British Virgin Islands

Sorry I've been away for so long but this past week was my university's spring break.  To celebrate the freedom from school, my family took a trip to the British Virgin Islands to sail the seas for a week.  It was an amazing experience where I got to learn to sail, spent hours viewing reefs and their inhabitants, and finally catching up on my much needed sleep.

But while I was snorkeling my time away with all the tropical fish, I found some of the invertebrates didn't have the most savory reputation.  No, I didn't run into any sharks or jellyfish (which are actually my greatest fear).  But I did spot a small, rather unassuming fish which was none other than the puffer fish.  Sometimes called the "fugu" (or 河豚 in Japanese), this fish carries a toxin in its liver, intestines, and skin.  Some Asian countries treat the fugu as a delicacy though chefs must be specially trained to cook the less tainted parts and know just how much is safe to serve.

I don't know the species but this is the exact type of puffer I
saw 3 separate times.

The toxin, called tetrodotoxin, induces light-headedness and a numbing of the lips.  Often this is why the fish is consumed, sort of like imbibing alcohol for the less toxic effects.  But if too much is consumed, it leads to vomiting, a prickling sensation all over the body, rapid heart rate, and some paralysis of muscles.  In bad conditions, it will paralyze the person's diaphragm, making it impossible for them to breath on their own.

Another toxic critter I saw was the cuttlefish.  During our swim around the Baths on Virgin Gorda, we saw a school of 5 cuttlefish swimming along the sandy part of the ocean floor.  I recalled hearing they were poisonous as well so I did some research when I got home.  These guys have a powerful neurotoxins contained in their saliva produced by the bacteria that make their home in the mouth.

I rather thought these little guys were cute!

So I guess my trip wasn't completely devoid of learning.  Next time I'll have to make it a point to do my research before hand and see what other interesting animals surface.