Where The Stars Fall

Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives

Bioluminescence, one of the most fascinating natural phenomena, can also be caused by tiny, microscopic, single-celled organisms. Dinoflagellates, possibly the most interesting of all phytoplankton groups, are called so because they have two flagellae which are thread-like appendages that help them swim. These microscopic creatures, like other phytoplankton, experience various bloom cycles. When abundant, these Dinoflagellate blooms can show themselves as red tides or as sea water speckled with bioluminescent dots reminiscent of a star filled sky on a clear night. So how do these unicellular organisms mimic the stars that are light-years away? Research has shown that their cells and cell membranes have special channels that allow only protons to go through. The movement of surrounding water creates electrical impulses that trigger or stimulate the proton channels to elicit a chemical reaction. An enzyme called Luciferase reacts with an oxygen-rich compound called Luciferin to form Oxyluciferin. This reaction produces that bright, captivating light that illuminates the Dinoflagellates. Large colonies of these bioluminescent organisms are found in warm water lagoons and can light up the entire beach, especially on windy nights as the phytoplankton get agitated by the movement of water. Dinoflagellates use their bioluminescence to defend themselves from their predators, fish. These organisms are toxic to fish and flash their lights as a warning to them to avoid being eaten. Sometimes this light attracts predators of the fish, like sperm whales, who feed on those fish that were tempted by the phytoplankton. People too take advantage of this bioluminescence to guide them. When a ship travels on water abundant in these Dinoflagellates, they leave behind a trail of luminescence. Aircraft carrier-based jet pilots have been known to use these trails to find their way back in the night. The multitude of these single-celled creatures, like large neon signs, guides the aircraft to the ships and to land. The sight of a million glowing dots in the ocean is one that words cannot express. No picture or movie can capture it.  The ocean is the only place on earth where you can see something as magical a glowing lagoon saturated with fallen stars that have not lost their brilliance. 

A Ship Leaving A Luminescent Blue Trail

Ode To A Sea Snake

“Beyond the shadow of the ship,

I watched the water-snakes:

They moved in tracks of shining white,

And when they reared, the elfish light

Fell off in hoary flakes.

Within the shadow of the ship

I watched their rich attire:

Blue, glossy green, and velvet black,

They coiled and swam; and every track

Was a flash of golden fire.

O happy living things! No tongue

Their beauty might declare:

A spring of love gushed from my heart,

And I blessed them unaware:

Sure my kind saint took pity on me,

And I blessed them unaware.

The self-same moment I could pray;

And from my neck so free

The Albatross fell off, and sank

Like lead into the sea.”

                               - The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

Yellow-bellied Sea Snake

Sea snakes are the creatures that brought a chance at redemption to the mariner in Coleridge’s poem, “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”. It was the deed of appreciating their beauty that liberated him from the weight of his sins. As the mariner conveys in the poem, no description of these snakes can truly do them justice. Different species of sea snakes vary in colours and patterns. Many have alternating rings of black, red, grey, white or blue. Some have a single colour adorning their bodies. Their length ranges from four feet to nine feet depending on the species. These snakes are closely related to cobras and though they have adapted to marine environments, in other ways, still use lungs to breathe. This mean they have to come up to the surface for air occasionally. They can then dive down to a depth of 300 feet and stay without breathing for half an hour. They have valves that keep their nostrils covered under water. Research shows that their skin has adapted to aquatic life such that it can absorb small amounts of oxygen directly from the water. They have laterally flattened bodies and a paddle shaped tail that functions as an oar when the snakes swim. The mesmerising, undulating motion of their bodies propels them in water. They also have specialized sub-lingual glands that help in secreting excess salt from their bodies. When they stick their tongues out, the gland secrets a substance that has a high concentration of sodium chloride. One of the most incredible things about these snakes is their venom which is in the same class as some of the most potent and powerful venom found in the natural world. Their prey, consisting of fish, fish eggs, crustaceans and molluscs, feel the effects of the venom immediately. An enzyme is also secreted that starts the process of digestion as the prey is being swallowed. What is even more incredible than their potent venom is their docile and timid nature. They rarely bite people and bite only when provoked, though it is said that most people don’t even realize they've been bitten till the symptoms start to show. They only use the venom for defence and to eat. Like most animals (other than humans) they kill only when necessary. This docile nature, in spite of being equipped with deadly venom, is where their beauty lies. 

Banded Krait