As soon as we heard the south beach road was open on Pawleys Island, we were on our way.
I was hoping for some pounding surf and big shells.
What is that? Nothing we've ever seen on the beach before.
It's an eel! A freshwater eel!
What was it doing in the ocean?
I came home and learned a lot about eels.
Yes, they do live in fresh water streams and estuaries most of their lives. But after growing for five to ten years they are mature and stop feeding. Their guts begin to degenerate, their eyes double in size to see in deep water, and their swim bladders increase in number to help them swim a very long way. In the autumn some begin making an epic journey from the rivers to the Atlantic Ocean, far out into the deep to an area of warm water called the Sargasso Sea.
American eels come from all along the Atlantic, as far as Greenland to the north and South and Central America to the south, many from considerable distances inland. After the long swim to their destination, females release 20-30 million eggs each, the males fertilize them, and then the adults die (it is assumed -- no one has ever witnessed the actual spawning).
Sadly, the journey of the eel we found on Pawleys beach was interrupted by a hurricane called Florence.
Thanks for the brief tutorial about eels. I knew next to nothing about them and now I am a least a little better informed. There is little doubt that Florence will cause a whole lot of other abnormalities and perhaps you will run into some of them too.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that, thanks.
ReplyDelete20-30 million eggs each female eel!!!!
ReplyDeleteNow methinks or with this staggering amount 'methunks" - just imagine
if these eggs were of the poultry size. A pair of eels would set you up for life
with a supermarket deal for fresh eggs!
I think young Mason and I will have to give this great consideration.
The Arabs can have their oil, we'll be the barons of the eel egg industry.
The "fertile mind" I have is boggling. Many thanks Cynthia.
Cheers
Colin
Not one of my favorite critters, but an interesting life cycle.
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting! Seems like there would be lot of pretty shells on the beach after such a storm.
ReplyDeleteEels used to be very common in Cambridgeshire. I can add to your information that they are also capable of travelling over land which they usually attempt on wet nights. Old countrymen used to know their likely routes and would go out at night and catch them. They also used to make eel-traps which were long, narrow baskets, called "boots", which were fitted with inward-facing spikes. These were submerged in ditches and brooks, the eel could swim in but could not turn around to exit.
ReplyDeleteThat is the beauty of blogging, you learn something new every day. Glad all is well with you.
ReplyDeleteWe have eels here too, smoke eel is a common delicatesse for some, not me...
ReplyDeletePoor eel...
ReplyDeleteBut it caused you to learn much more, about these swimming creatures! ,-)
Isn't the ability to "Do A Search" an amazing thing?
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One of the more interesting and bizzare life cycles. Pretty amazing you spotted this guy on the sandy beach!
ReplyDeleteDear Cynthia, you know this is just another proof that within nature there is a deep and urgent need for survival and so the eel swims into that sea and survives by leaving behind eggs that will grown into another generation. And life goes on. Peace.
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a surprise find. Interesting life cycle too. How is the cleaning up going?
ReplyDelete