Marine Life

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Part 3 By Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

"There passed a weary time. Each throat
Was parched, and glazed each eye.
A weary time! a weary time!
How glazed each weary eye,
When looking westward, I beheld
A something in the sky.

At first it seemed a little speck,
And then it seemed a mist;
It moved and moved, and took at last
A certain shape, I wist.

A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!
And still it neared and neared:
As if it dodged a water-sprite,
It plunged and tacked and veered.

With throats unslacked, with black lips baked,
We could not laugh nor wail;
Through utter drought all dumb we stood:
I bit my arm, I sucked the blood,
And cried, 'A sail! a sail!'

With throats unslacked, with black lips baked,
Agape they heard me call:
Gramercy! they for joy did grin,
And all at once their breath drew in,
As they were drinking all.

See! See! (I cried) she tacks no more!
Hither to work us weal;
Without a breeze, without a tide,
She steadies with upright keel!

The western wave was all a-flame.
The day was wellnigh done!
Almost upon the western wave
Rested the broad bright Sun;
When that strange shape drove suddenly
Betwixt us and the Sun.

And straight the Sun was flecked with bars,
(Heaven's Mother send us grace!)
As if through a dungeon-grate he peered
With broad and burning face.

Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)
How fast she nears and nears!
Are those her sails that glance in the Sun,
Like restless gossameres!

Are those her ribs through which the Sun
Did peer, as through a grate?
And is that Woman all her crew?
Is that a Death? and are there two?
Is Death that woman's mate?

Her lips were red, her looks were free,
Her locks were yellow as gold:
Her skin was as white as leprosy,
The Nightmare Life-in-Death was she,
Who thicks man's blood with cold.

The naked hulk alongside came,
And the twain were casting dice;
'The game is done! I've won, I've won!'
Quoth she, and whistles thrice.

The Sun's rim dips; the stars rush out:
At one stride comes the dark;
With far-heard whisper, o'er the sea,
Off shot the spectre-bark.

We listened and looked sideways up!
Fear at my heart, as at a cup,
My life-blood seemed to sip!
The stars were dim, and thick the night,
The steersman's face by his lamp gleamed white;
From the sails the dew did drip -
Till clomb above the eastern bar
The hornèd Moon, with one bright star
Within the nether tip.

One after one, by the star-dogged Moon,
Too quick for groan or sigh,
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang,
And cursed me with his eye.

Four times fifty living men,
(And I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump,
They dropped down one by one.

The souls did from their bodies fly, -
They fled to bliss or woe!
And every soul, it passed me by,
Like the whizz of my cross-bow!"

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The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Part 2 By Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

"The Sun now rose upon the right:
Out of the sea came he,
Still hid in mist, and on the left
Went down into the sea.

And the good south wind still blew behind,
But no sweet bird did follow,
Not any day for food or play
Came to the mariner's hollo!

And I had done an hellish thing,
And it would work 'em woe:
For all averred, I had killed the bird
That made the breeze to blow.
'Ah wretch!' said they, 'the bird to slay,
That made the breeze to blow!'

Nor dim nor red, like God's own head,
The glorious Sun uprist:
Then all averred, I had killed the bird
That brought the fog and mist.
'Twas right', said they, 'such birds to slay,
That bring the fog and mist.'

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.

Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
'Twas sad as sad could be;
And we did speak only to break
The silence of the sea!

All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.

The very deep did rot: O Christ!
That ever this should be!
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy sea.

About, about in reel and rout
The death-fires danced at night;
The water, like a witch's oils,
Burnt green, and blue and white.

And some in dreams assured were
Of the spirit that plagued us so;
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
From the land of mist and snow.

And every tongue, through utter drought,
Was withered at the root;
We could not speak, no more than if
We had been choked with soot.

Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung."

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Thar She Blows!

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big whale

One of the hazards of the sea are the big beasties that come up for air with a need to say hello.
Example: The poor guys of the Mureadritta's XL, coming back from Hawaii, had a mama whale kiss their boat. Glub, glub , glub 3 men in a tub. Arrgggh, does the name Moby Dick pop into your head?

Photo from SA.

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Down She Goes. The USS Oriskany Says Aloha As She Sinks Under The Sea.

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OSS Oriskany Sinks
The Mighty "O" is no mo....as a ship that is, she is now the world's largest artificial reef. Navy divers detonated explosives aboard the ship this morning, sending the retired aircraft carrier to Davey Jone's locker. She is now 24 miles off Pensacola Beach and 212 feet underwater. The local honchos hope that she will boost the economy by becoming a prime destination for sport divers and fishermen.

Click the photo of the Mighty "O" to watch the dramatic video of her sinking.

Via  Tampa Bay 10 | Photo AP

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Leaping Sharks And More. I Love Shark Week!


The nightmare!


The nightmare can come out of the water!
Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
Size:
to 26 ft, but more likely 12-16 ft
Habitat:
open ocean
Notes: incredibly dangerous


NBA material? Large Makos are said to be capable of leaping more than 20 feet out of the water.
Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)
Size:
to 12 ft
Habitat:
open ocean, coastal
Notes: dangerous


Airborne!
Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus)
Size:
to 20 ft including tail
Habitat:
open ocean, both coastal and over very deep water,
Notes: not especially dangerous


A surfer's worst nightmare. Tiger shark swimming in the surf.
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Size: to 24 ft
Habitat:
open ocean, also enters rivers and bays at night
Notes: extremely dangerous


This bad boy will swim up rivers into fresh water.
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Size:
to 12 ft, perhaps larger
Habitat:
coastal waters, bays, rivers, into fresh water
Notes: dangerous


Honey the guys and I are going out for a bite to eat.
Make sure you bring home some leftovers!
Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)
Size:
to 13 ft
Habitat:
coastal waters
Notes: dangerous

Links: Shark Week | New Jersey Scuba Diver

All Photos from New Jersey Scuba Diver.

Creatures From The Sea.


Can you say pink? Our friends from the sea are the Brittle Star and Red Eye Gaper.

This odd pair came together in a most unusual way. As the ROV was positioning to take a still photo of the redeye gaper fish, the brittle star, in the same beautiful shade of pink, swam furiously into view and positioned itself for a photo opportunity. Image courtesy of University of Alabama and NOAA OE.

Guess whose coming to dinner?


How many of you know that Orcas (Killer Whales) can beach themselves in pursuit of a tasty morsel? After catching their prey they return to the sea.

Orcas are voracious eaters who hunt in packs. They eat small fish, sea birds, penguins, seals, dolphins, whales, and polar bears.

There are rumors that some kayakers have ended up as a lunch item for these denizens of the sea.

The Wolves of the Sea.