FOLLOW THE VOYAGE - TS KENNEDY

Thursday, January 20, 2011

FTV 1/20/11

Recently the different creatures that live in the Gulf of Mexico have come to the surface. Just yesterday, a pod of over fifteen dolphins were off the port side swimming alongside the ship. Today another pod was spotted swimming alongside, this time there were about seven. It was like something out of the movies. Another cool sea creature we saw was the flying fish.

There are about forty different known species of flying fish that can be found in warm ocean waters worldwide. Their torpedo-like shape allows them to gather great speed underwater, and there wing like fins allow them to sustain flight. Flying fish can reach heights of up to four feet and travel distances over two hundred meters. Though many flying fish can be seen from the ship, the fishermen on board are on the hunt for something bigger.

Every day since we've been in the warm climate cadets have set up lines to be dragged behind the ship in the hopes of catching Mahi Mahi. Mahi Mahi is a beautiful, sleek green fish that are quite popular among sport fisherman and are can be very delicious if cooked correctly. They are a surface dwelling fish found in offshore tropical and subtropical waters. So far only a few have been caught off the stern of the ship; surely many more are yet to be caught. We'll be sure to post the results of these catches as the numbers come in. Coming Up: The T.S. Kennedy will be docking in Vera Cruz, Mexico Friday morning at 0800

Questions:

1. Are flying fish capable of staying on the surface of the water for a distance greater than that of the T.S. Kennedy?

2. What is another name for Mahi Mahi?

3. If dolphins swim in pods, what do Mahi Mahi and flying fish swim in?

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