Times of the Islands Spring 2023

john redmond associates ltd.
architects & designers
construction consultants
project management
p.o.box 21, providenciales, turks & caicos is.
tel.: 9464440 cell: 2314569 email: redmond@tciway.tc
My first encounter with a sea cucumber was a funny
one. My son and I were walking along Grace Bay Beach
and wading in the water when we saw this large brown
thing in the water. I thought it was excrement and all I
could think about was how huge the creature must have
been to excrete it. When I discovered that it was actually
an animal, I laughed until my cheeks and sides hurt!
Even this did not give me all the education I needed
before my first up-close encounter with a Furry sea
cucumber while diving. There she was, so beautiful and
intriguing, just lying there on the white sandy bottom.
She suddenly lifted one end of her body up off the floor
and opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. I couldn’t
believe what I was seeing. I used my camera to record this
incredible encounter. She continued this for 10–15 minutes
and I was paralyzed with excitement. This secured
my fascination with sea urchins, and I couldn’t wait to tell
my mates what I seen and filmed. When I pushed play, the
laughter was immediate and robust, so much so that they
had a hard time getting the words out to tell me what
they were laughing at.
After they caught their breath, they told me that I had
spent half my dive filming her bottom, her bum—not her
mouth! I laughed with them, but held firm on my happiness
at witnessing an amazing sight.
Over the years I have come to love these little squishy
pickles and all the good they do for the oceans. I can
spend a whole dive watching one inch across the sea
floor, studying its behavior, skin texture, and the deliberateness
with which it moves.
Sea cucumbers typically reach sexual maturity around
three years of age. Their eggs are externally fertilized
after the female releases her eggs into the water column
and they come into contact with sperm released from a
male. The best chance for this to be successful is for
there to be numerous males and females together in the
same area at the same time.
There is a whole wonderful world below the ocean’s
surface, so slow down and take the time to really see all
the amazing and interesting creatures that are right in
front of your eyes. They all play a vital role in keeping
the reefs healthy and they all have interesting behaviors
and characteristics. Everyone wants to see the big-ticket
creatures like sharks, turtles, rays, and octopus, but there
are so many fascinating unfamiliar creatures on the reefs
that deserve the same respect and notoriety. The more
you know about these creatures, the more you will want
to protect them.
From the ocean to you . . . treasures galore! a
30 www.timespub.tc