The Line Islands: Surf vs. Turf

Zegrahm cofounder Jack Grove is a marine biologist and leading authority on the fish and marine environments of the eastern tropical Pacific. Kevin Clement is a Zegrahm director, naturalist, and adventure travel leader. In August, the two will lead and lecture on our Line Islands: Hawaii to Tahiti voyage.

Those of you who have traveled with Zegrahm directors know that theyre all the best of friends. However, like friends everywhere, their perspectives can be very different, especially when their area of expertise is challenged. Such a circumstance arose recently when Jack and Kevin were asked about the highlights of visiting the remote and fascinating Line Islands. The discourse between them turned into a bit of an academic/philosophical contesta congenial game of one-upmanship as only highly knowledgeable experts and colleagues can play it. Those of us present would be hard-pressed to pick a winner. What realm, indeed, does prove to be the more fascinatingthe land forms? Or the surrounding waters?

JACK: Its obvious the diversity of these islands is found under the waves, in the warm clear waters, and in the reefs that surround them. The world above cant begin to compare.

KEVIN: Thats true, Jackif youre talking only about biodiversity. But you know that at Zegrahm Expeditions, were about diversity of experience. Its an amazing thing to swim, snorkel, or dive among the fish and corals of a South Pacific reef, but above the waves these islands can hold their own. First of all Kiritimati, or Christmas Island as its more commonly known, is the largest coral atoll in the world. Add to that mysterious ancient temples, remains of quixotic colonial enterprises, graceful Polynesian dancers, delicate tropical flowers that survive in brutal conditions, some of the greatest bird spectacles on the planet, and beaches that truly define tropical paradisenot to mention that the region is almost never visited by outsiders I think the case is closed.

JACK: Stepping stones Kev its all about stepping stones across the vast tropical Pacific. The Line Islands are visited by outsiders below the waves all the time. For the marine species capable of dispersing their larvae across this largest of all oceans, the Line Islands have played a key role. Well be looking for species like Moorish idols and longnose unicornfish, making the journey from west to east, from the zoogeographic center of marine diversity to the depauperate habitats in the east (including the Galpagos). Now how exciting is that?

KEVIN: We all know youre a fish guy, Jack. But if you want to talk migrations, how about diminutive shorebirds flying nonstop to the Line Islands from Alaska and the Arctic, powered only by their little wings? Plus, some anthropologists even believe that the earliest settlers arrived in the islands by following the migratory paths of the land birds, figuring they had to be headed toward some land form.

JACK: All right, so avian endurance can be impressive... Butand I was hoping not to have to reveal this surprise elementthe snorkelers will actually get to see fish in the process of sex changes and with the moon being on its way to full, well even get to observe gamete launching... surely bird behavior cant hold a candle to that sort of natural history observation? On the southern part of this journey, well log up to a hundred species of fish while you bird folks will struggle to get a handful of species. So, if you want to see something amazing put on a mask and fins and follow me

KEVIN: Okay, Ill give you that point. But when you see seabirds in almost unbelievable concentrations its a pretty impressive spectacle. You know, Christmas Island has
one of the highest species diversity and largest bird populations of any oceanic island anywhere. Its home to 18 breeding speciesabout 15 million birds. And Starbuck Island alone is home to nearly three million sooty terns. In a massive seabird colony its all action and interaction and drama and noise. Now thats something you wont get when youre fish-watching: sound effects to go with what youre seeing.

JACK: No, a reef is nice and quiet and peaceful and you can actually follow a single fish around with your eyes and observe its behaviorand learn something. But dramathats something a reef has in abundance. By the time we make our first submersion, our travelers will understand how to distinguish feeding behavior from courtship, and predation from mimicry. Keen observers will actually witness some of the fish changing color before their eyes, and all of this in crystal clear waters.

KEVIN: Hmmm I just might have to dust off my snorkel. Now that I think about it, the fish of the Line Islands do have one thing in common with the birds and the people there: isolation. They all live in and around some of the most remote, hardest-to-get-to (and therefore most interesting) spots in all the oceans of the world.

JACK: I have to agree with you there, buddy. This is going to be an incredible trip. And ichthyo-ego aside, Ill confess I am pretty excited to see that many seabirds in the tropics. Im so glad you didnt bring up the fact that birds eat fish

If youd like to see how Jack and Kevin resolve their philosophical differences, join them on our Line Islands: Hawaii to Tahiti voyage aboard the Clipper Odyssey in August/September 2008. See our Did You Know page for breaking news about Kiribati.