The Scary Sea: Final Installment

I've saved the best for last.
Long ago I had heard of an Amazonian fish
that swam up the peeholes of unsuspecting men.
If you think that sounds vulgar,
just wait til you hear what these little fishies do.











The Candiru aka: toothpick fish, willy fish or canero
is a parasitic freshwater catfish.
He earned the toothpick nickname
because of his size.

Under normal circumstances
this guy would be attracted to the urea and ammonia
that is expelled from the gills of a bigger fish,
Toothpick swims up into the gills
puffs out his spikes and sucks the hosts blood.









Now.
Imagine one doing that to your penis, vagina, or butt,
Terrible thought.
Though it was a reality for this guy
Enjoy this Youtube Video of an Animal Planet special
on the Candiru!





HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

The Scary Sea: Part Three

Another fish that you generally want to stay clear of
is the moray eel.














A predator with teeth that are made to tear things apart.
mainly fish, but I'm sure that a few unlucky folks
have had some real bad encounters.
Like a fool I googled "Moray Eel Bites"
the first site i clicked on had some gruesome photos.
if you want to wander, check out www.wemjournal.org
they aren't pleasant to look at though.

Generally, like most of our other dangerous buddies,
the Moray Eel is not likely to attack humans without being threatened.
Which is a good thing, because in addition to the crazy set of teeth
they have in the front, they also have a second set of jaws!
Which can be found in their throat.
These are called Pharyngeal Jaws, and they are the only known creature
to be the proud owners of them.
Their purpose is to help them keep hold of struggling prey.
.delightful.

Besides the obvious damage a bite could do,
they can also do a double whammy if you decide to eat it.
The Moray Eel can occasionally cause something called
Ciguatera Fish Poisoning
I'll spare you the symptoms but feel free to wander there as well.

See You Tomorrow Sailors!

the scary sea: part due

I was trying to think of scary sea creatures
and the first 2 that came to mind
were lampreysand piranha's.
While they are really scary
they don't normally pose a threat to humans.
I think piranha's are more inclined
to attack then lampreys
(at least when provoked)
So I kept searching and I came upon the Barracuda.











Now, I don't know about you but
I had always been under the assumption
that the Barracuda was a moderately sized fish
that was maybe 2-3 feet in length.
Think again.
The Barracuda can grow up to 6 ft in length
and weigh up to 100 lbs.
Six feet!!! Does that blow anyone elses mind?!
According to Wikipedia, they rarely attack
unless provoked, and if they do
they will cease after one bite because we are not fish.
Still.
The idea of being ambushed by a
sharp toothed, 6 ft fish at 27 mph
is not alluring.

The Scary Sea: Part 1

Halloween is less than a week away,
so I was thinking that until then I'd post
about some terrifying creatures of the deep!
These fishies will swallow you whole,
or provide a more torturous end to you.
enjoy!


Starting this off is my favorite shark of all time.
(Though I'd never want to see one in person...)
The Megalodon!
This prehistoric shark is considered to have been
the biggest fish in the sea!
Because there is no specimen to study,
only an estimate can be made on its actual size.
Scientists took the size of the Meg's tooth and
compared it to other sharks teeth and their lengths.
So this since this is the tooth...


Scientists estimate that Meg is about 52 feet long and around 48 tons.
52 feet with teeth like those?
I don't even think I'd wade in the ocean.
Lucky for is Meg hasn't been around for 2-20 Million years.
or so we think....
As with everything mysterious there are those who think Meg didn't die out so long ago.
Up until the 70's there had been Meg sightings (or so they claim)
And really who is to say?
There is no way of knowing when this shark officially died out.

In my search for "believers", there was a book mentioned
-naturally I was excited at the possibility of a book about this shark-
but no. it's a novel. Probably similar to Jaws.
so sad. I prefer my sea monsters in non-fiction.
but if it seems like your cupa tea,
then check out "Meg" by Steven Alten



That's it for this installment,
check back tomorrow for more of the Scary Sea!

squids for sale

Today is all about squid and sea creature art.
There is some amazing stuff on etsy right now.
so check these out!!

This is "Blue Squidy"
from the shop of Imogen
I love this pendant, as any squid lover would.
and at 8$ its a steal!




















I am a big fan of Cleo Dee.
She has squids for every occasion,
and if you want you can even customize your own.
CarlyValentine got me one last Christmas!
It was a business squid with a hat and briefcase.
it is currently hanging on my wall.
This is the cookie squid. $16 for handmade cephalopod perfection.

















I am newly obsessed with this little guy
i typed "sea creatures" in the search bar and there he was.
I focus a lot on squid, but i have a very large place in my heart for the manatee.
I collect any kind of manatee items i can, pins, socks, keychains, stuffed animals.
If i wasn't so broke i'd buy him from NeedleNoodles
Sad isn't it. I cannot afford an 11$ manatee.
but enough about me. lets talk about...














Jellyfish!
Bags!
Jellyfish on bags!
This is from the shop of WhitneyArtell
and for 18$ you can have a sweet tote
that no one else will have!
That is the beauty of etsy.
awesome one-of-a-kinds at excellent prices.

.














I'm in the process of creating new things for my own etsy page,
keep an eye out for more onesies, stationary, cards, and some squid

New Creatures!

Jackpot in Southest Asia
or right near it really, in the Celebes Sea.
Which is between Malaysia and the Phillipines.

These creatures are ridiculously fantastic!
especially the squid and jelly.
lets start with the mini cephalopod
since i love them so...


This little guy is 0.2" long, he was viewed by a microscope
which makes him a far cry from humboldts and giant squid.
National Geographic calls him a "young squid"
which makes me wonder....will he grow to gigantic
lengths and still retain the creepy red and black eyes?!
to be honest i don't want to find out.
But I'm a fan of this guy.

Next we have the most exotic jellyfish I've ever seen.

She is a Red Medusa Jellyfish, resident of the Celebes Sea, and completely amazing.
National Geographic wrote:
"The animal's deep red hue is actually common among these jellyfish.
Although it is not visible in the ocean's dark depths,
the color masks any bioluminescence given off by prey
trapped inside the jellies' guts."
Sadly they do not write much about these creatures
but they are new so I will let it slide this time.


I will definitely be making prints of these creatures, so keep an eye out.

festive crustaceans

Every crustacean has his day and for this particular one
it is All Hallows Day.
Ladies and gents, meet the Halloween crab!

This fine creature is a resident of Costa Rica, he and his family and friends live on the land in burrows they create.
However, they must remain close to water because if their lungs do not stay wet, they will cease to exist.

In my hunt for facts about these guys (and there wasn't much) I found that, apparently, people keep them as pets.
Which seems a little unecessary-who really needs rainforest crabs in their home anyway??

Reduce Plastic Waste.

though my posts are anything but regular anymore, I still keep up with the events and inner workings of the ocean.
I recently read a book called "Washed Up", which talks about all the craziness that ends up on the shores from sneakers
to sea glass. It also talks about the horrible effect that plastic waste has on the ocean.
As someone who tries to be a planet saver, I've tried my best to refuse plastic bags.
In a hunt for bags to silkscreen on I stumbled upon a company called
"Chicobags", my friend Sharon and I ordered one each just to test them out.
And i'm addicted. they squish up into a pouch that you can just toss into your bag!
they go anywhere, are ridiculously durable, and are washable.
It's easier then toting a canvas bag around with you "just in case",
best of all, they are 5$.
Everyone i know is getting one for Christmas.
Check out the links section for the official site.
xo

apologies

It has been AGES since i've last posted.
I'm a terrible blogger.
and on a sad note,
I had to give up my volunteer position at the aquarium.
There was just no time.
So i'm hoping I can do it in the fall.

In other news.
squid news!

A giant squid (26ft)
washed ashore down under.
It's tentacles were badly damaged,
so scientists speculate that it may
have been even longer while it was
in good health!!!!

I feel bad this creature of the deep has died.
but I always like to read about them, and with
this new specimen maybe we can learn more

like a virgin.

weather: quite hot

It has been forever and a day since i have posted.
I am a terrible blogger!
Life was overly hectic for awhile
with graduation, moving, and all that stuff.

In sea news, I jesschambers will be volunteering
at the ny aquarium starting july 3.
glamorous? hardly.
I'll be cutting fish and cleaning seal poo for awhile
but it will be worth it to see the seals, walrus and otters
every tuesday. maybe i'll even end up
with a job there someday haha.

I was on nationalgeographic as usual
and there is currently a story up about
a female bonnethead shark who knocked herself up.
ok so that sounds a little ridiculous.
but this lady managed to fertilize her own eggs
and give birth without intercourse.

This is not the first time something like this has occured
but most species this happens to -insects, certain lizards-
is common for them.
For a female shark to have to fertilize her own eggs
means that she is not finding a male to do it.
could this be due to overfishing? (i think so.)

Maybe it is time to give seafood a rest.
Let the ocean get back to its previous state,
and not starve the creatures that live there
just so we can have shrimp cocktail and calamari.

4 ft. clams and new beginnings.

Weather: cool summer evening


it is offical sailors.
I've reached the end of my college voyage!!
i really never thought i'd see this day,
where i'd have a degree, and an awesome apartment.


But enough about me
Lets talk about giant clams.
Perhaps it is because i am so small,
but i have a fascination of large sea creatures.
and the giant clam is a beauty.

















These babies can grow to be 4ft in length.
thats roughly the size of an 8 year old.
and though myths of man eating clams exist.
Scientists claim that this cannot be true,
due to the clams inability to snap its shell shut.
Therefore giving the human enough time to
get the hell out of the clams mouth.

These giants can live 100+years
which is no surprise with those shells.
They are found mostly in the South Pacific
and Indian Ocean.
another interesting tidbit is that
once they choose their place in the reef
they are there forever and ever.

an awesome sight for
finding monster info
is FactMonster.com.
I stumbled upon it while googling
"Man Eating Giant Clam".
So. uh check into that.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend sailors!

peanut. peanut butter and jellyfish!

weather: crisp and sunny


buona sera sailors!
(good evening in italian)

I've decided to switch from entries to clever titles.
and obviously I'm all about jellyfish today.
as usual there are particular ones I am thinking of.

the box jellyfish and his cousin the Irukandji.


























These Australian natives have managed
to cause some problems down under.
The box jellyfish for instance,
has claimed more lives down there
than snakes, sharks and crocs combined!
how is this possible? you wonder
extreme toxins my friends. extreme.
so ridiculously extreme that
they can stop cardiorespiratory functions in less than 3 minutes.

As for the Irukandji....
I was watching a show about these jellyfish
and both hosts of the show actually got stung by
the Irukandji and ended up in the hospital.
This happened because the sneaky Irujandji
is about the size of an adult thumbnail.
Which understandably makes him extra hard to spot.
He has only been known to have caused 2 deaths
but the "irukandji syndrome"
could have been mistaken for something else
so who is to say.

entry: 5905

weather: sunny and spring-like


A youtube video has been brought to my attention
and I feel the need to share this with the masses.
for it brought a tear to my eye.



There are few things that I love more
than seeing animals do cute things.
and this wins the prize for the year.

I had a love for sea otters already,
but this prompted some extra research.
and i found this on www.seaotter-sealion.org,
about sea otter behavior.

Sea otters are social animals who may float together in
groups of less than 10 to more than 100, called rafts.
Usually these groups are separated by sex, females and pups
spend time in one group and males in another.
Otters usually swim on their backs but have been known
to swim on their stomachs while traveling.
Sea otters will only eat while they are floating,
but may also groom, rest, and nurse their young.
It is also common for sea otters to wrap themselves
in kelp beds when resting or sleeping.

This website provides all the necessary information
to properly get to know these guys.
You can also become a member of the
Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission!
This gets you involved with the conservation of these fantastic creatures-
this group also promotes/supports local alaskan tribes.
a full years membership is 30$
go to http://www.seaotter-sealion.org/join/membership.html
for additonal info and become a friend to the otters and sea lions!

have a good weekend sailors!!

entry: 7777

weather: tut tut...looks like rain.

Warm weather inspires me to brainstorm.
My thoughts led me to applying to volunteer at the aquarium.
I plan to have the application in the mail by friday,
and hope and pray that they will give me a chance.

I also got to thinking about this blog.
I know what interests me
but i don't know what interests my readers
...all 4 of them...
so this is more to get to know you.
yes you.
i have to say that i don't even know who reads this.
but i want to know.
so if i do know you personally
tell me what you'd like to see on captains log.
and if i don't know you personally
tell me about your interests in the sea and anything else you'd like!

I like being involved in things with a purpose
and the beauty of a blog such as this,
is that it allows me to explore my curiosities...
(namely the sea)
and also invited others to share in them and contribute as well.

Much like the fisherman in the Deadliest Catch-
i have thrown out my crab-pod of ideas into the abyss.
now i'll leave, with plans to later return, and see what i have to work with.

entry: 8199

weather: hot enough for short shorts.


It's finally warm out!
and that makes a happy captain and crew.

The topic of todays post is about my new obsession:
Planet Earth.
the discovery channel series.

I have not even been able to watch them all yet,
but what i have seen is ridiculously amazing.
The series took over 5 years to create
and is well worth it, showcasing
rare animals and behaviors.

Another great thing about how it is taped
is that is shows the growth process.
My favorite being the mushrooms in the rainforest.
The co-captain and i decided that we are going to buy the dvd set.
it's $79.95- which isn't all that bad for getting a view of
creatures and places that you will never see.
It is available for purchase at discoverychannel.com

normally i would post images to showcase the glory
that is Planet Earth.
But their pictures are not available for "borrowing"
so i'll leave you all with a picture of my dog
in one of my old bathing suit tops.
we like to dress her up sometimes.....
ladies and gents-big mees.

entry: 0243

weather: glorious and sunny


There is something about New York in the springtime
that makes this little capitain swoon.
The trees and flowers in Central Park begin to bloom
outdoor cafes open up, and I am finally
able to wear shorts without tights underneath!
It's a glorious time to be a New Yorker.

On a sadder note, the minke whale
that had been spotted in brooklyn
has died. Some genius decided to
name him "Sludgie", but we on the SS Chambs
prefer to call him Francis.
Scientists speculate that he was only a baby
that had been separated from his mommy
and did not have the capabilities to survive on his own.
They also believe that he was sick because he appaeared
to be disoriented. Our hearts go out to the wayward whale.
Francis loved lollipops, CCR, and bellyrubs. he will be missed.




Despite the tragedy
I encourage all to get out
and enjoy this much needed sun!

entry: 4129

weather: complicated.

Lately squid have been on my mind...
ok...squid are always on my mind.
But this time i'm thinking of a particular cephalopd
The humboldt squid.
All the things people assume the giant squid to be,
the humboldt actually is.
Though not as large as the giant squid
humboldt's are refered to as "jumbo squid"
and also more commonly known as calamari.
-for all you squid eaters out there-


Though it is described on IMDB as a "gigantic opctopus"
we all know its a gigantic squid.
It is the creature that is featured in Peter Benchley's book
"The Beast", which is kind of hokey,
but who doesn't like movies about man eating squid?
Judging by the descriptions of the creature-
I'm thinking it is a combo of Giant squid and Humboldts.
Obviously, there are some fabrications to the film.

Humboldt's are not actually that large,
the maximum recorded length is 6ft.
Which is about the size of my younger brother.
They travel in schools of up to 1200,
and are able to change colors.

But they did get some things right.
Humboldt's are known to be very aggressive,
divers and fisherman have reportedly been attacked.
most likely because humans were invading their territory.
An attack from these guys however, is not a pleasant one.
Their tentacles are equipped with sharp hooks, and their suckers
also have teeth-like extensions, not to mention their beak!


Though they are seen more often then our friend Giant Squid,
many details about them still remain a mystery.
But i will say that we on the SS Chambs consider
the Humboldt squids our friends.
Because the way I see it,
tis far better to be with them
then against them.

entry: 1007

Weather: chilly

The deck of the SS Chambs has been busy busy busy.
School is rapidly coming to a close
and the weeks are going by so quickly I can barely take it all in.
But there is good news.
You can find me on etsy!
www.littlebunny.etsy.com

Not everything is up yet
but I'm working on it!

entry: 5333

weather: rainy and bleh.

The SS Chambs has hit rough waters.
with the end of school rapidly approaching,
the hunt for an apartment continuing
and the bank account dwindling.
Stress is putting it lightly.
I haven't felt this crazy since before i was medicated.
(last year)
My only comfort is that after all this
i will have a home, a degree, and a first mate.




Plans are in the works for a JessChambers etsy store.
not much is known yet.. but i do know this.
10% of all purchases will go to the BARC shelter in BK.
because i love dogs.
and if i cant own them all, then im going to help them.
Information will be posted here when the time comes.

stay dry and warm sailors. its not pretty out today!

entry: 2034

weather: cool and springy

oh sailors what a week it has been.
i have been such a sick captain.
below deck in queens since wednesday morning.
thank goodness for the co-captain
taking care of me for 3 days
he deserves a trophy.

Lots going on this week
springfest is next friday
sailing to jersey for easter
and the eternal hunt for an apartment continues.

Because I am still fairly loopy
this will be a quick post
but i will say this before my head hits my pillow.
check out the otter video on nationalgeographic.com.
totally worth it.