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ELAINE OLLIVIERRE 2008 ©

CRUISING KIDS’ CORNER

 

Set like an emerald in the sapphire blue of the lower Caribbean is the
island of St. Lucia and every year the whole fish and sea-creature com-
munity of Cutie Cove celebrates Christmas. One particular year a pretty
little Angel Fish had a new idea that she thought would make Christmas
better than ever, so she said to her friends, “We all look forward to having
fun at Christmas, but I’ve been thinking of all those fish families who
have no Christmas fun at all and so I think we should bring Christmas
to the needy.”

This suggestion sounded like a good idea but Betty, the yellow Butterfly
Fish, asked the all-important question: “That's all well and good Angel, but
how can we find the needy? We don’t have any in Cutie Cove so where do
we find them?”

Everyone fluttered about nervously and Genny the small Grunt plucked
up the courage to say, “I guess we'll have to look outside the bay.”

The Fishes
Christny9s

Good Deeds

by Lee Kessell

“And we're too small to do that!” wailed a black and red Blennie.

“I suppose we'll just have to ask our parents for help,” Angel replied.

“No,” spoke up Simon the Sergeant Major in a loud voice. “My dad, the
chief of the Sergeant Majors, says that we kids should be able to stand on
our own feet — er, fins — and I agree with him. If we want to do good deeds
then we're responsible, not our mums and dads.”

“But we don’t know how!” Baby the Damselfish quavered in her
squeaky voice.

“Leave it up to me and by tomorrow I'll have a plan!” And with that Simon
swam off.

The next day everyone was ready to hear what Simon had to say. He had
it all figured out. “I'll dispatch our Flying Fish friends to the bay to the
south of us to find the needy fish there, then early on Christmas morning
Tll get the Dog Snappers to pick them up and bring them here.”

The young fish friends, who included the Grunts, the Scads, the Chromis,
the Glassy Sweepers, the Gobies and so on, thought this was a very good
plan and they agreed to take care of the needy fish when they arrived.

“And make sure that the needy fish are mothers with their children,” said

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY PETIT ST. VINCENT RESORT

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by Elaine Ollivierre

Last month, we looked at coral bleaching and the devastating effects it can have
on the marine life of the coral reef. Bleaching is not the only peril threatening the
existence of coral reefs. Scientists have found that the seas and oceans of the
world are becoming more acidic. If this continues, the effect on coral will be disas-
trous. Why is this happening?

To understand why the water on our planet is much more acidic now than it
was 300 years ago, we need to look first at the carbon cycle. The carbon cycle
shows how all the carbon atoms in the world are recycled in different forms and
in different places.

Carbon dioxide (COg9) in the air is used up by plants in photosynthesis, forming
sugars containing carbon. The plants are eaten by animals which give carbon
dioxide back to the atmosphere in respiration. Many plants die and decay, also
releasing carbon dioxide, as well as methane gas (CHy), into the air. The remains

Angel, once more sure of herself.

“Yes,” spoke up a pert little Fairy Jaw Fish, “and how about sharing our
gifts with the needy children?”

Suddenly everyone wanted a say and when the crowd had quieted down,
Simon gave his orders to the Flying Fish to find the poorest fish mothers
and their little ones in the desolate bay to the south where he had heard
that the big and fierce fish ate any defenseless neighbours.

So it was that on Christmas morning, the ferocious-looking but docile
young Dog Snappers picked up the needy fish mothers and their little ones
and took them to Cutie Cove where all the young fish greeted them with
happy shouts. The Cutie Cove mothers, seeing their children welcoming a
strange group of fish carried on the backs of the young Dog Snappers, hur-
ried over to see what was going on. When Simon explained the mothers
agreed it was a very good idea.

Well, in no time at all, the children were playing together, filling their bel-

     

dal ANT

lies with food and having a wonderful time. Meanwhile, the mothers were
enjoying themselves, too. What came as a great surprise to the fish visitors
was meeting the different sea creatures of the cove such as the Sea Stars,
the Sea Urchins, the Eels and the Sea Anemones who usually stayed well
apart.

Now as the day was ending and the setting sun was turning the sea world
to gold, it was time for the new friends to return home, the children hugging
their precious gifts, the first they had ever received. It had been a day to
remember and one they hoped to repeat. In the meantime, the mothers
went home determined to change things for the better. It would take time
they knew, but here was the chance to make a happier life for everyone, the
fishes and sea creatures alike. Yes they promised themselves, one day they
WOULD change their world!

Thank you little Angel and your friends for spreading Christmas cheer
where it was needed most.

THE END

of plants from millions of years ago are now found as coal and oil. When these are
burned, they also put carbon dioxide back into the air where it can once more be
used in photosynthesis.

The oceans also absorb a lot of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon
dioxide can combine with water to make carbonic acid and this is where the prob-
lem arises for coral reefs. Coral reefs are made of calcium carbonate, which dis-
solves in acid. If more carbon dioxide is pumped into the air from respiration
(more people and animals) and from combustion (more industry, factories, cars,
etcetera), then more carbon dioxide is absorbed in the sea and more acid is
formed to dissolve more coral.

Here’s a diagram of the carbon cycle. See if you can give the names of the pro-
cesses labelled (a) to (f).

— Answers on page 47

    
       

CO, in the air

(9)

‘CO; in the
ocean

Fossil fuels