The Denizens of Hurricane Pass

In springtime, before the rainy season, the windy days from the northwest fail to reach Marco and the Ten Thousand Islands. During winter, the strong northerly winds drive the waves and churn the sandy seafloor into a maelstrom of turbulence. When the waves stir the sand and sediment, the visibility in the shallow water becomes more like marble than glass.

When the wind begins to veer, however, and the southerlies replace the prevailing winter weather, the shallows of the coastal gulf can change from a dense sea of olive marble to a clear emerald pool with a window to the seafloor.

During the change from marble to glass and after the water begins to reflect the sunlight streaming onto the ocean of sand, every creature in creation becomes illuminated and very easy to see.

In springtime, hundreds of cownose rays appear in schools and swim together for protection or perhaps because they like each other. The rays arrive in the shallow water and often swim so near the surface that the wingtips of these Aquarians break free of the water in an apparent effort to achieve flight. Upon sighting a multitude of these racing creatures, the experience is unforgettable.

Almost as unforgettable is another denizen from the deep who also becomes visible when the shallow water of the gulf becomes as clear as a swimming pool. Great hammerhead sharks are also creatures of the incredible arrangement of creation, but these predators have a specialized purpose in the scheme of natural selection. Hammerhead sharks are intent on hunting and eating stingrays—or any other prey that might appear on the detection net of this ancient saltwater raider.

The great hammerheads are constantly sweeping the seafloor and utilizing an electro-receptor system called the ampullae of Lorenzini. Hammerheads utilize this sensory array more than any other shark because the input sensors encompass the entire width of the great hammerhead. Because of this unique arrangement of sensory apparatus, the hammerhead is able to detect stingrays hiding under the sand or swimming in the water.

Another unique aspect of the hammerhead is that they are apparently immune to stingray venom and stingers. One large hammerhead, upon examination, was found to have over one hundred stingray stingers embedded in the soft tissue around the teeth and mouth.

As the seasons change and the wind veers and clocks round the compass, sea creatures migrate depending on instinct, but the great hammerhead shark will remain wherever food sources are abundant.

The first sighting of a hammerhead in Hurricane Pass was on a tourist head-boat carrying about thirty passengers. During first contact, the hammerhead was active and breaking through the clear surface as it was engaged in an attack on a large tarpon. The thrashing demanding attention was due to the overwhelming splashing on the water's surface. The visibility was so incredibly terrific that every action upon the open water was like watching a shark attack on Shark Week.

This episode of predator versus prey featured an unfortunate tarpon of about three feet who was obviously in trouble when the tour boat came to investigate. Upon closer examination, the hammerhead was tearing at the tarpon as the big fish was clearly trying to jump clear of the water. After watching the latest episode of Mother Nature at work, the captain and crew were beyond spellbound when the tarpon suddenly became a piecemeal victim of what sharks do best.

The second sighting was also in the same channel between two of the sandbars on Hurricane Pass. On this occasion, two great hammerheads of about eight feet were thrashing away on the surface and again demanding attention. The sharks did not have a visible victim but they were intent on rolling repeatedly above the surface of the clear water. The sharks were not discouraged from their unusual activity on the surface when the second tour boat came alongside and began to watch with steadfast fascination.

During the third encounter in the very same channel between the sandbars, a large school of cownose rays was breaking the surface in an apparent attempt at flight. This was because the two hammerheads were back in business with about a hundred of the winged creatures caught in a frenzy in between the two attacking predators.

It is without certainty whether sharks work in teams to corral prey as dolphins and whales do, but on this occasion, in the very clear water, the two hammerheads did seem to be working together.

On the fourth encounter with the local denizens of the deep, the visibility in the water was perhaps at its very best. The emerald green over the white sand was an electric neon in color with every flaw on the sandy seafloor easy to see.

Onboard another tour boat, three distinct shapes were very dark in color and moving quickly. When the captain and crew began to follow the curious unidentified objects, the remarkable visibility began to reveal three white spotted eagle rays who were “flying” through the water in formation. The obvious leader was in front with two others in unwavering formation on the leader’s flank. After following the moving trio, it became clear these alien-looking creatures were huge.

Another lesson in the episode of clear water suddenly became apparent when the group of rays turned and began racing toward the boat. When one of the hefty giants jumped and landed beside the watching humans, everyone onboard received a splash, and everyone suddenly knew do not follow or provoke eagle rays.

The wingspan of white-spotted eagle rays can reach six to eight feet with a weight of 500 pounds. These denizens of Hurricane Pass have a reputation for extremely aggressive behavior!