News Watch &#187; Enric Sala

Desventuradas Expedition: Where Giant Lobsters Roam

Enric Sala — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:47:25 +0000

25 February 2013

The Juan Fernández lobster (Jasus frontalis) is the only species targeted by a specific fishery at the Desventuradas Islands. Fishermen from Juan Fernández travel more than 500 nautical miles to fish them during a short season. Adult Juan Fernández lobsters are typically deep – generally between 60 and 150 meters – while their juvenile are at scuba diving depths. With our submarine DeepSee we observed many adult lobsters deep, but we could not believe how large they were. So we did some deep rebreather dives to try to see some from up close – and still, it was hard to believe how huge those monster lobsters were. These photos show a lobster we filmed and measured. Yours truly is behind it in one of the photos. It was 54 cm (21 inches) from head to tail, without the spines, and almost 7 kg (15 pounds). These are the largest lobsters I’ve seen in my life. Everywhere else, lobsters are much smaller, mainly because they are fished intensely. The Desventuradas are remote and only lightly fished, and still harbor what appears to be one of the healthiest lobster populations in the Pacific.

NEXT: A Surprise Stowaway

The Desventuradas are lightly fished and home to the healthiest lobster populations in the Pacific. (Photos by Manu San Félix)

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Desventuradas Expedition: A Surprise Stowaway

Enric Sala — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:00:30 +0000

23 February 2013

Our underwater cinematographer, Manu San Félix, has spent a lot of time under the sea: 7,000 dives in 32 years! Yet he has not seen everything; neither have I. Nature always have ways to surprise us. We were filming juvenile Juan Fernández lobsters (Jasus frontalis) – just three inches long – in their natural habitat, under the canopy of Eisenia kelps at San Ambrosio Island. All of a sudden, one little lobster jumped and landed on Manu’s mask. She seemed pretty comfortable there, so I had plenty of time to take a photograph. After a minute, the lobster jumped back under the kelp, and disappeared. Kelps provide an essential habitat for juvenile lobsters and many species of fishes. They are an underwater forest that helps make this place rich.

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

NEXT: The Sea Urchin and the Plastic Razor

The juvenile lobster returns nonchalantly to its kelp forest hideaway. (Photo by Enric Sala)

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Desventuradas Expedition: The Sea Urchin and the Plastic Razor

Enric Sala — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:46:25 +0000

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala is setting off on his first big expedition of the year: to explore and record the underwater life around the remote Desventuradas Islands, hundreds of miles off the coast of Chile.

20 February 2013

Sea urchins are everywhere on the sheltered side of San Ambrosio Island. There are brown long-spine sea urchins, brown short-spine sea urchins, black long-spine sea urchins, white sea urchins, and flat sea urchins – also called sand dollars – which bury themselves on the sand.

Long-spine sea urchins protect themselves through their spine canopy. But sea urchins with shorter spines also try the old trick of camouflage. They typically put little rocks or pieces of algae on top of their bodies, to blend with the bottom.

Yesterday we went diving at a little cove near a fishing camp (fishermen from Juan Fernández come here seasonally to catch lobsters). Unfortunately, some fishermen are too happy throwing their trash in the sea. A sea urchin took advantage of a plastic disposable razor it found on the bottom, to try to blend among the human debris. Even in a remote island like San Ambrosio, we cannot escape from humans. The good news is that humans are here only seasonally, and this underwater world is still full of life.

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

NEXT: The Cutest Predator

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Desventuradas Expedition: The Cutest Predator

Enric Sala — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:23:53 +0000

19 February 2013

When we think of predators, our minds often picture large animals with sharp teeth and scary faces, animals that have evolved just to kill humans. Our collective memory makes us fearful of the night, and almost everyone has been startled by unknown noises in a dark forest. This fear has been engraved in our collective unconscious like carvings in a rock. When it comes to the ocean, many people still fear sharks (despite repeated evidence that sharks are the ones who should be scared of us) or deep alien creatures that hide in the darkness to attack unexpectedly.

The top predator at the Desventuradas is not the typical reef shark, or a grouper with a huge mouth able to swallow a diver. It is not a fearsome animal that kills at night either. The largest predator here is the Juan Fernández sea lion (Arctocephalus philippi), the cutest carnivore we have found in any of our Pristine Seas Expeditions to date. They spend much of the day hanging out on rocky platforms near the water. When we approach them, it’s like someone brought free candy to a school. The sea lions raise their heads, get indeed very excited, and drag their fat bellies from rock to rock until they jump in the water.

The Juan Fernández sea lion is the cutest carnivore we have found in any of our Pristine Expeditions to date. (Photo by Enric Sala)

Underwater, the sea lions become torpedoes of enormous grace and elegance. Their eyes are large as a Japanese cartoon character’s, and their looks pierce us as they swim very fast between us divers. After playing with our bubbles and checking us out very closely, they just hang out, their backsides on the surface and their heads hanging down like bats.

A supple spine and a blubbery outer layer allow a sea lion to twist, stretch, and compact itself into ever changing forms, making the “true shape” of a sea lion almost impossible to describe. (Photo by Enric Sala)

The Juan Fernández sea lion lives only in the Desventuradas Islands and the Juan Fernández archipelago (800 km south of the Desventuradas). It was very abundant before European whalers and hunters started to exterminate them. In the Juan Fernández archipelago between three and five million were killed for their skins and their oil between the 17th and the 19th centuries. In 1880, the scientific community of the time thought them extinct. Fortunately, a few individuals survived and were able to start replenishing their population. In 1970, about a hundred years after they had been seen for what was thought the last time, two juvenile sea lions were observed at San Ambrosio. In 1975, 300 individuals were observed.

We have seen only five sea lions at San Ambrosio. The strong winds have restricted our work to the northern side of the island. Also, the Chilean Navy did not allow us to dive around San Félix Island, where there is a military base. Therefore we cannot determine whether there are still hundreds of sea lions in the archipelago. That is a shame, for not many scientific parties ever make it here. I only hope that the sea lions are coming back, and that the restricted access will keep them safe.

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

NEXT: Best Dive Yet

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Desventuradas Expedition: New Species and the Best Dive Yet

Enric Sala — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:50:33 +0000

By Alex Muñoz

Translated from Spanish. Leer el original aquí.

[Updated 2/20/2013] After more than a week of expedition, this place continues to surprise us. Yosy discovered a coordinate on the map very close to San Félix that corresponds to a seamount whose peak is only 10 meters deep; the perfect place for our divers and the DeepSee submarine to explore.

We left early in Argo to look for the seamount. After a few hours, the echo sounder detected 10 meters! Yosy had been right! The group of scientists and cameramen quickly got into the water.

Enric, Avi, and I were the fortunate ones that went in the DeepSee to a completely unknown place. As we started to descend, Avi (our pilot) said, “This is the exact definition of exploration!” And wow, was he right. As my colleagues and I were full of excitement, before we knew it, we reached 130 meters. Thousands of fish, from brecas to Jack mackerel, sharks to vidriolas surrounded us.

Into the Deep

In a matter of minutes, Avi brought us down to 250 meters. A wall full of corals and gorgonians (or sea fans) got our attention for quite a while. With incredible precision, Avi maneuvered the submarine’s high definition camera and we recorded each species that crossed our path.

We continued the descent… 300, 340, 365 meters deep! Although there were less fish between 320 and 340 meters, a large quantity of different types of lobsters appeared; smaller than those of Juan Fernández that one normally sees in shallower waters.

Enric focused his view on a timid but beautiful orange and green fish. It was easily frightened by the lights and hid in a hole of an imposing rock on the seamount. “This is a new species,” he said to us. Avi turned off the motors and the lights and we were completely in the dark. The excitement of being at this depth with no lights or sound is incredible, and at the same time, the peace that you feel is unparalleled. With a small red flashlight we saw this beautiful fish dare to leave its hiding place. After a good while trying, three of them appeared and we were able to record them! With this footage in hand, we continued our travels of the deep.

We started the ascent slowly by a wall different to that of the descent and the marine life sprung from all sides. We viewed a precious nudibranch, with an intense orange color, at 300 meters. A little bit above this, in one of the most beautiful scenes of the trip, a crab on a terrace held in its two claws what could be a glass sponge.

Power of the Seamount

Later, more and more corals started to appear with clouds of juvenile fishes living among them. All of the articles that I have read about the importance of seamounts and how they are areas of reproduction and nourishment and how the populations of small fish support the life of the largest fish are made clearly evident in this image. As we arrived at the surface, after being so excited, I hadn’t even realized we had been submerged for five and a half hours!

During the immersion, I could not help but think that just a few days ago, the new law in Chile that protects all seamounts from bottom trawling took effect. Four years ago, Oceana began a strong campaign that culminated in the banning of this type of fishing in vulnerable marine ecosystems, including the immediate and preventative closure of all seamounts, 118 total in Chilean waters, which covers a surface of almost 150,000 km². During this time, how many times did they say to us that there was nothing in the seamounts, that the Chilean sea contains almost only sand and that bottom trawling would not have any impact on the sea floor? Now I have seen with my own eyes what a seamount really is without the impact of bottom trawling – using the typical phrase of our Costa Rican friends that make up Argo’s crew – I can say that in the seamounts, there is “Pura Vida!” (Pure Life!)

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

NEXT: The Cutest Predator

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Desventuradas Expedition: Fish Bigger Than We Are

Enric Sala — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:24:19 +0000

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala is setting off on his first big expedition of the year: to explore the remote islands of Desventuradas, hundreds of miles off the coast of Chile. Jen Casselle is a veteran member of Enric’s Pristine Seas project, and is a Research Biologist at the Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara focuses on conservation and ecology.

By Jenn Caselle

Today the science team did a survey dive at the farthest western tip of Isla San Ambrosio. We had been waiting for days for the weather to clear and the large ocean swell to die down enough for us to access this exposed and rugged rock sitting just removed from the main island.

Despite enduring rough conditions, we decided it wasn’t going to get much better any time soon so we prepared our equipment and our science gear with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

Exposed points on oceanic islands like this are known for the abundance of large animals. Water currents move strongly past these areas, bringing planktonic food for the small fishes that in turn become the food for the larger fishes. We expected this to be the case here at San Ambrosio but as we entered the water and fought the currents ripping over to the reef, alternately being pulled down to the depths and then shot back up, we wondered whether this was a good idea after all!

Very large Juan Fernandez Jacks (known to our Chilean colleagues as Jurel) darted through the clouds of smaller brightly colored fish, hoping for a meal in the confusion while also hoping not to become the meal for the even bigger amberjacks cruising nearby. At one point, fifteen yellowtail jacks swam past me. Even the smallest of the group dwarfed me in size and weight.

How the Ocean Could Be

Our science team has worked in a lot of places, in many oceans and between us we have observed untold numbers of reefs with myriad sea life. Yet it’s only when we come to pristine places, like the Islas Desventuradas, that we are reminded of how it used to be before humans. It’s only when I see fish bigger than me that I realize this is how it could be again.

Fishing pressure around the world has not only removed massive numbers of fish, but has had the effect of “shrinking” those that are left. As the largest individuals are fished out, the ones left behind tend to grow faster, mature younger and die earlier. Over long time periods, this means that these fishes will adapt to the missing giants among them and tend to stay smaller in size. For most of us, these little, young fish are who we see on our local reefs and this, unfortunately, has become the new normal. Our team has been lucky enough, by diving in places with no or very little fishing, to see just how large some of these fishes can get, when allowed to feed and grow naturally.

As I continued my survey in what we later affectionately labeled the “washing machine” of the western point of Isla San Ambrosia, I felt a resurgence of hope that once again our reefs and oceans will be filled with “fish bigger than me.”

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

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Q&A With a Mola Mola Expert

Valentine’s Day at the Unfortunate Islands

Enric Sala — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:01:31 +0000

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala is setting off on his first big expedition of the year: to explore the remote Desventuradas Islands, hundreds of miles off the coast of Chile. Today’s post comes from veteran team member Alan Friedlander. For 30 years Alan has been examining population regulation in marine fishes throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Caribbean, and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

By Alan Friedlander

14 February 2013

In spite of the names of these islands (Desventuradas is Spanish for “Unfortunate”), the trip in general and today in particular have been filled with good fortune.

The science team has been hard at work surveying the marine life around the islands and we have been astounded by the abundance of fishes, kelps, urchins and the spectacular underwater scenery here. While the numbers of different fish species is not very high, the sheer number of individuals is overwhelming. Sometimes the walls of brightly colored fish make it nearly impossible to see your hand in front of your face. Red and white stripes, pink and orange blotches, purple spots and polka dots all grace the fish at the Unfortunate Islands.

Today was a special day. While diving at one of the many points along the jagged coastline, we were “fortunate” enough to see a rare and spectacular open water fish – the ocean sunfish or mola mola. This strange looking creature is one of the most advanced of all the fishes but looks like it was designed by committee. Imagine a disk with its back cut off and two ‘wings’ crudely attached! At once awkward and graceful, the sunfish feeds mainly on jellyfish and rarely comes close to the coast. Seeing it up close and watching it watch me was an unforgettable experience. (Read a Q&A with a mola mola expert.)

As if the day couldn’t get any better, our next dive was a great big love-fest, very befitting of Valentine’s Day. We were escorted throughout the entire dive by three very friendly sea lions. This species of sea lion is found only on these islands and nearby Robinson Crusoe Island. Sea wolves or ‘lobos’ in Spanish, they wanted to play, but underwater we are no match for their grace and besides, we had work to do – or at least that was our excuse!

As we continue to focus on collecting the survey data we cannot forget how special this place is and how fortunate we are to be here, at the beautiful and pristine Unfortunate Islands. Who knows what’s in store for us tomorrow.
Aloha – Alan

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

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Desventuradas Expedition: Bizarre and Wonderful Sub Dive

Enric Sala — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:51:10 +0000

13 February 2013

The Argo, our ship, was anchored on the northern side of San Ambrosio Island, sheltered from the strong swell from the southeast. San Ambrosio is small, invisible on a satellite photo of the Eastern Pacific, yet to us it is our whole world. The island and its rocky cliffs are a wall between the powerful ocean and us. There is always a refuge, on the lee side of the island, no matter how small, where we can anchor and rest.

From our little refuge we deployed the little yellow DeepSee to conduct the first submersible dive ever at San Ambrosio. This expedition is full of ‘firsts,’ and they are all exciting. Eli the pilot, Neil Gelinas – our film producer – and I entered the submarine. The support team immediately locked us in our acrylic bubble, and towed us off DeepSee’s berth on the stern of the Argo. We bobbled on the surface, while juvenile masked boobies aggregated around the sub, dipping their heads in the water to check us out. They were like a bunch of teenagers gathering around a flashy new car that just arrived in their little town.

We dived to 138 meters, landing on a reef in the middle of a sandy bottom. The reef was connected to another one by a volcanic dike, a sort of underwater Hadrian’s wall. We stopped the sub on the bottom, and we were surrounded by fish and dogfish, a kind of deep shark. Because the refraction of light on the acrylic is similar to seawater’s, the barrier protecting us was nearly invisible and we had the impression of being right there in the water with all the fish. It is one of the most bizarre and at the same time wonderful feelings.

We spent three hours on the bottom, and came up with a long list of species of fish and invertebrates, some probably new to science – and more than an hour of footage, which will take many hours to analyze. But we also need to download our photos, enter the data in the computer, and discuss the plan for tomorrow. There is no idle time on an expedition. It’s 10pm while I send this blog post using our portable satellite antenna – which does not always work perfectly. What long, and full, days…

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

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Watch Google Science Fair Hangout With Enric Sala From Chile

Desventuradas Expedition: First Humans to Dive San Ambrosio?

Enric Sala — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:58:38 +0000

10 February 2013

Today we did the first scientific dives reported for San Ambrosio Island. We don’t even know if anyone has ever dived here, period. The sea was calm, the water blue and clear, and we could not wait to jump in the water.

It has been almost a year since Alex Muñoz – Executive Director of Oceana Chile – and I started planning this expedition. During this time, we were not able to find a single underwater photo of the Desventuradas Islands. So I felt like I was parachuting in, at night, over unknown territory. I had no idea what I was going to find, but this only made it more exciting. Because these islands are so remote and apparently devoid of local human impacts, we expected to see lots of fish–and hopefully large fish in particular.

The first time diving in a completely new place is like learning a new language in five seconds. We jump in the water, look around, try to identify as many species as possible in the shortest possible time, look for patterns, and build a mental picture of the underwater ecosystem. And so we did at San Ambrosio.

As soon as the bubbles cleared, we could see the bottom at 25 meters depth. There was a rocky wall of dark volcanic rock descending to 25 meters, with thousands of long-spined sea urchins. A closer look revealed that the urchins had eaten all the organisms on the rock, and left it bare, except for some small light patches with encrusting coralline algae and tube-forming snails. Then a shadow zoomed in; it was a curious Juan Fernández sea lion. It swam between us, fast as lightning, with huge eyes like a character in a Japanese cartoon, looking at us surprised. It had probably never seen a human underwater before.

Our eyes followed the sea lion as it swam back to the surface, and then we saw a brown belt between the surface and 10-meters depth. It was kelp, undulating with the swell. And among and over the kelp there were thousands of fish, swimming in and out of the canopy. As we approached the fish schools, they engulfed us. We were like planets surrounded by countless satellites. All of a sudden, the small fish in the schools swam to safety, because ten large yellowtail jacks swam fast as torpedoes to check us out.

I felt that feeling of fulfillment that one only experiences in wild nature. It is a combination of exhilaration and bliss. It is our first day at San Ambrosio, and we can already tell that this underwater world is wild and healthy. I cannot wait to discover how many more surprises are waiting for us.

This expedition is supported by Blancpain and Davidoff Cool Water.

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Watch Google Science Fair Hangout With Enric Sala From Chile