Splish, splash … here are photos of over 20 critters that swim in oceans, lakes, ponds, aquariums or melted butter.
Splish, splash … here are photos of over 20 critters that swim in oceans, lakes, ponds, aquariums or melted butter.
The red lion fish is gorgeous to watch at the Buenos Aires Zoo, Argentina, but do not get too close while swimming along the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific because it is highly venomous. When threatened, it will rollover and expose its long spines that sting. They can grow to over 18 inches and live ten years. Its scientific name is Pterois miles.
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This bright red, spotted critter is the batwing coral crab. It is an abundant species in the Caribbean Sea. Measuring up to six inches in width also makes it the largest. It is frequently spotted by scuba divers along coral reefs in shallow waters. Tourists rarely see them except on a plate because they crawl along the shore only at night. But this carpilius corallinus died on the rocks before returning home.
Natural Bridge, Aruba Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The flatback sea turtle lives and breeds in the shallow waters of northern Australia, which means this one at the Crocodylus Park in Darwin was probably from the nearby Timor Sea coast. The average length is about three feet. Crocodylus Park specializes in exhibiting hundreds of crocodiles and alligators plus other zoo animals.
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As fishermen fillet their catch on Fishermen’s Pier (Píer dos Pescadores), they throw the scraps into the water. Within seconds, several beautiful loggerhead sea turtles emerge from the depths to scarf up the free meal. As an adult, this vulnerable marine reptile weighs about 300 pounds yet glides effortlessly in the water. They nest nearby in Praia da Tartaruga. This is Portuguese for Turtle Beach.
Av. José Bento Ribeiro Dantas, 294 - Village de Búzios, Búzios - RJ, 28950-000, Brazil Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
There are over 450 species of reptiles wandering through the Amazon Rainforest. Among the smallest are lizards, iguanas and snakes. The largest is the caiman. They range from the Cuvier’s dwarf caiman (maximum male length five feet) to the Amazon’s largest predator, the black caiman (often exceeds 14 feet long). Most caimans you notice lying in wait along the shore are four to five feet. They look similar to an alligator and are part of the same alligatoridae family. Yet caimans are classified as a crocodilian.
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Among the visitors to the La Jolla Cove who enjoy swimming in the Pacific Ocean and then sunning along the beach is this California sea lion. He looks so content on this isolated spot but actually he is part of a herd of a hundred or more that were just off camera.
1160 Coast Blvd La Jolla, CA 92037 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
These Pacific sea nettles floating in a 740 gallon tank are mesmerizing to watch. It seems their bell-shaped bodies illuminate colors while their long tentacles – which can reach ten feet – dance and sway in the water. Their scientific name is Chrysaora fuscescens. They can be found along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Canada and also at the Aquarium of the Bay. They have three large exhibit areas that showcase over 20,000 marine animals from the San Francisco Bay.
2 The Embarcadero & Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The Siamese crocodile is 99% extinct in the wild, but this ten foot, several hundred pound monster lives in Tonlé Sap Lake in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, near the convergence of the Mekong River. It is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Significant efforts are underway to save this species, but their future looks bleak except for commercial crocodile farms.
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The range of the South American sea lion extends from northern Peru to Cape Horn so it is common to see colonies along the Chilean coastline. Called otaria flavescens by scientists and lobo marino by locals, this enormous aquatic mammal can grow up to nine feet and over 700 pounds. This Patagonian sea lion was searching for handouts at the fish market at Angelmó Bay in Puerto Montt, Chile. This area also provides the fresh catch of the day to humans like this cocineria (kitchen restaurant) on stilts (called palafitos).
Mercado Típico Caleta de Angelmó Acceso A Angelmó, Puerto Montt, X Región, Chile Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Near the southern tip of Chile is a seaport town of about 120,000 people called Punta Arenas but it is also referred to as Magallanes. The region is best known among tourists for its colonies of sea lions and penguins. Another local resident is the graceful Coscoroba Swan. It is small compared to most swan species. But its bright red beak, legs and feet in contrast to the pure white plumage is a beautiful sight.
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Santiago Island and the much smaller Bartolomé Island are in the northcentral waters of the Galápagos Islands just south of the equator by a few degrees. Often as your ship approaches the next destination, passengers are busy dressing, applying sunscreen and donning their lifejackets. Hopefully, you are on deck watching the sea. It is brimming with marine life. They are eager to put on a show. Common visitors riding the waves of a boat are pods of bottlenose dolphins. These beautiful grey mammals range from six to 13 feet long. Males can weigh over 1,000 pounds. Also swimming around the Galápagos are long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphins.
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While in the Galápagos, inspect lava rocks and cliff ledges near the shoreline. You are certain to find brightly colored salt water crabs scurrying in every direction. The scientific name of the species is grapsus grapsus. Its common name is a lot more fun: Sally Lightfoot crab. Apparently, the crab’s amazing ability to run and leap in any direction to avoid predators reminded someone of the nimbleness of a Caribbean dancer. The width of the adult’s colorful shell (carapace) is three to five inches.
Great Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos, Ecuador Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
As you arrive for a dry landing at Plaza Sur, there will be sea lions of all ages playing in the water, following your inflatable raft and hauling out on a small concrete pier and the shoreline. The pups are inquisitive and adorable. A watchful dominate bull can weigh up to 550 pounds. The colony consists of about 1,000 Galápagos sea lions. This is remarkable given the tiny size of the island. Plaza Sur measures only 32 acres or .05 square miles. Alternative names are South Plaza Island and Isla Plaza Sur.
Isla Plaza Sur, Ecuador Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
This giant swordfish is part of a sign just off the Intracoastal waterway of Pompano Beach, Florida that welcomes the visitor to 28 marinas that provide fishing, diving, snorkeling and other water activities. It is considerably larger than a swordfish’s average ten-foot length and may exceed the record which was 14.9 feet.
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This brown pelican swimming in the Atlantic Ocean near Pompano, Florida, is one of the most common species in the southern U.S. coastal waters. Its six to eight foot wings fold up as it dive bombs and plunges below the sea in pursuit of fish. Then the water drains out of its foot-long bill before the meal in the throat pouch goes sliding down. They eat about four pounds of fish a day.
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This little boy was spellbound while watching a colony of South African penguins as they swam and dove in a huge tank at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. He would stare, then pat the glass and giggle. I hope his mom took him to the “Penguins: Backstage Pass” experience where you can interact with these exciting birds for about thirty minutes.
701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The dramatic centerpiece of the Florida Aquarium is a half-million gallon tank called the Coral Reef Exhibit. In addition to these passing sharks, you’ll see over 2,000 sea creatures swimming inside. They represent 100 species … including homo sapiens! That’s right. You can sign up for either the “Swim with the Fishes” or “Dive with the Sharks” experiences. I prefer the safety of watching these sharks from outside versus scuba diving among them like the people in the upper left corner of this photo.
701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The adult loggerhead averages 300 pounds but some grow three times that size, making this the second largest hard-shelled turtle. Although they have a wide distribution through three oceans, it is classified as an endangered species. The sea turtles living in the Mediterranean Sea tend to nest in Greece and especially in the Koutavos Lagoon at Argostoli.
Ioannou Metaxa & Kerkiras, Argostoli 281 00, Greece Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Like many snowbirds, humpback whales will travel thousands of miles in order to spend their winter months in Hawaii’s warm, tropical climate. Numerous whale watching cruises are available across the islands, including some that leave from the Honolulu Harbor. You might see numerous mothers with their calf. This cow, which can grow to 50 feet and over 25 metric tons, put on a great display of breeching, blowing and slapping her tail with the downtown skyline in the background.
1125 Ala Moana Blvd B1-C, Honolulu, HI 96814 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Tsukiji Fish Market is the world’s largest wholesale seafood operation. The inner market (jōnai-shijō) has over 900 vendors. Among the chaos and darting forklifts are displays of everything imaginable from the water such as this boiled octopus (tako). Set your alarm extra early and arrive by 5:00 a.m. to witness the auction. The highest bid on record was $632,000 for a 466 pound bluefin tuna. By 11:00 in the morning, most stalls are closing down. Unfortunately, this historic market will be moved in 2018 in preparation for the 2020 Olympics.
5 Chome-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The coast of northern New England is synonymous with quaint towns and lobster. The best way to enjoy it is with a bib, the proper tools, a wedge of lemon, and hot drawn butter. Absolutely delicious, just like this lobster dinner was at The Skipper Restaurant and Chowder House in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
152 S Shore Dr, South Yarmouth, MA 02664 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Along the Riviera Maya on the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico is the small town of Akumal. In Mayan this means “place of the turtle.” It is well named because you can swim along with green sea turtles at Akumal Bay. It is estimated they lay 70,000 eggs during their breeding season of May through October. At maturity they reach five feet and hundreds of pounds. Simply gorgeous! But look and don’t touch them or their habitat. They are endangered and their ecosystem is fragile.
1 Akumal Bay, 77710 Akumal, Q. R., Mexico Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
If swimming with dolphins is on your bucket list, then there are several places to consider. A few options include Dolphin Discovery at Puerto Aventuras, Delphinus at Xcaret, Dolphinaris Park at Playa del Carmen and the Dolphins Primax program at Xel-Há Park. They all conduct incredible shows with lots of aerobatics. Then most offer up-close encounters so you can feed, pet and ride these gregarious marine animals.
Federal Highway Chetumal – Benito Juarez, Km 250 77760 Tulum, QROO, Mexico Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Minutes after this chick hatched along with its siblings, he jumped out of the nest and into the pool. Life is great! The chick was born at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair in Saint Paul, Minnesota
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Mom and Baby Loon Swimming in Wright County, Minnesota
All moms are proud when they have their baby out for a stroll (er, swim) and this common loon is no exception. In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesotans love watching their state bird gracefully swim during the day and then listening to their distinctive, almost maniacal calls at night. My lake in central Minnesota typically has a dozen breeding pairs of loons each summer.
This New Zealand fur seal is using a limestone rock as a pillow as he naps on the Kaikoura Peninsula in the northeast section of New Zealand’s South Island. When he opens his eyes, he has a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the Seaward Kaikoura mountains. Kaikoura is a quaint town of about 2,100 people. It has an active crayfish industry. The tourists love the boat rides to watch the sperm whales and dolphins.
40 Fyffe Quay, Kaikoura 7300, New Zealand Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
The native country for these black swans is Australia. This graceful, swimming pair is among the 600 animals on exhibit at the Wildlife Safari in Weston, Oregon. The black swan’s most distinctive feature is its bright red bill leading to its long, curved neck. The wingspan can exceed six feet. They looked so peaceful until it was shattered by their bugle-like cry.
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Visitors to Grand Turk will be delighted to find conch shells washed up on shore, especially on remote beaches. This queen conch is proudly featured on the Turks and Caicos flag and coat of arms. The marine snail is capable of laying 500,000 eggs at a time yet only one on average reaches maturity. They taste like a clam and are often served as conch fritters or part of a salad. As an endangered species, it is illegal to export the animal or shell except from the Caicos Conch Farm.
Columbus Landfall National Park Beach, Access Pond St, Cockburn Town TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos Islands Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
This South American sea lion emerging from the water at Punta del Este, Uruguay is looking for scraps from the fishermen that are cleaning their fresh catch. The locals call them lobo marino which means sea wolf. It takes a lot of fish scraps to maintain the weight of this 600 to 700 pound, orange and brown colored sea lion.
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The Emperor Jade Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a Taoist Temple that was built by the Cantonese in 1909. It is an active place of worship that’s filled with pungent smoke from joss sticks and impressive religious statues. It is also called the Tortoise Pagoda and in the outer courtyard it has a pond and a pit that is filled with countless turtles like these. They symbolize longevity, fortune and good luck.
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This orca whale is breaching off San Juan Islands near Anacortes, Washington. The killer whale’s behavior has other names such as cresting and porpoising. This leap is called a peduncle throw because the mammal is seen rotating and pivoting its body before reentry. Scientists do not agree what this behavior means. It is likely a social signal of dominance or a warning. The orcas off the Pacific northeast are called the resident species.
Ferry Dock, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
This harbor seal could not decide if he would rather pose for my camera or watch his reflection in the water. I suspect he was vain because most of the time was spent staring at his mirrored face and snorting through his V-shaped nostrils. There are about five to six million seals living in the Northern Hemisphere’s Arctic coastlines. This is probably why they are called the common seal. This one lives at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington.
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It did not require a telephoto lens to get an extreme close up of this enormous hippopotamus. Those bulging pink eyes were about three feet away as he surfaced from a pool in the African Savanna section of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. The hippo is the third largest land animal and can weigh up to three tons. Their native habitat is lakes, swamps and rivers in central and southern Africa. The Greek translation of the name means “river horse.”
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The Seattle Aquarium has a 25,000 gallon, wrap-around tank creating the illusion you are snorkeling in a Pacific coral reef. Among the countless marine creatures you will see is this blue spotted unicorn fish. It seems he should be cast in a Disney animated film with a gravelly voice sounding like the large-nosed singer Jimmy Durante. Another exciting feature is this fish can change colors.
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An exhibit designed for kids at the Seattle Aquarium is “Life on the Edge.” Featured are sea life from the Puget Sound tide pools. Children are encouraged to lean over, dip their hands in the water and touch the colorful creatures such as these starfish. The purple sea star or ochre starfish is technically called pisaster ochraceus. The orange ones are leather stars or dermasterias imbricata.
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River otters seem to live by the motto that “all play and no work makes for a great life” in the Taiga Viewing Shelter of the Northern Trail section of the Seattle Aquarium. This village of otters is a blur of motion in and out of the water. They seem like they are in a constant, tireless game of tag.
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