Leapers Great and Small

5/26/08


I'm afraid the world's sea creatures have discovered our secret - air is good! And now it appears they want to leave the watery depths and join us top-side.

Ever since the first prehistoric creatures flopped onto the beach and discovered the world of air and light, their sea-bound brethren have probably wondered what all the commotion was about. What could any clear-headed, self-respecting fish possibly want up there!? Of course, I don't base any of this on science, just the simple observation that fish seem to constantly be trying to leave the confines of their watery homes to get a lttle fresh air and sunshine. The most recent proof came last week in Japan, where a TV crew filmed a flying fish gliding alongside their boat for a record 45 seconds (check out the amazing YouTube video).

It's not just the Japanese fish that are growing weary of all that gill flapping. There are plenty of examples to be found right here in Florida. While the only true flying fish in our part of the world are found off our shoreline, Florida's fresh water rivers are home to a small relative, the Atlantic needlefish. These foot long, pencil-thin, fish can be seen darting in small, silvery schools under the surface of rivers like Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers. As with all members of the flying fish family (actually the houndfish family) needlefish like to leave the water occasionally, but only in little jumps. Once in a while, an eager little airborne needlefish will bump the arm of a passing "wanna-go" paddler.

Of course, no discussion of leaping Florida fish would be complete without honorable mention to the humble mullet. It's a rare paddle on Florida waters that we don't see these frequent fliers. While researchers are hot on the case, nobody has definitively pegged the reason that mullet leap. Of the many theories, my favorite (not to be confused with the one I most believe) is that they are passing gas - the fish world's equivalent of politely stepping outside to let one rip.

The main reason I embarked on this long (and admittedly torturous) lead-in to this weekend's trip notice is the Atlantic sturgeon, the granddaddy of Florida jumpers. Every year, as the days begin to warm in March and April, these fantastic fish migrate up the Suwannee. Throughout the summer months they are frequently seen jumping high into the air, majestically spiraling, flipping and occasionally slamming into a speeding motor boat (no kayakers have ever been hit). To my knowledge, nobody's keeping records of sturgeon hang-time, but it is meager compared to that of flying fish. We more often hear one splashing down than actually seeing it. As with mullet, the reason sturgeon jump remains a mystery. But, a surge of interest in this species in recent decades has sparked a lot of research which may shed some light.

These days, with summer gas prices on the rise, the prospect of going whale-watching this summer is becoming increasingly undoable for many of us. So, why not go sturgeon watching instead? Paddle the Suwannee any time between April and October, who keep a watchful eye will be rewarded with the sight of one of Florida's true wonders of nature. By strange coincidence, we have a Suwannee sturgeon watching trip going this weekend.