. With that being said, let’s delve into the tropical waters of South Asia! The Chart Itself A magnificent nautical chart of South Asia produced by Homann Heirs in 1748. Credit to raremaps.com . This chart is focused on the Indo-Pacific, & features modern-day Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, South China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, & the Philippines. Sri Lanka is referred to as “Ceilan”, as it was referred to as Ceylon until 1972. The entire chart is in German, as it was produced in Nuremberg, Germany. Between the 15th, & 18th centuries, Nuremberg was one of the scientific, & cartographic capitals of the world, with many charts produced in the city being used in other areas of Europe. The chart showcases hundreds, possibly even thousands of place names all over South Asia. From India, to Timor Leste, hundreds of coastal & inland cities are featured on the map. Additionally, the Tropic of Cancer is featured, labelled “Tropicus Cancri”. Apart from a few small brown spots around the sides, the chart is in magnificent condition for the time. An Analysis Of The Chart This chart was manufactured in 1748 in Nuremberg, Germany, by Homann Heirs. Homann Heirs was a cartographic house that operated from 1702 to 1848 in Germany. It was founded by Johann Baptist Homann in 1702, before being passed along to his son Johann Christoph upon his death in 1724. Christoph suffered an untimely death in 1730 at the age of 27, & the firm was inherited by Johann Michael Franz, & Johann Georg Ebersberger. This led to the name of the house being changed from “Homann Erben”, to “Homann Heirs”. It was known by a variety of names including but not limited to “Homanniani Heredes”, “Heritiers de Homann”, “Lat Homannianos Herod”, & “Homannschen Erben”. These names were primarily used for commercial publication in foreign countries. The firm operated until the death of its final owner, Christoph Franz Fembo in 1848. This chart was titled “Carte Des Indes Orientales dessinee suivant les Observations les plus recentes dont le principal est tiree des Cartes hydrographiques de Mr. D'Apres de Mannevillette”, which roughly translates to “Map of the East Indies drawn up according to the most recent observations, the main source of which is Mr. D'Apres de Mannevillette's hydrographic charts.” The chart was most likely manufactured for civilian purposes, rather than for military use. Considering the age of the map, it was most likely manufactured using the engraving method. In this technique, there are 4 roles, the mapmaker, the engraver, the printer, & the colourist. The first step in this process is that the mapmaker will go out & make a hand-drawn map of the area where the map will encompass. Effectively, the mapmaker is the informant who makes the first copy. After this, the engraver will create a design of the map in reverse on a metal, usually copper, surface. Usually, there would only be 1-2 plates used, however, it differs depending on the size of the map. After the copper plate is made, the printer will heat the copper panel, & then proceed to lather it with ink. They will then wipe the copper panel down to the point where the ink is only on the grooves of the panel. Thereafter, the printer will press damp paper onto the ink, & hang it up to dry. To conclude, the colourist will touch up the map & decorate it by adding in details, such as shorelines, docks, piers, rocks, & shoals. The result should be a detailed chart with colour, & depth, useful to any sailor of the era traversing the dangerous ocean. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Rare Maps, a California rare & antique maps store. To purchase this chart, antique atlases, or other cartographic objects, please visit www.raremaps.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Rare Maps, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A magnificent photograph of Peale’s Black-Chinned Dolphin. Credit to Caroline Weir. This month’s article series shall be discussing the Patagonian Chiloe Island. Chiloe Island, also known as the Greater Island of Chiloe, is an island in the Chiloe Archipelago off the coast of Chile. The island is located off the southern coast of Chile, & is the largest island in the Chiloe Archipelago. The island has a rather small population, that being 154,775 people. The island has an area of approximately 3,291 square miles (8,523.651). The island is vaguely shaped like a rectangle. The island isn’t well known outside of Chile, & generally doesn’t receive much tourism. Ecologically, the isle is incredibly biodiverse. The southwestern portion of the island consists of temperate forests, & swamps. Mountains adorn the island from the Northwestern area to the southeast area. The island consists of beautiful rugged coastlines, that border the Pacific Ocean, & the Sea of Chiloe. While the Western shores have a relatively straight coastline, then Northern & Eastern shores have hundreds of bays, inlets, & peninsulas. In the waters off of these coastlines, lay a statuesque creature known as Peale’s Black-Chinned Dolphin. The Black Chinned Dolphin, also known as Peale’s Dolphin, is a species of dolphin found off the coast of Patagonia, & the tip of South America. They are found in both the Pacific & Atlantic Ocean. They are rather sociable creatures, & can be found in small groups roaming around near kelp beds. Individuals are commonly seen off the coast of Chiloe, playing in the water. They are extremely recognizable, as their underbellies are dark grey, while the rest of their body is black. Individuals tend to live in shallower waters, however they are known to inhabit waters as deep as 300 meters (984.252 feet). In this article we shall discuss the discovery & life of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin, the mating techniques, tactics, strategies, practices, procedures, & habits of Peale’s Black Chinned dolphin, the distribution of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin, & finally the scientific detailings of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin. With that being said, let us delve into this gorgeous & intelligent creature. The Discovery & Life Of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin The Black Chinned Dolphin was discovered in 1848, by scientific illustrator & naturalist Titain Ramsey Peale. Individuals are approximately 2.1 meters long once they have reached maturity. They weigh between 100 & 115 kilograms (220.462 to 253.532 pounds). There is slight sexual dimorphism in this species, meaning that males are slightly larger then females. Their life span has an average of 25, & generally individuals don’t live longer than 40 years. It is a well documented fact that dolphins are incredibly intelligent. Individuals are able to communicate their needs with each other & humans. They are also capable of learning tricks or mirroring other dolphins behaviours. Some studies suggest that dolphins are some of the smartest animals, only second to humans. They are incredibly social animals & seem to have almost their own language. Black Chinned Dolphins themselves are known to congregate in groups of 30 to 100 at a time, however these groups are very loose, & not fixed. They will make clicking noises towards each other in these groups, with each dolphin having their own personal call. Using brain size as a barometer, dolphins come in very close to humans in brain to body size ratio. They seem to be the second animals on this scale. However, the vast majority of the ocean is still undiscovered, so this very well may change. They have also developed a use for underwater echolocation. They use echolocation in order to hunt in particularly deep water or water with very low visibility. They also have excellent memories, they are able to remember the faces of their caretakers in certain areas like rehabilitation centers. They also will favour certain humans over others. They are able to crave or want attention from certain humans, this is most well documented in the Nasa-funded experiment known as “Dolphinarium”. In this experiment Margaret Howe Lovatt attempted to teach an adolescent dolphin “Peter” to speak English. This did not work as Peter became attracted to the scientist, & refused to be without her. He became territorial over her, becoming aggressive towards the male scientists she worked with. This proves that dolphins have the capacity to love in a sense, & to love things that aren’t their own species. In that same vein, they are able to feel jealousy. Dolphins in the wild don’t interact with humans very often, however when they do, they are generally playful & mischievous. Generally, individuals are not aggressive towards humans, however they are aggressive towards each other. Despite the majority of individuals not being territorial, dolphins are known to be incredibly & needlessly aggressive towards each other & other marine mammals. Dolphins as a whole have existed for approximately 10 to 15 million years. It is unclear how fast Black Chinned Dolphins is able to swim, however it is clear how they are able to swim. They swim by moving their tail flukes up & down through the water column, while using their pectoral fins to steer. They remain buoyant by storing extra fat in their bodies, as fat weighs less then water. This species is incredibly agile, & is able to swiftly maneuver through the ocean. Dolphins sleep by turning off half their brains, & resting straight up near the surface of the water. The reason for only turning off half their brain, is that they have to maintain consciousness if a predator or threat arrives. The diet of the Black Chinned Dolphin consists largely of squid, octopi, & shrimp. They are not cannibalistic at any stage in their development. It is not clear what their metabolic rate is, or how much they consume per day. They are active predators, & are diurnal creatures. Detection of prey is through echolocation for farther objects, & electroreception for closer objects. It is not clear what kinds of predators they have, or how their relationship with these predators change as they age. Their primary threat is pollution, rather than any marine animal. Peale’s Dolphins have sturdy & fatty bodies, with a slight curve in their beaks. Individuals have dark grey underbellies, with the rest of their bodies being black. Their dorsal fins are bow shaped. This species has been assessed by the IUCN Red List, & has been thankfully categorized as Least Concern. Their population trend is unknown. The Mating Techniques, Tactics, Strategies, Practices, Procedures, & Habits Of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin This species reproduces via sexual reproduction, & has 2 distinct sexes. They are not monogamous, & are instead polyamorous. Females will reach sexual maturity at 10 to 15 years of age, while males will reach it at 13 to 17 years of age. It seems that they do have a specific breeding system, that being October through April. It is not clear how exactly males & females find each other to copulate, however it is assumed that they congregate in large groups. Once the couple have engaged in copulation, the female will gestate it for 10 to 12 months. The male will have no part in the baby or the mothers life after this. The female will give birth to the baby live, & nurse the calf for 1 & a half years. The mother will only have 1 calf at a time, as they are absolutely massive. A mother might be able to have twins, however it is extremely rare, difficult, & complicated to do. The calves will rely on the mother for primary nutrition, however will begin hunting & digesting solid foods at 6 months to 1 year of age. The Distribution Of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin The Black Chinned Dolphin is found around the southern tip of South America, & is found as far north as Valdivia, Chile. They inhabit both coastal waters, & open oceans. They commonly live in inlets, & bays, however they avoid swamps & brackish water. The Scientific Detailings Of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphin Dolphins are quite infamous for a few things, however the main thing is that they are able to blow water out of a hole in the top of their head. The reason that they do this is because they have to breathe through their nostrils. They cannot breathe underwater like many other marine animals. To be clear, the water that they blow out does not come from the dolphins lungs. It is the water that already sits atop their head. They blow this water out to inhale, as they are able to only inhale through their blowholes. It is unclear whether or not this species any major parasites. If it does, these species are likely to be intestinal parasites, & skin parasites. Copepods are commonly found in dolphins as a group, however they have not been confirmed to parasitize this species. Black Chinned Dolphins have 1 row of small sharp teeth on both their upper & lower jaw, used for ripping into fish. Their bone structure is similar to most other Dolphins. Their blood is iron based, meaning that is red. It is believed that all dolphin species have evolved from an ungulate known as Pakicetus. This creature was a four-legged mammal that was able to walk on land 50 million years ago. Overtime, Pakicetus began to live around water, & adapted to do so. Over the course of 50 million years, the creature evolved to fully live in water. This is reason we have modern cetaceans. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Mammalia. Mammalia is classified by the production of milk by the mother for their child to nurse, a neocortex which is a region of the brain, some capacity of fur or hair, & three middle ear bones.  There are currently 6,400 species categorized under the class of Mammalia. Their order is Artiodactyla. which are even toed ungulates. Species categorized under Artiodactyla are ungulates, hoofed animals which bear weight equally on two of their five toes, these toes are the third & fourth toes. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigal, or pointing posteriorly. Their infraorder is that of Cetacea. Key characteristics of this infraorder are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size & exclusively carnivorous diet. Another characteristic is their incredible social intelligence. There are roughly 90 species categorized under Cetacea. Their family is Delphinidae. This family consists of most oceanic dolphins. This family does not include river dolphins. Two characteristics of this order is that they are purely carnivorous & they are all usually incredibly social creatures. Some great examples of this are the fact that majority of these species live in pods or large groups. Their genus is that of Lagenorhynchus. Laegenorhynchus is a genus of dolphins that currently contains 6 extant species. This genus is polyphyletic, meaning that species in this genus come from mixed origin, & that the genus doesn’t include their most recent common ancestor. Their binomial name is Lagenorhynchus Australis. A pod of Peale’s Black Chinned Dolphins excitedly leaping through the air. Credit to Oceanwide Expeditions. https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/ Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Peale’s Dolphin”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceanwide Expeditions. Retrieval Date: April 2nd, 2024. https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/to-do-amp/wildlife/peale-s-dolphin Citation No. 2: “Peale’s Dolphin”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Whale & Dolphin Conservation. Retrieval Date: April 2nd, 2024. https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/peales-dolphin/ Citation No. 3: “Peale’s Dolphin”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Animalia. Retrieval Date: April 2nd, 2024. https://animalia.bio/peales-dolphin Citation No. 4: “Peale’s Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus Australis)”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Dolphins World. Retrieval Date: April 2nd, 2024. https://www.dolphins-world.com/peales-dolphin/ Citation No. 5: “Peale’s Dolphin Facts | Anatomy, Diet, Migration, & Reproduction” Written by Unknown, & Published by Whale Facts. Retrieval Date: April 2nd, 2024. https://www.whalefacts.org/peales-dolphin-facts/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A vivid photograph of Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. Credit to Go Fish Punta Mita. In this article, we shall be discussing the Documented History of Sayulita. Sayulita is a small resort town on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It is located in the Nayarit state, & is just north of Banderas Bay. Their beaches are extremely popular amongst surfers, & have been popular for a long time. Additionally, the coastline is popular amongst snorkelers & scuba divers alike. Its proximity to Puerto Vallarta also helps with domestic tourism. The nightlife is extremely active, which is a very attractive feature. Well known for its food, never ending parties, & wildlife, the city truly has something to offer to almost everyone. However, with all of these intriguing things to do, many often forget about the magnificent wildlife of Sayulita. Sayulita has many, many different creatures, from whales, to geckos, to land crabs. The landscape is vast, & unequivocally biodiverse. Approximately 300 bird species are found in the city, both near the coast & the mountains. However, this is not these are not the only things Sayulita has to offer, as the area has a rich & beautiful history. Sayulita’s name comes from an Aztec word, Sayolin, which means “The Place of the Flies”. The city was named by Nahuatl resident Don Lauro González Guerra. A few sources claim that he named it after Sayula, Jalisco, Mexico, however this is not confirmed. For the majority of its history, Sayulita has been isolated from the rest of Mexico, & has developed largely on its own. The indigenous aboriginals that inhabited the area prior the Spaniards sailing in, are the Huichol. They still inhabit the area, & are extremely active. These indigenous aboriginals, are descended directly from the Aztecs. In this article, we shall discuss the documented history of Sayulita, the indigenous aboriginals of Sayulita, the most destructive man-caused & natural disasters to affect Sayulita, & the economic state of Sayulita. With that being said, let us delve into the rich, tropical, & intriguing history of Sayulita, Mexico. The Documented History Of Sayulita Before Colonization Prior to Colonization, Sayulita was inhabited by the Aztecs, & later the Huichol. These people would fish, & generally use the coastline as a source of economic development. After Colonization By The Spaniards Historical Events From The 1500’s To The 1800’s The first Spanish Explorer sailed in, in the year 1524. This explorer went by the name of Francisco Cortés de San Buenaventura. Upon sailing in, it was discovered by him & his men that Sayulita had a lot of economic potential, as the coconut palms in the region provide a rich palm oil. The men quickly began working to extract the oil, & shipping it out. For the next few centuries, this is largely what sustained the economy. After Mexico’s Independence Historical Events From The 1900’s During the turn of the century, Sayulita had a mere 6 to 10 houses, with 6 to 10 families. In 1936, the cities future seemed dire, so much so that a Mexican resident Don Santiago gave the families in the area plots of land, to prevent the city from falling apart. During this time, Palm Oil was still the main source of revenue for the city, however this began to slowly change. Slowly, people came in from all around, as they began to recognize the cities beauty, & fishing began to become more popular. In the 1940’s, agriculture & fishing began to appear, & slowly grew as an industry in the city. As early as the 1960’s, American, British, Australian, Mexican, & Brazilian surfers would visit the city to surf. This prompted the construction of the Las Varas-Vallarta highway, which opened the city to even more tourism. As these surfers began to spread the knowledge of the city, more began to trickle in. By the 1990’s, Sayulita’s main economic source shifted to tourism, & surfers found the area increasingly attractive. The Indigenous Aboriginals Of Sayulita The Huichol Indigenous Aboriginals Of Sayulita The Huichol Indigenous Aboriginals are a small group of Native Mexicans found in the state of Nayarit. They refer to themselves as Wixàritari.They primarily inhabit the Sierra Madre Mountains. They are considered to be the last tribe in North America to still practice Pre-Columbian traditions. As of 2026, there are approximately 35,000 living Huichols. They traditionally speak the Wixárika Niukiyari language, which belongs to the Uto-Aztecan Language Family. The modern diet of the average Huichol individual primarily consists of cheese, milk, rice, pasta, beans, corn tortillas, peppers, & various vegetables. As for livestock, many keep cattle, chickens, pigs, & goats. It is not clear whether or not they practice agriculture. The Huichol people are directly descended from the Aztecs. Marriage in their culture is often arranged between 2 families, for individuals between 14 & 17 years of age. Once married, the couple will traditionally live in a stone house with thatched roofs. These houses are constructed with the family in mind, & have a communal kitchen. Oftentimes, these houses will be on a ranch, & have family shrines known as Xiriki. The family model is built around extended family, instead of a smaller nuclear family. Districts of related ranchos are known as a temple district. These temple districts comprise a larger district, which are governed by a council of shamans known as Kawiterutsixi. Possibly the most popular things the Huichol are known for, are their beadwork, yarn paintings, & embroidery. The Huichol people make many artistic pieces, often with religious or naturalistic influences. These pieces are important to their culture, & to their shamanistic traditions. As they have lived in the mountains for hundreds of years, they find the mountains to be sacred. In their belief system, the mountains are home to mystical beings. Their religion & world view is deeply tied to nature, & the land they live on. Traditionally, the belief is that 2 governing gods rule the world, those being Tayuapá the sun god, & Nacawé the rain goddess. In their creation myth, Tayuapá created humans with his own saliva, & dropped them in the ocean waves. Afterward, he flew across the ocean in a bird form, & dropped a large cross in the ocean. He climbed this cross from the ocean floor, & killed all the darkness of the world, leaving light alone. The Most Destructive Man Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect Sayulita Disaster No. 1: Hurricane Rosalyn Hurricane Rosalyn was a category 4 hurricane in the Pacific Ocean, lasting from October 20th, 2022, to October 24th, 2022. It was the tenth hurricane in the 2022 Pacific Hurricane Season. It effected the Pacific coast of Mexico, & caused approximately 56.7 million U.S.D in damages. As of 2026, there are 4 recognized direct fatalities as a result of the storm. The Economic State Of Sayulita The economic state of Sayulita is relatively stable. The primary industry of Sayulita is tourism, which greatly benefits the locals. With the economic boom caused by tourists, many businesses have been able to grow & expand in ways that were previously not possible. As of 2026, the average cost of living for a local is 1,266 U.S.D per month. A photograph of a beach crowded with vibrant umbrellas along Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. Credit to Randy Kostichka. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “History; Culture; & Tourism | Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By Villa Los Corales. Retrieval Date: March 27th, 2024. https://villaloscorales.com/sayulita-nayarit-history-culture-and-tourism/ Citation No. 2: “Sayulita’s Past & Present”, Written by Maria Zache, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Sayulita Life. Retrieval Date: March 27th, 2024. https://www.sayulitalife.com/sayulita-past-present Citation No. 3: “Sayulita, Mexico: Where Magic Meets History” Written by Jessica VanNess, & Published on August 19th, 2023. Published by Process Ceramics. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://www.processceramics.com/unearthing-the-journey/sayulita-mexico-where-magic-meets-history?format=amp Citation No. 4: “Sayulita, Nayarit” Written by María Fernanda Romero Villavicencio, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Timeline. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/sayulita Citation No. 5: “The Huichol of the Sierra Madre” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By the Dance Of The Deer Foundation. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://www.shamanism.com/huichol Citation No. 6: “Huichol Culture, Art, & Religious Traditions” Written By Unknown, & Published on May 25th, 2021. Published by Garza Blanca Resorts. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://www.garzablancaresort.com/blog/puerto-vallarta/huichol-culture/ Citation No. 7: “Hurricane Rosalyn” Written By Robbie Berg, & Published on February 15th, 2023. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/EP192022_Roslyn.pdf Citation No. 8: “Cost Of Living In Sayulita” Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Nomad. Retrieval Date: March 28, 2024. https://nomadlist.com/cost-of-living/in/sayulita Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

This month’s article series will be about… The island of Saint Lucia! It is its own country. From its closest point to the mainland it is 186.04 Nautical/Marine miles (214.091009 miles or 344.54608 kilometers) from mainland Venezuela. It is also 1314.27 Nautical/Marine miles (1512.434905 miles or 2434.02804 kilometers) from mainland Florida. It exists in the Caribbean & is one of the safest Caribbean islands to visit. It has a beautiful bustling ecosystem that is full of colour & many different strange species. Since it is in a tropical area & also it has many oceanic nutrients, it is incredibly appealing to many species for all sorts of purposes. This makes it incredibly biodiverse. One of the interesting species that are found here, is the slender sea horse. It is not found here for part of the year due to migration cycles, it does not live around Saint Lucia year-round. Some people even say that there is a sea horse mania due to the high concentration of them. In this article, we will discuss the life of the slender seahorse, the mating procedures, tactics, practices, & cycles of the slender sea horse, the distribution of the sea horse, & the scientific details of the sea horse. With that being said, let us delve into the slender sea horse of Saint Lucia. The Lives Of The Slender Sea Horse The Slender Sea Horse was discovered in 1933. It is unknown who exactly discovered it as it was described in a scientific report but the author did not clearly take credit for its discovery. Slender Sea Horses are usually a maximum height of 6.9 inches (17.526 centimeters) for both genders. They do not have an age where they reach maturity, but rather a height with that height being at 3.1 inches (7.874 Centimeters). They usually weigh between 7 ounces & 1 pound (0.198447 to 0.453592 kilograms), this does not change by gender. Its average life span is 2.5 years however this may change depending on the environment. Sea horses are incredibly socially smart & do often form emotional bonds & communicate with each other. They are incredibly social & often live in herds when captured, however they often do live in solitude in the wild. They do have some capacity for memory as they often remember humans who have taken care of them & they remember each other. They also form social hierarchies in herds. They also can form a trust for each other & humans. This species has existed for about 13 million years as those are our oldest fossils of them. Their diet usually consists of krill, copepods, plankton, fish larvae, & occasionally shrimp. Small marine crustaceans are also a common part of their diet. They will also consume any types of small edibles that are around them that they can consume. They are not cannibalistic in any capacity whatsoever. They will often eat up to 3000 pieces of food per day. This is not a result of an accelerated metabolism. The predators they encounter depend on the areas that they are in, however the most common ones for the Saint Lucia population are crabs, larger fish, sharks, & sting rays. Slender Sea Horses are not very territorial & will not fight over territory. Their territories that they do claim often overlap into each other. These territories are often at a size of 1,100 square feet (102.1933 square meters). They are not often aggressive to each other or to humans if left unprovoked. They are not endangered and are categorized as “Not Threatened” on the IUCN list. Besides mating, they often do not engage with other sea horses. They are often yellow brown, or white in colour. However they can be two-toned. A good way to identify them is that they have small black spots along their bodies that other sea horses do not have. The males have a smooth pouch & the females do not. Its head is horse-like & curves down, they also have a longer snout than other sea horse species. The Mating Procedures, Cycles, Tactics, & Practices Of The Slender Sea Horse Slender sea horses mate via sexual reproduction. They mate underwater via internal fertilization. They do not have a specific age, but rather a size that they reach sexual maturity at. That size is 3 inches long. They are not hermaphroditic. Seahorses are monogamous & will form emotional bonds with each other. They stay together for their entire lives after the initial courtship ritual. They have an interesting courtship ritual, in which the male may change colour & inflate his smooth pouch. This pouch is located at the base of his tail. The female & male will then perform a sort of dramatic dance around each other. In this dance they may flutter their fins, synchronize tail movements, & twirl around each other. It is not clear how long this dance is actually supposed to last, however, can last for up to a few days before they begin to mate. After this dance is performed the female will deposit her eggs into the male’s pouch. The female will use her ovipositor in order to do so. The male will then fertilize the eggs, there are usually about 1,600 eggs that will be deposited. However not all of these eggs will hatch or reach adulthood. These eggs are usually 1.2 millimeters (0.0472441 inches or 0.12 centimeters) in diameter. The eggs will take on average 2 weeks to hatch. However, it may take up to 30 days for the father to birth the juveniles. During this period the male will regulate the salinity level in his abdomen to the outside salinity in order to prepare the babies for the salinity once they are birthed. Once the male is ready to give birth to them, his abdomen will open & expel the juvenile seahorses into the ocean. These children will look almost identical to their parents as soon as they have been released. However, some may not be fully developed & still be curled up & covered in egg membrane. This will most likely not affect them later in life. It is not clear the exact percentage of how many of the eggs are actually fertilized & come out alive. It is also not clear what happens to the unfertilized eggs that don’t come out. After they are birthed, the father & mother will not continue to partake in the babies’ lives & will leave to have another group of children. After this, only 0.5% of the children will survive to adulthood to have their own children. It is not clear how many groups of children they will have per year. They also do not have a specific mating season. It is also not clear at what age they are most fertile. The Distribution Of The Slender Sea Horse Slender sea horses are found all throughout the Caribbean. They seem to prefer warmer waters as they are found in higher concentrations around the Caribbean, Brazil, & Venezuela. However, they are found as far north as Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Another reason for them being in the tropics is that there is more flora to blend in with as their main means of defense is camouflage. They reproduce quickly, so this may be a reason why they are found in very many places. Food is also readily available in the tropics so that may be a contributing factor. They do have a bodily cooling system which gives them a bit of freedom when choosing an environment. They have shown signs of migrating further north so in the future we may have a different idea of what environment they prefer. The image above depicts a map of the distribution of Hippocampus Reidi. The Scientific Detailings Of The Slender Sea Horse The Slender Sea Horse is incredibly interesting for many reasons but the most well-known of them all is that the male gets pregnant & gives birth instead of the female. This is a trait that is only found in sea horses & sea dragons. This is due to an interesting attribute, the male has a pouch that the female releases her eggs into. In turn, the male fertilizes the eggs & once he is ready, an opening in his abdomen appears & through muscle contractions he pushes out the juveniles. This, however, is not the only specialized thing about them. They have specialized structures within their skin cells that are called chromatophores. This allows them to change colour in order to mimic their surroundings. They are able to do this seemingly at will. Sea horses lack teeth, instead having a long snout that they use to vacuum prey into their throats. This is why they can only consume very small edibles. They also lack a stomach & have an incredibly unique digestive tract which is only found in sea horses. The way that they digest is that their snout sucks the food in & it disintegrates as it goes through the snout. Due to this, they have to eat continuously to live or they will die of starvation. A sea horse’s anal fin is also on the front of the sea horse, it is near the torso of the sea horse. The male’s pouch so to speak, is just below the anal fin. The gills of the sea horse are located on the side of their head & are shaped like a circle. It is quite noticeable. Their tail is square in bone structure. Their skeleton is a bone structure of interlocking bones. If you look at a Slender Sea Horse’s entire body you will notice that all of it is built in a very similar way besides the skull. The image above depicts a sea horse skeleton replica. Their bones make them not very appealing to crabs as they cannot be gripped onto by crabs’ claws. Their anatomy makes it incredibly hard for them to swim at a fast pace. Their fins do not help with speed at all, and are mostly used by the sea horse to steer. After a long journey, they can die quickly of exhaustion. They also swim upright, unlike any other fish in the ocean. Occasionally, they will use their tail to wrap around seaweed or other types of flora. They have been captured by humans & are friendly towards humans. Sea horses all evolved from pipefish-like species. This can be seen due in that there is a present genome in them that is found in almost every pipefish species. Their phylum is Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics. All species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. Their order is Syngnathiformes. This is an order of ray-skinned fishes that includes trumpetfish & sea horses. A characteristic of being categorized under this order is that their bodies are narrow & surrounded by a series of bony rings. Another characteristic is their long tubular mouths. Their family is Syngathidae. This is a family of sea horses & pipefish. A characteristic of them is their elongated snout. Another characteristic is that they lack pelvic fins. Their genus is Hippocampus. A feature that is found in all of them is their bone structure leaves them in an upright position. Hippocampus is one of the genuses that make up the family of Syngathidae. Directories / References https://www.diveagainstdebris.org/blog/scuba-st-lucia/aug-06-16/seahorse-mania https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/hippocampus-reidi/ https://seahorse.com/topic/how-smart-are-these-creatures/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/seahorses https://www.theseahorsetrust.org/seahorse-facts/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4778478/ ThoughtCohttps://www.thoughtco.com › longs...Facts About the Longsnout or Slender Seahorse https://www.iucn-seahorse.org › iuc...Global IUCN Red List Assessments https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34331361/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/gallery/see-a-male-seahorse-give-birth/ https://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/2016/06/19/seahorses-super-dads-sea/ https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/seahorse.html https://www.google.com/amp/s/poseidonsweb.com/seahorse-anatomy-differences-way-beyond-cute/amp/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa

A striking black-and-white photograph of Mary Jane Rathbun. This article is part of our Marine Hall of Distinction collection. In this special collection, we discuss the marine biologists who have contributed most to marine biology & oceanography. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists & show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Mary Jane Rathbun. Mary Jane Rathbun was the nation’s first female carcinologist, & one of the most esteemed marine scientists of all time. She is well known for her groundbreaking work with crustaceans, & discovery of over 1,166 species. In today’s article, we will delve into her formative years & education, her personal life & career, as well as her achievements, awards, & accomplishments. With that being said, let’s plunge into the captivating world of crustaceans! Her Formative Years & Education Mary J. Rathbun was born on June 11th, 1860 in Buffalo, New York. Her father, Charles Rathbun, was a descendant of a lineage of enterprising stone masons that immigrated from England during the early 1600's. He owned several quarries & was extremely successful as the city of Buffalo built much infrastructure around this time, causing an increased demand for stone. His house, the house Mary J. Rathbun was born & spent her childhood in, was built with this same stone. She attended Buffalo public schools for her primary education, & was said to be gifted in reading, writing, & arithmetic. During her secondary education at a Central School, she focused her studies on English, & spent her 4 years focused on literature, & writing. For her efforts, she was named a Star Scholar each year at the institution, & awarded the Jesse Ketchum Gold Medal, First Class, for excellence in English. She later attributed much of her success to this rigorous study of English during her early years. She graduated in 1878, the same year the phonograph was invented. She did not attend any university, or college to further her education. Her Personal Life & Career Her foray into the field of marine science began in 1881, when she accompanied her brother, Richard Rathbun, to the United States Commission of Fish, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. At this time, he was employed as a scientific assistant under A. E. Verrill, a professor with the prestigious Yale University. A. E. Verill was working with the invertebrate marine fauna collection that was slowly being accumulated at the United States Commission of Fish. A sophisticated black-and-white photograph of the zoologist Richard Rathbun, her brother. One of his fellow scientific assistants, Professor S. I. Smith, was a scholar on crustacea, & was working on a variety of papers on the subject. Rathbun assisted in labelling, recording, & sorting the crustacean specimens, & realized how fascinating they were. As such, from this point onward, she dedicated her life to the study of crustaceans. She was so devoted to her craft, that from 1881 to 1884, she worked with her brother voluntarily, without payment. For her dedication, she earned a clerkship in 1886, provided by Dr. Spencer Baird, who was the Head of the Smithsonian, & the Commissioner of the United States Commission of Fish. This clerkship saw her transferred to the National Museum's Department of Marine Invertebrates, as a "copyist". In this department, she worked in record-keeping, & organized the new collection of marine invertebrates being given by the Commission. In this position, she worked mostly in isolation, as the budget at the time could not make allowances for extra invertebrate personnel. Although her brother was the formal curator, she was responsible for the care of collections, record-keeping, reports, & catalog-entries. After 28 years of working with the museum, she was formally promoted to Assistant Curator. Many of the systems she implemented in this role are still used to this day. Mary Jane Rathbun formally retired in 1914. Unfortunately, she passed away on April 13th, 1943, at the age of 83. Her contributions to marine science were monumental, & her work will not be forgotten. In the words of Waldo L. Schmitt; "She was a remarkably gifted person. A small, neat woman, no more than four & a half feet in height, with plain, strong features, in conversation a most interesting & engaging personality, with a dry sense of humour, unobtrusively well endowed with the familial traits that had brought success to the men of her family — innate ability, originality of thought, initiative, & enterprise, assured the success she herself achieved within the field of carcinology." He is also quoted as remarking, "Words alone do not suffice express adequately my high regard for Miss Rathbun and her works, published or otherwise, my gratitude for all that she did for me, & my respect for her as a woman & a scientist." Her Achievements, Awards, & Accomplishments She published approximately 166 papers or publications across her career. She discovered approximately 1,147 species across her career, along with a superfamily, 3 families, a subfamily, & 63 genera. Directories / Credits No. 1: “Mary Jane Rathbun: All Hail the Crustacean Queen!”, Written by Heather Soulen, & Published on March 25th, 2021. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/mary-jane-rathbun-hail-crustacean-queen No. 2: “Mary J. Rathbun”, Written by Waldo L. Schmitt, & Published on June 21st, 1971. Published by the National History Museum. https://decapoda.nhm.org/pdfs/27683/27683.pdf No. 3: “Record Unit 7256”, Compiled by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Smithsonian Institution. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217413 No. 4: “Rathbun, Mary Jane (1860-1943)”, Written by Lucile McCain, & Waldo L Schmitt, & Published in 1973. Published by Harvard University. https://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/biographies/mary-jane-rathbun/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A gorgeous Sarcastic Fringehead opening its jaws. This month's article series shall discuss Monterey Bay, California, United States Of America. Monterey Bay is located on the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California. It is also located against the Pacific Ocean, making it a prime spot for migrating whales. The bay is known for its historical sites, kayaking, museums, hiking, & the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Monterey Bay is approximately 25 miles across, & has many, many different kinds of marine features. Additionally, Monterey Bay is one of the few places in California where the sport of Abalone diving is permitted, & done. Since it is close to many metropolitan cities, & has many different museums, it is extremely popular among tourists. The bay with the city along it is also the capital in oceanic science, for both its environment, & the laboratories that are built along the coast. It has many historical sites as well, due to it functioning as the capital of Alta California under Spanish, & Mexican rule, & was founded in the year 1770. The bay is extremely biodiverse, & which makes it a favorite among marine creature watchers. The most popular of these creatures to watch are Sea Otters, California Sea Lions, Whales, & Dolphins. One of the less popular creatures for fair reason, is the Sarcastic Fringehead. The Sarcastic Fringehead is quite possibly the most peculiar-looking creature in the entirety of Monterey Bay. The reason for this is largely their mouth. Their mouth can open to be twice as large as their head, in a terrifying manner. They are also extremely temperamental creatures, & are rather violent. If a human were to enter their territory, they would open their mouth to reveal 2 rows of teeth. If the human does not surrender & retreat, the Sarcastic Fringehead will open & close its mouth in quick succession. As a human does not put their fingers near their mouths, they won’t attack. If they were larger, they most likely would attack, as their size seems to be the primary factor limiting their attacks on humans. In this article, we will discuss the Discovery & Life, the Mating Procedures, Practices, Cycles, Tactics, & Strategies, the Distribution, & the Scientific Detailings of the Sarcastic Fringehead. With that being said, let us delve into this otherworldly creature. The Discovery & Life Of The Sarcastic Fringehead The Sarcastic Fringehead was discovered & aptly named by Charles Frédéric Girard. It was described in the year 1858. The Sarcastic Fringehead can grow up to 30 centimeters, (11.811 inches) but usually only grow to 25.4 centimeters (10 inches). 300 grams (10.5822 ounces) is the average weight for individuals of both sexes in this species. On average, they will live to 6 years of age, but they can live longer. Unfortunately, the intelligence of this species is extremely understudied due to a lack of interest. They don’t seem to be able to distinguish between different humans, though, or be able to make decisions based upon past experiences. Sarcastic fringeheads typically don’t interact with humans unless humans enter their territory. They are extremely aggressive, as well as territorial. They will often challenge other fringe fish who visit their territories by unfurling their mouth as wide open as possible & see whose mouth is wider. Individuals are extremely solitary, & seem to dislike one another with a passion. Aside from mating, they don’t interact with each other. They seem to swim by propelling themselves forward with the use of their tail, & they keep themselves buoyant with swim bladders. Though their cruising speed is much lower, their maximum speed is 4 miles per hour. Sarcastic Fringeheads are fairly agile creatures, as they need to consume many squid eggs to survive. Even Sarcastic fringeheads require relaxing sleep, & typically sleep by floating in place, & keeping part of their brain awake to make sure that they don’t get consumed. They seem to be diurnal, meaning they hunt during the day, & sleep at night. Their diet largely consists of squid eggs, as eggs are very nutrient-dense. They tend to consume at least 13.6 times their body weight per year to stay alive. Information on their metabolic rate is unavailable as of publishing. They mainly locate food by sight & vibrational waves. Sharks are their primary threats, along with large fish. Usually, they have long brown bodies, with curved tales that have large ridged fins. Their massive mouths with pink & yellow lips unfurl to be twice the size of their heads. Typically they sport a green, red, or yellow mottled pattern on their skin as well. As of 2025, they are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Listlist & have an Unknown population trend. The Mating Strategies, Procedures, Practices, Tactics, & Of The Sarcastic Fringehead The Sarcastic Fringehead breeds via sexual relations. Their breeding system seems to be polygamous, meaning that both sexes have multiple partners. This species has two distinct sexes, & is not hermaphroditic. \ Generally, they will breed from January to August. In breeding congregations, The males will compete for females' affection by seeing who has the largest mouth. The female shall observe, & carefully select her partner. Soon after, the new couple shall copulate. Once the female is ready to give birth, she will lay her eggs in a burrow for safekeeping. On average, she will lay 3,000 eggs. She will then swim off into the ocean, never to be seen again, while the father stays & guards the burrow. The father will guard these eggs until they are born, at which point he will leave. These eggs are up to 1.5 millimeters (0.0590551 inches) in diameter. The Distribution Of The Sarcastic Fringehead The Sarcastic Fringehead is only found from San Francisco, California to Baja California. They only inhabit the coastal zone, & have are rarely found deeper than 73 meters (239.501 feet). They tend to also only stay in places with rocky or sandy oceanic floors because finding places to burrow or places to live tends to be much easier in these areas They are also rarely found in areas that are less than 3 meters (9.84252 feet) deep. They do not seem to be migratory creatures, as their swimming is extremely erratic. Usually, they will live in containers that aren’t built by themselves, snail shells, & human debris are the most commonly used, as they are large & often in abundance. The larger the container is, the larger the Sarcastic Fringehead can fit into it. The Scientific Details Of The Sarcastic Fringehead Without a doubt, the most interesting feature of Sarcastic fringeheads is their strangely built mouth. This mouth is only possible due to the upper jaw bone being extremely long, which allows for flaring. They have 2 rows of sharp teeth in their mouth. Aside from their mouth, their main ways of sensing are through vibrations & chemical signals. Their reason for being called fringe heads is because of the tissue above their eyes, giving them a fringy appearance. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. This class comprises over 50% of living vertebrate species. Their order is Blenniformes. A universal trait of this order is that the tail fin is rounded, & the dorsal fin is continuous. Their family is Chaenopsidae. A characteristic of all the species in this family is that they all like to live in small tube-like structures. Their genus is Neoclinus. This genus has 11 species categorized under it. Their binomial name is Neoclinus Blanchardi. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Neoclinus Blanchardi: Sarcastic Fringehead” Written by Jennie Southern & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By The Animal Diversity Web. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Neoclinus_blanchardi/ Citation No. 2: “Sarcastic Fringehead Facts” Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By Fact Animal. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://factanimal.com/sarcastic-fringehead/ Citation No. 3: “Sarcastic Fringehead”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published. By the International Union For Conservation Of Nature. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/185133/1770082 Citation No. 4: “Sarcastic Fringehead: Neoclinus Blanchardi” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Aquarium of the Pacific. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/sarcastic_fringehead Citation No. 5: “Sarcastic Fringehead” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Our Breathing Planet. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://www.ourbreathingplanet.com/sarcastic-fringehead/amp/ Citation No. 6: “Weird & Wonderful Creatures: The Sarcastic Fringehead” Written By Maya Inamura & Published on August 11th, 2014. Published by the American Association for the Advancement in Science. Retrieval Date: October 13th, 2023. https://www.aaas.org/news/weird-wonderful-creatures-sarcastic-fringehead Citation No. 7: “Neoclinus Blanchardi Girard, 1858” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Fishbase. Retrieval Date: October 13th 2023. https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/summary/3740 Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast STEMScribe Cash Daniels Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

An idyllic photograph of a beach near Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. Credit to We Love PV Travel. In this article, we shall be discussing the oceans surrounding Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. Sayulita is a small resort town on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It is located in the Nayarit state, & is just north of Banderas Bay. Their beaches are extremely popular amongst surfers, & have been popular for a long time. Additionally, the coastline is popular amongst snorkelers & scuba divers alike. Its proximity to Puerto Vallarta also helps with domestic tourism. The nightlife is extremely active, which is a very auttractive feature. Well known for its food, never ending parties, & wildlife, the city truly has something to offer to almost everyone. However, with all of these intriguing things to do, many often forget about the magnificent wildlife of Sayulita. Sayulita has many, many different creatures, from whales, to geckos, to land crabs. The landscape is vast, & unequivocally biodiverse. Approximately 300 bird species are found in the city, both near the coast & the mountains. The city is extremely popular amongst ecotourists for the reason, & for its jungles, white sand beaches, magnificent water falls, & clear waters. Sayulita directly borders the Pacific Ocean, on Mexicos western coast. The area is known to have a fairly strong tide, which as said prior, has attracted many surfers. The most popular surfing destinations next to the town, are Litibu Beach, La Lancha, Punta Burros, & San Pancho. In this article, we will discuss the salinity, tides, temperatures, marine geography, & depth of the oceans surrounding Sayulita, the most prominent marine ecosystems of Sayulita, the documented marine flora & fauna, & how ocean acidification & rising oceanic temperatures are affecting the oceans surrounding Sayulita. The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Depth Of The Oceans Surrounding Sayulita Unfortunately, the Salinity of the waters surrounding Sayulita is unmeasured. Salinity is measured in 1,000 gram water samples. For every 1000 grams of water there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This measurement is called parts per thousand, or practical salinity units. This is the way that salinity is currently measured. The tidal charts for Sayulita may be found on a plethora of websites, including: https://www.swellinfo.com , https://www.surfline.com , https://www.tideschart.com , & finally https://seatemperature.info . Generally, the tide does not go over 1.93 meters (6.332021 feet) tall, & the tide does not go below -0.7  (-2.29659 feet) meters tall. The oceanic temperature charts may be found on similar websites, a few of which are: https://www.surf-forecast.com , https://seatemperature.net , https://www.tideschart.com , & finally https://seatemperature.info . The average yearly temperature is approximately 81.316666666667° Fahrenheit (27.3981481481483229° Celsius). Using this a wetsuit chart, there is no need for a wetsuit of any kind, as this is a very warm temperature. Sayulita is perfectly safe for swimming, with a low pollution rate. Occasionally, there are reports of contamination from sewage in certain areas, however it is specific to certain beaches, & the water quality is usually favourable. There is very low riptide around the city, & the beaches are relatively safe for swimmers. Snorkelling, Scuba Diving, Surfing, & Kayaking are all extremely popular, & rental companies for these may be found all over the city. The ocean around Sayulita is generally very shallow, however we are unable to find any depth charts for it. There aren’t any nearby seamounts, or anything of such a nature. The primary composite material that makes up the ocean floor is sand. There are no designated marine protected areas close by Sayulita. The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of Sayulita Ecosystem Type No. 1: Intertidal Zones Intertidal zones are located along the coastlines, & are exposed to air at low tide. These zones are where the ocean meets the shoreline, & contrary to popular perception, are absolutely teeming with oceanic life. From crabs to bivalves, this ecosystem has a unique variety of marine life, as well as a unique variety of features. These zones generally have species from the phyla Echinodermata, Arthropoda, & Mollusca in them. Additionally, these zones may have tide pools. Ecosystem Type No. 2: Fringing Coral Reefs As of 2026, there are multiple fringing coral reefs around the city, all of which contain warm water coral. Coral reefs are considered to be on of the main hubs for all marine life, & used for practically everything. Coral reefs are mass structures of coral polyps, typically located along the ocean floor. These coral reefs act as a breeding ground, hunting ground, spawning ground, & shelter. There are various different kinds of coral reefs, the most important of which are atoll, barrier, & fringing. The coral reefs of Sayulita are fringing, meaning that they grow directly against the shoreline, with a shallow water barrier. The coral reefs of Sayulita are shallow, & are positively enraptured with marine life. It is unfortunately not clear what species of coral inhabit the area. Ecosystem Type No. 3: Mangrove Forests Along the coasts of the island, Coastal Mangrove forests can be found. Coastal mangrove forests are a particular kind of forest, that adorn the shoreline of the island. These forests are incredibly important to biodiversity, for terrestrial, oceanic, & avian creatures. The forest provides shelter, food, & a spawning ground for many different species. These mangrove forests are found farther to the south of Sayulita. Unfortunately, due to lack of accessible information, it is unclear what mangrove tree species are found in the area. The Documented Marine Flora Of Sayulita Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm what marine flora live around Sayulita. The Documented Marine Fauna Of Sayulita Sayulita is without a doubt an extremely biodiverse area. Sayulita has many coral reefs, making it an especially attractive area to most marine animals. The most prominent marine creatures are the Caretta Caretta (Loggerhead Turtle), Lepidochelys Olivecea (Olive Ridley Sea Turtle) Megaptera Novaeangliae (Humpback Whale), & a few different Dolphin Species. How Ocean Acidification & Rising Oceanic Temperatures Are Affecting The Oceans Surrounding Sayulita Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years.  When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations & decreased oceanic Ph. When the ocean has decreased Ph, it effectively acidifies. When this happens, it causes conditions that will eat at the shells of bivalves, stress out & eventually bleach coral, & utterly destroy seagrass patches. As of 2026, it is unclear whether or not Ocean Acidification is having an impact on Sayulita, however if this negative trend continues, the effects could be devastating. As for Rising Oceanic Temperatures, this is actively effecting Sayulita. The warm water coral reefs cannot handle these rapidly rising temperatures, & are becoming extremely stressed out. When they become stressed out, they expel algae that live in the polyps tissue, causing the coral to bleach & die. There have been mass coral bleaching events around this area already, & if temperatures continue to rise, an uninviting future will emerge. A photograph of a the verdant Mexican Coastline near Sayulita. Credit to https://www.melodijolola.com . Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “ Wetsuit thickness & temperature guide ”, Written By Mark Evans, & Published On April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: March 19th, 2024. https://www.scubadivermag.com/wetsuit-thickness-and-temperature-guide/#Scuba_diving_wetsuits Citation No. 2: “Sayulita Mexico’s Wildlife: Guide To Exotic Fauna & Sightings”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Sayulita Life. Retrieval Date: March 20th, 2024. https://www.sayulitalife.com/sayulita-birds-wildlife Citation No. 3: “Sayulita: A Whale & Dolphin Paradise” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Sayulita Life. Retrieval Date: March 20th, 2024. https://www.sayulitalife.com/whale-watching Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A vibrant photograph of today’s interviewee, marine biologist, urchin diver, & sustainable seagood proprietor, Stephanie Mutz. Credit to Paul Wellman. Recently, we were fantastically fortunate to sit down for an interview with marine biologist, scuba diver, sustainable seafood proprietor, & the only female urchin diver in California, Stephanie Mutz! Stephanie Mutz is an extraordinary urchin diver, sustainable seafood proprietor, & marine researcher from California. She is well known for her sustainable seafood company, Sea Stephanie Fish, a clever play on words. She supplies premium, fresh urchin, black cod, snapper, scallops, California spiny lobster, mussels, & a variety of other Pacific seafood. In today’s interview, we sit down with Stephanie to discuss her work in sustainable seafood, her passion for marine life, her early career as a marine researcher, what drove her to enter sustainable fisheries, & her advice for young marine scientists, fishermen, & ocean professionals, in a comprehensive 17-question interview. Before delving into today’s interview, please note everything said has been edited for clarity, & that the opinions of our interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views & values of our organization. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview! The Contents Of The Interview Questions About Her Passion: 1. What sparked your passion for the ocean, & marine science? I just grew up around it. I grew up in Newport Beach, I was the kid who rode her bike everywhere. I was at the beach every day, & had to come home when the streetlights came on. It’s all that I know. I needed to figure out how to make a living out of it, so I figured out a couple of ways, with commercial fishing, & in a past life I was a marine biologist & researcher. I’ve always been surrounded by the sea, in 40-something years of my entire life, the longest I’ve been away from the ocean was 2 months when I was traveling through South America. 2. What sparked your passion for Scuba Diving? Technically, for urchin diving, I am hookah diving. The difference between scuba diving & hookah diving is that in scuba, you have the tank on your back, & in hookah, the tank is on my boat, then I have a big long hose. The same rules for breathing compressed air, & dive tables. It’s the same except for where the tanks are. I’ve got more time, & less chance, or pretty much no chance of running out of air as long as the compressor is running. I guess one of the things is that diving led to a job that I didn’t have to sit at a desk all day for, & I could be in the ocean! It became very comfortable right away, there was no working at it for me. I’ve always been extremely comfortable in the ocean, & extremely comfortable underwater. That’s a very important aspect to have, you need to have that comfort level. It's kind of second nature to me, I definitely say that I function better underwater than I do on land a lot of times. 3. What is your favourite terrestrial, or marine animal personally, & what is your favourite marine or terrestrial animal that you have worked on? A terrestrial animal would be an elephant, they’re just gentle giants, unless you piss them off. There are not very many of them, & they’re social, although I’m not that social. Maybe I’m a little envious of it, I’m not sure. The favourite animal that I’ve ever worked with, I mean, obviously I’m sure biased, but it’s got to be the sea urchin. When I was an undergrad in college at UCSB my senior thesis project was on the food preferences of sea urchins. I had no idea I would be in the commercial diving industry at that point, I wanted to be a researcher. That was pretty much my first project, or species, that I worked on that was mine. I often worked for other people before my senior year of college, in other laboratories & stuff. I guess I still study urchins now. I still observe patterns, & pay a lot of attention to water temperature, water quality, & all those things in order to make a living at this, & make sure their species endures. I love what I do, & I want other people to do this when I’m done. If I’m ever done! 4. What sparked your passion for urchin-fishing? Diving is what I know, I’m comfortable with it. I’d like to paint this picture of when I had just finished grad school, but my thesis wasn’t done yet. Essentially, I turned in my thesis, & I went to grad school in Australia, at James Cook University, & they do things a bit differently there than they do in the United States. In the US, you defend your thesis, you give this presentation, you turn in this book that is your thesis, your committee signs off on it, & you have your degree. In Australia, you do all of those things, your committee signs off on it, & it goes to 3 external reviewers to basically he peer reviewed by people in your field. Being a researcher, you have a pretty full plate already, then this book comes to your desk & you have to review it. It did not come back in a timely manner, so technically I couldn’t start teaching yet because I didn’t exactly have my degree. I came back to Santa Barbara, & I needed a job, & at that point, you needed about five jobs. That led me to get into fisheries politics. I was freelancing, & essentially representing fishermen for marine protected area meetings & similar policy things. Then, I also began bartending at Peabody’s for people who know old school Santa Barbara. I was very interested in urchin diving, I wanted to start fishing on boats so that I could have more knowledge of who I’m representing & what I’m representing. I could go to meetings, & instead of saying I represent fishermen, now I am a fisherman, & can have a somewhat knowledgeable conversation with these policy makers. I ended up loving it! The first guy that I worked with, George Hawkins, I still dive with today. I suppose he dives with me now, & dives with my business. I’ve participated in many fisheries, but I mostly focus on sea urchins, & spiny lobsters now. I used to do a little bit of everything, & realized that I was doing everything halfway, & it’s better if I focus on a couple of things & learn to be good at those. Part of my business is to buy seafood from other fishermen, to have a variety of seafood products available to my customers. A mouthwatering urchin caught by diver Stephanie Mutz. Credit to Stephanie Mutz. Questions About Her Career: 5. What university did you attend for your undergraduate degree, & was there any particular reason? I went to UC Santa Barbara for their marine biology program. I knew what I wanted to do. When I was 12, my dad asked me, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”, & I said “I don’t know. I just don’t want to wear pantyhose & sit at a desk”. So far so good! I remember my uncle’s wife at the time, who worked in high school education, told me that I should apply to UCSB for a major that’s not popular, then I can get in & change my major. I’m a bit stubborn, I’m much like my mom, & I said “No, I want to go there for marine biology.” I didn’t get in at first, & I was just going to go to the local city college in Newport, in Orange County. It’s something for young people to hear, this is a good story. I petitioned their decision, & I wrote a letter to reconsider. I am diagnosed with ADD as well as Dyslexia, & I asked them to take all of these things into consideration. I distinctly remember the phone call, they asked “Do you want to go to UCSB?”, & I said “Yeah, I do.” I still had the assignment for my place in the dorms as they had not dropped me for that yet. I got in, & started freshman year. I finished in 4 years, which is beginning to be difficult. I’ve heard that it is more difficult to do in 4 years now, I don’t know if I’m wrong about that. I worked in many laboratories, & worked in French Polynesia for a few years. That is where I got my start in research diving. I did a lot of diving on the coast here in California, from Oregon all the way down to Mexico. I surveyed the ocean, you know, fish, invertebrates, sea life, everything. It’s actually really, really fun now. 6. What university did you attend for your master’s degree, & was there any particular reason? I’d been to Australia a couple of times already & loved it. Loved being there, loved visiting there. I worked under J. Howard Choat, who’s the best tropical marine ecologist in the world. He made it very clear that he didn’t accept me for my grades. I was a very solid B student in college, he took me because of all of my experience, & the people I’ve worked with. He didn’t have to babysit me with field work. One of the big reasons that I went was that I thought I was going to save money, because when I was there earlier, the US dollar was so strong compared to the Australian dollar. I could save money by going to grad school there. Well, John Howard was the prime minister, & he did great things for the Australian economy, so it was one to one the entire time I was there. I had enough money for tuition for the first year, & I proved myself by collecting data. I ended up collecting a lot of data for J. Howard Choat for his research, & that essentially paid for mine as well. We worked on the same habitat, so I would collect both of our data together, then process all of the information. I also TA’d, so that got my tuition paid for. So I got all my research paid for, & my tuition paid for. I ended up leaving grad school with 15,000$ debt, which I thought was pretty good. 7. Although your primary work relates to fisheries nowadays, part of your early career was spent conducting research in the field of marine science. What was the first research project that you were involved with, & what was your research centered around? I can’t remember which, I was working at two different labs at the same time, & both do similar things. One was a laboratory called PISCO (Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), & the other was called LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research Network). Both of these labs were long-term ecological research programs, which were essentially data collection at the same spot for many years. A lot of what I did was taking inventory, & I started working at first with the intertidal. After I got my research diving certification, I moved underwater, & began surveying things underwater & doing things near the Channel Islands. I took inventory of everything, ran transects, quadrants, counted fish, all that stuff. Eventually, I went to the tropics & worked there for a couple of years, essentially working on damselfish mostly, & a bit of coral restoration as well. You don’t focus on one single thing, you write a grant to explore everything in that habitat. I was very capable, and I learned my species identification well. Good attitude is a quality that you’ve got to have in order to work that way, & flexibility. It was a great job to have while I was an undergrad. 8. What did you enjoy about commercial fishing & the seafood industry? That’s different every day. That’s a good & bad thing. It’s super challenging, & it’s super rewarding because I’m feeding people. I’m feeding people in a responsible way, with good quality fish. I have pride in the quality that I catch & that I supply. Any person can pick a spiny ball off the bottom of the ocean, but I have to make sure it’s good quality inside & I’m not wasting a resource. There are some indicators that you can use to ensure quality. Also, I love the relationships that I have with my chefs, & my customers. I love geeking out on how to prepare seafood, & some of my customers love to talk about diving. I don’t like to talk about diving too much, we have a little joke that urchin divers hate diving. We don’t, we’re not avid divers, & have all the tools, & just do it. It’s like second nature to us, we don’t need to talk about it, but you entertain your customers who may want to geek out about it. Most of my chefs have become very close, good friends. I’ve worked with many of them for 10+ years. With my direct marketing, I don’t sell to another distributor, I am the distributor. I distribute myself to restaurants, to retail, & my face is behind it. I have a responsibility to provide the best available responsibly. This year, 2026, is going to be 20 years as a commercial fisherman. It’s still nothing compared to some of the great legends that I get to work with every day as well. My mentors have been doing it for twice as long, & more, which is awesome. 9. How did you found your sustainable seafood company, “Sea Stephanie Fish”? What was your experience in founding it? I came up with the name through my best friend’s dad. My best friend’s dad growing up came up with it while we were drinking beers at Paradise Store, which is no longer, up at San Marcos Pass in Santa Barbara. I didn’t know anything about sales, all my education about marketing is from experience, seeing what sticks & what doesn’t. I knew I needed a brand, & that I needed a name. My dad suggested having my name in it so that everyone remembers my name. I started cold calling chefs, I would go to the back of restaurants with a bucket of urchin. I hated it, the chefs were so mean! “What do you want little girl?!” “What are you doing in my kitchen?!” “I have urchin…” “Why didn’t you say so?! Get over here!” Some told me to get out, but most ended up being great! I’ve become great friends with them, & it’s so fun to see our restaurants & both our livelihoods grow together. I’m a slow grower, I started with a super small boat, & I started on somebody else’s boat. Then I got my own little Panga, then a little aluminum skiff. Then I graduated to big girl pants, with the Radon. I had a business partner for a bit that I shared markets with, & we grew apart, & ended up amicably splitting. I’ve been growing a team since then, because I’ve definitely gotten too big for my own britches to do it all on my own. I’ve got drivers, deckhands, people who help distribute & do everyday things that I do. I’m very fortunate, I had & have some great people working with me. I see them, I acknowledge them, they are a reason I’m where I am. It’s not just me. As hard as it is to manage people, it’s definitely easier to manage urchins. A photograph of Stephanie Mutz on her boat, out on the Pacific, with a net filled with urchins & kelp. Credit to Fran Collin. 10. What kinds of seafood do you sell, & what are your most popular products? Everything, I have relationships with the fishermen. It’s all seasonal obviously. We’ll do mussels from Hope Ranch, & abalone from The Cultured Abalone at Gaviota. We have rockfish, black cod, halibut, & tuna, with tuna mostly from Southern California. We’ve got whelks, rock crabs, spider crabs, lobster, & ridgeback shrimp. I’ve got a great relationship with someone fishermen in Alaska for salmon, because we don’t have a salmon season. We haven’t had a salmon season in a few years. They’ll put it on a plane & they’ll come into Santa Barbara Airport the next day, or the same day. They’re not alive, but they’re fresh. I need to have a relationship with a fisherman. My relationships are not just with customers & chefs, but also with fishermen. I figured it out quite early that chefs didn’t want seafood from eight different people, they wanted it to be more consolidated. I understood that, I understood the assignment, & then I got my friends to come join. 11. How would you describe urchins to those who do not have experience with them both in taste, physical description, & ecology? Sea urchin is an animal, an animal with no eyes. It’s got little two feet or something called the podia that they “walk with”, & also kind of breathe with. They do have a mouth, it is called Aristotle’s Lantern, because Aristotle described it as looking like a street lantern in one of his books. I think it was called Animals . They want to live on rocky reefs, preferably with kelp, their favourite food is Macrocystis (Giant Kelp), which I learned about when I was 17 years old at UCSB in my senior thesis. It also affects their taste, sea urchins are what they eat. If they're eating sweet Macrocystis, they are going to taste sweet, if they are eating something bitter, they are also going to taste bitter. Sometimes, there are warm water events which will come, & I’ll see them with a tuna crab hanging out of their mouth. If there are squid eggs at a certain site, I’m not going to pick there, I’m going to pick somewhere else, because they’re going to taste super bitter. Especially if they are eating squid eggs, you can totally smell it, & it smells super disgusting. I remember one time in particular, it was a warm water event, which was probably 10+ years ago. I got these urchins from super shallow waters, like 10 feet, & because they were so shallow & it was so warm, another kind of algae grew, & they were eating this algae. I remember one of my chefs was Sam Baxter from Connie & Ted’s, & he tastes every single urchin that goes out to the table as quality control. He tells me that all the urchins were so bitter. The colour, & freshness were perfect, but they were so bitter. So I went back to that spot, & sure enough, there’s this little algae that I wasn’t paying attention to, growing there. Now if I ever see that algae, I won’t pick urchin there. I’m giving you examples where they don’t taste very good, but most of the time they taste good. As you know, they’re sweet, they’ve got a salty umami flavour. My favourite thing about them is that they evolve in your mouth. You take a bit, & they could be super salty at first, then they turn sweet, then a little umami, then back to sweet again. It’s this evolution. I call it a party in your mouth. I’m obviously a bit biased, but I think California Urchin does that the most. 12. What does a typical day for you consist of? I leave the harbour at about six, & it takes me 2+ hours to get to the diving spot in the Northern Channel Islands. On ideal days, we don’t have to move the boat. We stay in one spot, & there’s enough good quality urchin there, & it’s a good day. We stay there & pick urchins until we get what we need. I’ll pick as much as I can sell, & leave the rest for later. That’s an ideal day if I can get enough for the markets. I’ll go once or twice per week. Sometimes I’ll go more, I’ve gotten pretty good at my job to the point where I can focus on distribution, & communication with clients. Sometimes, we’ll leave urchins hanging from the boat for the market the next day. If I don’t use them for a couple more days, then I’ll have a mooring outside the harbour, hang them in bags, & they’ll stay alive for a week or two. It’s nice to plan around the weather. There was a storm last week, I had quite a few hundred hanging from the mooring, & they all survived quite well, I knew they would because I’ve done it before. I’ve definitely killed a lot of urchins to figure it out in the last 20 years. I’ll deliver on the way home, I mostly distribute to Santa Barbara & the Santa Ynez Valley. Then the next day I’ll have a driver drive all the way to Los Angeles, & then to Orange County. We FedEx seafood all over as well. Wednesdays are a big market day, our biggest market day. Wednesdays & Saturdays. It gives us enough time during the week to collect our seafood from the ocean, & it’s there for the weekend. We distribute on Saturdays for people who need it twice a week. We have a retail market as well. We did it every week during the pandemic. The pandemic for us, market-wise, was a success! We were all restaurants at first, then the restaurants went away overnight. I remember Michael Cimarusti from Providence calls me, & says “We’re done.” What does this mean? I told my people, I’m going to pay you for a month, but get your affairs in order. I didn’t quite understand what was happening, but in the back of my mind, I was thinking to myself “Somebody could do really well in this situation.” Obviously, it was a horrible thing, but there were opportunities there. I learned quickly, & we jumped right into retail markets. You order online on a Wednesday on our website, then you have until Friday morning, or until we sell out of something. Then you pick it up, you have an hour to pick it up. One weekend will be in Orange County, then the next weekend will be in the Bay Area. We have four different spots in the Bay Area that you can pick up from, & then you take it home to eat. During the pandemic, I got a lot of chefs to make videos of how to cook urchin, & how to prepare all these dishes with seafood. A normal person doesn't eat seafood at home, but they did during the pandemic! They had plenty of time to learn. We're still doing really well market-wise, & I understand the value of diverse markets. We still do retail, but we focus mostly on restaurants, & wholesale markets. 13. What courses do you teach about science at Ventura County College in Southern California? At Ventura College, I teach environmental science. I used to teach general biology, but I evolved away from that. I wanted to teach fewer courses, but I didn't have the time for it. Environmental science is an introductory class meaning everybody can take it, it's all online. My administration team supports me as a professor, so I really, really enjoy it. So long as that keeps on, I'll keep on teaching. Students have changed a lot in 20 years, quite a lot. Entitlement is there, & present, absolutely. Students don't want to learn, they just want a grade. This has stemmed from the No Child Left Behind Law passed many years ago. The high school teachers just pass them even though they don't do their work. Then I get them, & they don't do their work, & they say, "I have a zero.", & I have to respond, "Well, you didn't do the work!", & they're shocked about it! My favourite thing in the world now is Chat GPT, so I'm not teaching, I'm just trying to figure out if they're cheating or not. It's not fun. I have only a handful of students who want to learn, give great feedback, & want to participate. 14. What has been your biggest triumph or proudest moment across your career? I essentially have 2 careers. With teaching, my proudest moment is when a student doesn't finish a class, or doesn't pass my class, then they come back, & say "I wasn't ready, but I am now.", then they pass my class. When they drop out, or when they don't do well, I always think "What did I do wrong?". Part of it is, if you don't do your work, I can't help you. They admit they weren't ready, they know they are ready now, & then they pass the class. Maybe they weren’t mature enough, or were in a bad place at the time. Yet, they’re ready now, & I get to see them succeed. That’s so rewarding as a professor. I think what’s rewarding for me as a fisherman is to be able to accomplish the near impossible. Whether it's fishing in bad conditions, or something breaks & I end up fixing it or figuring it out in the middle of the ocean, & we still get the work done. I definitely have the attitude & the mindset of everything’s possible, & I try to instill this in my students & employees. There’s always a way. There’s always a solution. It may not be your first attempt, but there is always a fix for everything. You've got to try, & maybe the outcome will not be the way you expected, but it was some kind of a solution. To the chefs who are asking for the impossible, or the near impossible, “Can we get this seafood across the country by 7:00 AM tomorrow?”, & I’m like “If you can go to the airport to get it, yeah.” I figured out how to do that. A lot of it is having connections, & good relationships with the people you know. I think it’s most rewarding to do the almost impossible. I don’t go to policy meetings anymore, I ask “What is this regulation doing now?”, I’ll work around it. Just tell me what the deal is & I’ll work around it. I don’t deal with policy stuff anymore, it’s a waste of my time. If I’m not fishing, I’m not making any money. The more meetings you have, the less time you get to fish. That’s my favourite thing to do in the whole wide world. So why deprive myself of that, especially with some dumb meeting? 15. I’m sure that you have faced just as many challenges & setbacks as you have leaps forward, what has been the biggest hurdle or challenge that you have faced across your career, & how did you overcome it? I do have to admit something. I definitely have had so many challenges & setbacks, but there’d definitely be more going forward than going back. I wouldn’t say it is 50/50. I’m still growing, I’m still learning, I’m still moving forward. We all are. I’d say there’s more moving forward than back. Things that take me back, honestly, one of the hardest things is a dead loss of some sort. It got contaminated somehow, a refrigerator went down or the weather destroyed it, something like that. The resource got wasted. Sometimes you have to do that to learn. I mean, all the setbacks you have, you learn from them, or else you’re not going to learn forward. There are a few occasions where I’ve had theft or deception from other humans, & that’s always a big bummer, you take it personally. Even a chef wants to try to discredit you just because they have something going on with themselves. If one of my employees makes a mistake, I’ll explain it to them. I’m a very direct person. They know this by now, I’m not mad at them, I’m just trying not to waste time & to figure out how it won’t happen again. 16. What is your advice for new urchin divers, marine biologists, or fisheries workers? There’s always a solution. There’s always a solution. If you have to petition your college entry, if you have to watch YouTube on how to work on your boat engine for you to go to work, if you have a chef asking you an impossible thing, there’s always some kind of solution. I’m a big fan of that. You've got to want to love it. Honestly, you've got to love what you do & everything else will fall into place. You've got to love what you do. You can’t just do it for the money, you can’t do it for anything else but really, genuinely loving what you do. 17. Do you have any final words about your work, the kelp forests of California, urchin diving, marine biology, or sustainable fisheries? One thing I want to say about kelp forests; It’s cyclical. It’s cyclical. It comes & goes, & it has been coming & going for a gazillion years. We need to you know, help with the preservation of it. Our waters are a lot warmer than they used to be, & that’s affecting the kelp beds, but be careful when somebody says “The ocean’s dead.” It’s more resilient than us, keep that in perspective. A delightful photograph of Stephanie Mutz holding an appetizing urchin. Credit to photographer Ben Scorah. Directories / Credits https://www.seastephaniefish.com Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Olivenbaum Music Pitfire Artisan Pizza Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

One of the earliest photographs of the Pacific Ocean  was  taken in 1909. This photograph was taken along the rocky coastline of Monterey, California—Credit to Revive Salvage. Today’s nautical chart is an ancient, 354-year-old map of the Pacific Ocean, by the English. This map is of incredible historical importance, as it is the first map of the Pacific Ocean created by the English. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on planet Earth, & was unknown to many Europeans until Vasco de Núñez Balboa discovered the Isthmus of Panama in 1513, & consequently, the Pacific Ocean. It was not understood in its full vastness, until Ferdinand Magellan & his men crossed the Pacific in 1521. The map is fairly small, at 21 inches long by 17 inches wide. It does appear to some to have mild flaws, including small staining & toning in the center. Uncommonly for the time, the map has a variety of vivid colours. Along the shoreline, a bright yellow colour to differentiate between the ocean & the land, a blue colour can be seen along the coast, a purple can be seen on a figureheads robe in the upper right corner, a red can be seen on a figureheads hat, an orange can be seen outlining the title, & greens can be seen in various places throughout the chart. In this article, we are going to discuss this primeval map, & perform an analysis of it. With that being said, let us delve into this archaic nautical chart! The Chart As discussed in the introduction, this chart is focused on the Pacific Ocean, & showcases parts of Western South America, Western North America, Japan, New Zealand, & Tasmania, also known as Van Diemen’s Land. The Pacific Ocean is referred to as “Mare Pacificum”, which means “peaceful sea”, in Latin, on the chart. The chart showcases dozens of place names, from Point Conception, California, to Sand Hills, New Zealand. It refers to New Zealand as States Island, & remarks on its then recent discovery date of 1642. One interesting thing that the chart showcases is the now disproven “Island California”, theory. For hundreds of years from the 1500’s, to the 1700’s, California was shown as an island, unattached from North America. This began with a map by Diego Gutiérrez published in 1562, & continued until 1747 when King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a decree stating California was attached to North America. Apart from minor marks near the center, the chart is in stunning condition for its age. An Analysis Of The Chart This chart was manufactured in 1627 by English Cartographer & Hydrographer John Seller. He was one of the most influential & illustrious cartographers of his time, & was well known for his oceanic works. He was born in London in 1632 to a family of cordwainers, which is a kind of shoemaker. Upon coming of age, he apprenticed with Edward Lowe, before leaving in 1654, & joining the Clockmaker’s Company. Although he began as a compass, & clock maker, & expanded his skillset to include cartography, as well as hydrography. His career was abruptly interrupted when he was accused of being a conspirator in a High Treason plot led by nobleman Thomas Tonge. Whether he repeated rumours, was involved with the wrong people, or was completely unaware is unclear. What is clear however, is that he was convicted of treason, & held in Newgate Prison. While other conspirators were executed due to admission of guilt, he held his innocence steadfast, & through persistence, managed to convince the government to release him. Upon his release, he went on to become one of the most influential hydrographers in England, even being named Hydrographer to the King. In addition to this, his 2 sons, John & Jeremiah Seller, would go on to pursue cartography, following in their father’s footsteps. This chart was likely manufactured for civilian merchant purposes, particularly merchants looking to commercialize the newly discovered Pacific. Considering the age of the map, it was most likely manufactured using the engraving method. In this technique, there are 4 roles, the mapmaker, the engraver, the printer, & the colourist. The first step in this process is that the mapmaker will go out & make a hand-drawn map of the area where the map will encompass. Effectively, the mapmaker is the informant who makes the first copy. After this, the engraver will create a design of the map in reverse on a metal, usually copper, surface. Usually, there would only be 1-2 plates used, however, it differs depending on the size of the map. After the copper plate is made, the printer will heat the copper panel, & then proceed to lather it with ink. They will then wipe the copper panel down to the point where the ink is only on the grooves of the panel. Thereafter, the printer will press damp paper onto the ink, & hang it up to dry. To conclude, the colourist will touch up the map & decorate it by adding in details, such as shorelines & shoals. The result should be a detailed chart with colour, & depth, useful to any sailor of the era traversing the high seas. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Rare Maps, a California rare & antique maps store. To purchase this chart, antique atlases, or other cartographic objects, please visit www.raremaps.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Rare Maps, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A photograph of an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. Credit to the Fitzroy Basin Association. This month’s article series will be discussing the mysterious & tropical, Sayulita, Mexico. Sayulita is a small resort town on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It is located in the Nayarit state, & is just north of Banderas Bay. Their beaches are extremely popular amongst surfers, & have been popular for a long time. Additionally, the coastline is popular amongst snorkelers & scuba divers alike. Its proximity to Puerto Vallarta also helps with domestic tourism. The nightlife is extremely active, which is a very auttractive feature. Well known for its food, never ending parties, & wildlife, the city truly has something to offer to almost everyone. However, with all of these intriguing things to do, many often forget about the magnificent wildlife of Sayulita. Sayulita has many, many different creatures, from whales, to geckos, to land crabs. The landscape is vast, & unequivocally biodiverse. Approximately 300 bird species are found in the city, both near the coast & the mountains. However, some of the true stars of the city, are the turtles. 2 species of turtle inhabit the area, those being the Loggerhead Turtle, whom we covered in a previous article, & the Olive Ridley Turtle. The Olive Ridley Turtle is a small species of oceanic turtle, found in the pacific ocean. They are considered to be one of the most abundant sea turtle species on earth, despite their massive historical population decline. Their common name comes from their olive coloured shell, that just so happens to be heart shaped. It is the second smallest sea turtle on Earth. This species inhabits practically all tropical, & subtropical waters. Their range includes the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, & the Atlantic Ocean. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle is a close relative of this species, with the Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle being the only other sea turtle in the Lepidochelys Genus.  In this article we will discuss the discovery & life of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, the mating techniques, tactics, practices, procedures, habits & strategies of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, the distribution of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, & the scientific detailings of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. With that, let us delve into the most abundant sea turtle on Earth. Surfers enjoying Sayulita’s vast blue waters. Credit to Jonny Melon. The Discovery & Life Of The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle The Olive Ridley Turtle was discovered in the year 1829, by Johann Friedrich Von Eschscholtz, a German botanist, entomologist, & naturalist. This species ranges from 24 to 28 inches in length. Adult individuals weigh between 75, & 110 pounds. As of 2025, their life span is unknown, however it is estimated to be between 30 & 50 years. The Intelligence of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is unmeasured, as there are no studies around it. It is not clear how long the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle has existed as a species. As the Olive Ridley Turtle is a Cheloniid turtle, they are no more then 72 million years old. Individuals are generally docile, & will rarely attack even if provoked. Sea Turtle bites are non-lethal, so if a human is bit, they have little to worry about. The Olive Ridley Turtle is not territorial at all, & is very migratory. Generally, they are solitary, & have very loose social structures. Due to their timid natures, they won’t interact with humans unless they absolutely have to. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are extremely agile creatures, & are able to navigate both the water column, & land with ease. They are aided in this by their graceful flippers. These flippers don’t just function as steers, & actually propel them through the water, while their back flippers assist with steering. This species maintains its buoyancy by controlling the amount of air it intakes when it is on the surface. Depending on the needs of each dive, the turtle will intake a certain amount of air. Individuals will sleep by either wedging themselves between coral or rock, or finding a restful place along the ocean floor. Once comfortable, they will not go up to the surface for air until they awake. They will sleep for 2 to 7 hour periods, depending on the circumstances. Their diet is similar to other sea turtles, & consists largely of algae, crab, lobster, tunicates, & shelled molluscs. They are not cannibalistic at any stage in their development. Individuals locate food by sight, & feeling vibration. This species is diurnal in nature, meaning that they hunt & are mainly awake during the day. Unfortunately, It is unclear how much one individual eats per day, & what the metabolic rate of this species is.  On land, the primary predators of sea turtles are feral pigs, raccoons coyotes, birds, & occasionally large crabs. In the ocean, their primary predators are sharks of various species. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles have a yellow or green carapace, that typically has algae. With 4 flippers, each flippers have 1 or 2 claws. They have very small heads, & muscular flippers. As of 2026, they are categorized as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Their population is at least 800,000, & possibly upwards of 1 million. Their population was at an all time low in the 1980’s, reaching as low as 200 individuals. They were placed on the endangered species list in 1978, & with some conservation, their population recovered beautifully. The Mating Techniques, Tactics, Practices, Procedures, Habits, & Strategies Of The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle breeds via Sexual Reproduction. There are 2 sexes in this species, & individuals are not naturally hermaphroditic. Their mating system is polyamorous, meaning that both sexes take multiple partners each breeding season. Both sexes will reach reproductive maturity at 14 to 15 years of age. It does not appear that they have a specific breeding season, & females breed once or twice per year. Once 2 individuals initiate copulation, the male will transfer sperm to the female, which she will store until she is ready to fertilize her eggs. Once she is ready, she will swim to a beach, & begin nesting. She will use her back flippers to dig a small hole in the sand, & lay her eggs for 1 to 4 hours. The average clutch size is 100 eggs. She will nest at the same beach every single year. Many other females will nest with her, in a massive nesting congregation. Once she is finished, she will inch back into the water, & have no part in her hatchlings upbringing. Approximately 90% of these hatchlings will be eaten in either the egg stage or in the first few days of their lives, & extremely few of them will be able to live out their full life span. The Distribution Of The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is found in the tropical areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, & Indian Ocean. Individuals prefer warm water, & seem to dislike any water below 50° Fahrenheit (10° Celsius). They are extremely migratory creatures, & will not spend more then a year in one area. The Scientific Detailings Of The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle By far, the most intriguing feature of this species is its unique carapace. The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle has a small heart shaped carapace. Unlike their terrestrial counterparts, their limbs & head are fixed to the outside of their shell, meaning that they cannot retract inwards. This carapace is made up of approximately 50 different bones. We could not find any fossils attributed to the Olive Ridley Turtle. As for their most common parasites, fungus from the genera Aspergillus, Gliocladium, Fusarium, & Geotrichum are known to infest these turtles. Sea Turtles in general do not have teeth, & instead use their extremely strong beaks to crush their prey & eat it. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Reptilia, meaning that they are cold blooded, which is a universal characteristic of all Reptilians. There are approximately 10,000 extant reptilian species at the time of publishing. Their order is Testudines, which is the order that all turtles are classified under. A universal characteristic of all species under this order is that they breathe air, & don’t lay eggs underwater. Approximately 300 extant species are categorized under this order. Their family is Cheloniidae, which consists of 6 species. Cheloniidae is the only group of sea turtles to have stronger front flippers then their back flippers. Their genus is Lepidochelys. Lepidochelys is a small genus, consisting of only 2 species. This species binomial name is Lepidochelys Olivacea. A charming photograph of a friendly Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). Credit to Solvin Zankl. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Olive Ridley Turtle: Lepidochelys Olivacea”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieval Date: March 14th, 2024. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/olive-ridley-turtle Citation No. 2: “Facts”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the World Wildlife Fund. Retrieval Date: March 14th, 2024. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/olive-ridley-turtle Citation No. 3: “Olive Ridley Sea Turtle”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Wildlife Federation. Retrieval Date: March 14th, 2024. ttps:// www.nwf.org/en/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/Sea-Turtles/Olive-Ridley-Sea-Turtle Citation No. 4: “Olive Ridley Turtle”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceana. Retrieval Date: March 14th, 2024. https://oceana.org/marine-life/olive-ridley-turtle/ Citation No. 5: “Olive Ridley Sea Turtles”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by The Marine Biological Conservation Society. Retrieval Date: March 14th, 2024. https://www.marinebio.org/species/olive-ridley-sea-turtles/lepidochelys-olivacea/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

What is an Impact Report? An impact report is a document our organization compiles at the end of the year to assess our impact on our community. This report contains a list of statistics gathered from our events hosted, volunteer program, online course program, & newsletter. Each of these has been grouped into a section, where all related statistics & information can be found. How Many Events Did We Host? The Persaud Foundation scheduled 20 events this year & hosted 18. Our October 18th, 2025, & December 13th, 2025, beach cleanups, were cancelled due to the coordinator's injury. The statistics for these events are listed below. Oceanic Literacy Day January 18th, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants: 4 individuals. Location: The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup Statistics February 1st, 2025: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 8 individuals. Approximate Amount of Trash Removed: 12.5 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Beach Cleanup March 1st, 2025 Statistics: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 9 individuals. Approximate Amount of Pounds of Trash Removed: 18 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Oceanic Literacy Day Statistics, March 29th, 2025: Number of Participants: 1 individual. Location: The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup Statistics April 12th, 2025: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 2 individuals. Approximate Amount of Trash Removed: 3.5 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Beach Cleanup May 17th, 2025 Statistics:  Amount of Volunteers Engaged : 8 individuals.  Approximate Amount of trash Removed : 20.5 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Oceanic Literacy Day May 31st, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants : 10 individuals. Location of the Event: The Open Book, Topanga. Oceanic Literacy Day Statistics June 21st, 2025: Number of Participants: 16 individuals. Location : The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup June 22nd, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants: 2 Individuals. Amount of Trash Removed: 4 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Oceanic Storytime Statistics July 17th, 2025: Number of Participants: 18 Individuals. Location : The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup July 19th, 2025 Statistics: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 3 individuals. Amount of Trash Removed: 6 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Oceanic Literacy Day August 16th, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants: 17 individuals. Location of Event: The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup Statistics, August 23rd, 2025: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 16 individuals. Amount of Trash Removed: 60.5 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. Oceanic Literacy Day September 14th, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants: 25 individuals. Location of Event: The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup September 27th, 2025 Statistics: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 7 individuals. Approximate Amount of Trash Removed: 16 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California. Oceans For All Virtual Conference: Number of Participants: 9 participants. Oceanic Literacy Day October 12th, 2025 Statistics: Number of Participants: 13 individuals. Location of Event: The Open Book, Topanga. Beach Cleanup November 22nd, 2025 Statistics: Amount of Volunteers Engaged: 2 individuals. Approximate Amount of Trash Removed: 5.75 pounds. Location: Santa Monica State Beach, California, USA. In January, 2025, we began hosting our Oceanic Literacy days in collaboration with The Open Book, Topanga. In addition to allowing us to host our Oceanic Education Events, they graciously donated 20% of the proceeds of each purchase which was made by an individual who mentioned our fundraiser to us. We managed to fundraise approximately $97.50 through this partnership, which we are thrilled about. In addition to this, we hosted a fundraiser in collaboration with Pitfire Artisan Pizza on September 18th, 2025, resulting in approximately $217.94. Through all of these events, we managed to engage 170 individuals, remove 146.75 pounds (66.564680297 kilograms), of hazardous debris, & raise $315.43. How Many Courses Did We Release? In March of 2024, we began releasing micro-courses about marine biology, which are short, free, comprehensive courses about various issues plaguing the ocean. As of December 2025, we have 4 micro-courses, on the subjects of Overfishing, Ocean Acidification, Oil Spills, & the Plastics Crisis, in the order they were released. Over the course of 2025, we released a total of 6 online courses, including our micro-courses, a course on Cuttlefish, & a course on Nautiluses. Across all of these courses, we managed to attract 33 participants. How Many Articles Did We Publish? From January 1st, 2025, to December 31st, 2025, we published approximately 69 articles. Our newsletter got a total of 6,495 reads, distributed across our many issues. How Many Volunteer Hours Did We Track? In March, 2025, we began accepting long-term volunteers for science communication, & social media-related roles through our dedicated volunteer program. Since then, we have recruited 8 volunteers, with a total volunteer hour total of 71 hours & 5 minutes. The average value of an hour worked for volunteers in the United States is approximately $34.79 in 2024, as valued by the Independent Sector. Using this evaluation, we estimate that our volunteers have made an economic impact of $2,472.99. We thank each & every one of our volunteers, whether they contribute for an afternoon, or they contribute every week. This work would not be possible without them, & we wish to dedicate this section to them. Total Impact: Across all of our programs, including volunteers, & excluding social media, we have impacted approximately 6,706 individuals. We thank all of you for your support, & we look forward to continuing our mission in 2026!

A charming photograph of the urban area of Iqaluit. Credit to the Nunatsiaq News. Today’s article shall be discussing the History of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, Canada. Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian province, Nunavut. Iqaluit is considered one of the most ideal places for fishing in the nearby area. It is the only city in the entire province, with a minuscule population of 7,429 people. This is the lowest population of any provincial Canadian capital. Located on the Baffin Island, the city is close to the Arctic circle. Iqaluit was also known by the name “Froshbisher Bay” from 1942 to 1987, at which the cities name was restored to its Inuktitut name. The city encompasses a 19.92 square mile area (51.592563 square kilometers). Outside of Nunavut, the city is not well known for anything. The city is so small, that there is only 1 paved road in the entire town. The name “Iqaluit” is an Inuktitut name, meaning “Place Of Many Fish”. The reason for this name is that fishing is a long standing tradition of the Inuktitut people of the area. Though Iqaluit is not the most biodiverse land wise, it has some of the most magnificent marine life. This marine life, such as the beluga whale, is intricately linked to its Inuktitut history, & the Inuktitut people. The land around Iqaluit has a long &, rich native history. The documented history of Iqaluit begins in 1576, when an english explorer accidentally sailed into Frobisher Bay. Consequently, the city was named Frobisher Bay. The city is directly on the coastline, & is a mere 30 meters (98.4252 feet) in elevation. Currently, there is no official language for Iqaluit. Approximately half the population speaks Inuktitut, while 97 percent speak English. In this article, we will discuss the documented history of Iqaluit, the aboriginals of Iqaluit, & the most destructive natural & man-caused disasters to affect Iqaluit, & finally the economy of Iqaluit. With that being said, let us delve into the history of the Gem of the Arctic! The Documented History Of Iqaluit Before Colonization The Pre-Dorset people migrated from mainland North America to Baffin Island sometime between 1700 B.C & 1,000. The Pre-Dorset people are the original indigenous inhabitants, & are the precursor to all modern Inuktitut & Inuit people & culture. After Colonization By The British Historical Events From The 1500’s To The 1700’s Iqaluit’s history begins in 1576, when British Explorer Sir Martin Frobisher sailed into the bay adjacent to the city. He named it Frobisher Straits, as he believed it was a strait leading to China. Historical Events From The 1800’s As whaling became increasingly popular in the early & mid 1800’s, many whalers were attracted to the area. These whalers were some of the first people to develop the city both infra-structurally, & economically. In 1861, Charles Francis Hall arrived at Frosbisher Strait, & investigated whether or not it was the Asian Sea Route it was imagined to be. He quickly learnt from a local hunter, Koojesse, that the Strait, was actually a bay. While on his trip, he camped on the banks of the local river, & inlet. In honour of his geographer, & guide, he named the inlet Koojesse inlet, & the river Sylvia Grinnell River. The land, as well as government, became governed by the government of Canada from 1880 onward. After Being Transferred To Canada Historical Events From The 1900’s During the turn of the century, the whaling market began declining rapidly. Furriers became aware of the economic potential of Iqaluit, & quickly began moving to the city. Additionally, the Catholic & Anglican Church began building missionaries in & around the city. In 1914, The Hudson Bay Company opened a trading post in the Ward Inlet, located approximately 40 miles away from modern Iqaluit. The company would go on to establish more trading posts around Baffin Islands in the 1920s. As fur prices began to crash in the early 1930s, many furriers withdrew their stakes around the city. In the wake of this, the local Inuktitut economy also crashed, as many of their animals were over-hunted. This left them with few source of income or food. As the U.S was building more bases in the Arctic Areas, Koojesse inlet was chosen as the site of a massive Air Force base. This air force base is known as the Frobisher Bay Air Base. In 1943, The nearby trading post was moved to Apex, in order to support the Inuit who has moved further up the bay. As the city began growing, the cold war began becoming a larger issue for the U. S. For this reason, the U.S decided to build a radar DEW station near the city. This new project brought many new workers, as well as supplies to the area. In 1957, the population was estimated at 1,200, 489 of which were Inuktitut. As the Canadian government began recognizing the city was a city, doctors, teachers, administrators, clerks, & law enforcement was brought to the area. Many Inuktitut communities relocated to the city around this time, as many of them saw a city of destiny. In 1963, Iqaluit became the official Canadian administrative, transportation, & communications capital of the eastern Arctic wintry North. The first community council was formed a year after, as some form of local government had to be established. Soon after, in 1970, Iqaluit was officially recognized as a settlement. 4 year later, in 1974, the area was officially recognized as a village. In 1979, the first Mayor of Iqaluit is elected, that being Bryan Pearson. A year thereafter, the Canadian government recognized the village as a town. As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, in prior to 1987 the city was named Frobisher Bay. Only in 1987 was the cities name officially restored to its Inuktitut name, which is Iqaluit. The Indigenous Aboriginals Of Iqaluit The Inuit Indigenous Aboriginals The Inuit Indigenous Aboriginals an indigenous peoples group native to the Arctic. Their native language is the Inuktitut language. Local groups have adapted different dialects over the centuries, however they all have the same Inuktitut base. The Inuit peoples have generally been peaceful, & rarely have initiated violent conflict without reason, with the exception of the group living in the Mackenzie River Delta. Hunting is the true one of the fundamentals of Inuit culture, with extensive knowledge & training being passed down through generations. Their traditional Inuit diet includes many animals, that are often consumed raw. The most common of these animals is the ringed seal, as it inhabits Nunavut year round, thus ensuring a healthy food source throughout the year. In Inuit culture, it is popular to consume 2 large meals throughout the day, & then 1-7 small snacks each hour between meals. Traditional Inuit hunting tools range from spears, to hand held harpoons. As for plants, it is extremely difficult to cultivate anything in the thick winter climate of Iqaluit. In the summer, crowberries, & seaweed are fairly popular. Clothing is designed with warmth in mind, & garments were often designed for a specific individual. These garments were made to last an extremely long time, as it is takes weeks to craft just 1 parka. The traditional garments consist of a parka, pants & mittens made with caribou fur, a sealskin under layer, & 2-4 layers of footwear depending on the season. These garments occasionally had engravings, that often had a religious undertone. Inuit individuals generally are shorter in stature, with tanned skin, & have an elongated nose, which allows them to warm up air quickly, which is useful for such a frigid environment. Jewelry has historically been small, & made with beads. These beads ranged being made of shell, to being made of gemstones. Amulets are commonly worn while hunting, as they symbolize good luck & protection. Their familial construct is built around the extended family, with children living at home until, & occasionally after being married. Inuit relationships are much more open, & less strict then other cultures. Traditional Inuit music is often made to tell a story, & is often played using drums. Festivals are often held, with drum dancing, singing, & a lot of storytelling. As for games, harpoon throwing, knuckle hopping, airplane planking, & endurance games are popular. Shamans & priests were, & still are popular for spiritual guidance. As for Inuit religious practices, the traditional belief is that the entire world is governed by spirits, & that practically everything has, or is governed by a spirit. This religious principle is known as Animism. The Most Destructive Natural & Man-Caused Disasters To Affect Iqaluit Unfortunately, there seems to be very little information on disasters to have affected Iqaluit. We have yet to find any disasters that have caused significant casualties, damage, or injury to substantial amount of individuals. The Economy Of Iqaluit Overall, the Economy of Iqaluit is rather stable. The main industries of Iqaluit are currently, commercial fishing, oil, & mining. Transportation is also quite a large industry, as Iqaluit is the transportation capital of Nunavut. There are very few roads outside of Iqaluit, & there are no highways connecting the islands of Nunavut. For this reason, flying from one island to another is the most common method of transport. Iqaluit is slightly suffering though, as their economy is hard to sustain with such a minuscule population. The average full time salaried employee in Iqaluit makes approximately 87,500 U.S.D (118,557.69 Canadian Dollars), & the average household income is approximately 177,800 U.S.D. (240,909.22 Canadian Dollars). With all current exchange rates, the average cost of living is approximately 7,952 U.S.D (10,774.52 Canadian Dollars) per month. A photograph of an ice-covered area near Iqaluit, untouched by humanity. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “About Iqaluit: History & Milestones”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Government Of Iqaluit. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://www.iqaluit.ca/visitors/explore-iqaluit/history Citation No. 2: “The Founding Of Iqaluit - Arctic Kingdom”, Written by Admin, & Published on October 4th, 2019. Published by Arctic Kingdom. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://resources.arctickingdom.com/the-founding-of-iqaluit?hs_amp=true Citation No. 3: “Inuit”, Written by Minnie Aodla Freeman, Published on June 8th, 2010. Published by The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/inuit Citation No. 4: “Inuit”, Written by the Inuit Circumpolar Council, & Published on July 20th, 1998. Published By The Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Inuit-people Citation No. 5: “Inuit Nunangat”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By the Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas Of Canada. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/inuit-nunangat/ Citation No. 6: “What Is A Good Salary In Iqaluit, Nunavut?”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by CareerBeacon. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://www.careerbeacon.com/en/cost-of-living/iqaluit_nunavut?renting=0&restaurants=1000 Citation No. 7: “Inuit Games”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By The Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas Of Canada. Retrieval Date: March 1st, 2024. https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/games-and-sports/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow The Open Book, Topanga Pitfire Artisan Pizza Olivenbaum Music Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa