I-Ocean Giveth kanye ne-Ocean Iyathatha…

Ibhalwe nguWendy Williams

Ulwandle luyapha, nolwandle luyamuka...

Futhi ngandlela thize, phakathi neminyaka, kuye kwahlangana konke, isikhathi esiningi. Kodwa ngempela lokhu kusebenza kanjani?

Engqungqutheleni yakamuva e-Vienna mayelana nenani lamahhashi agcwele umhlaba wonke, isazi sofuzo sabantu u-Philip McLoughlin sixoxe ngocwaningo lwakhe oluhleliwe lwalo mbuzo omkhulu ngokufunda isiqhingi esincane esitholakala cishe amakhilomitha angu-300 eningizimu-mpumalanga yeHalifax, eCanada.

I-Sable Island, manje eyipaki kazwelonke yase-Canadian, ingaphezudlwana nje kweqhubu elincane lokunyakaziswa kwesihlabathi, ngokunganaki, ngaphezu kweNyakatho ye-Atlantic. Yiqiniso, isiqhingi esiphakathi nalolu lwandle oluthukuthele lwaphakathi nobusika siyindawo eyingozi ezilwaneni ezincelisayo ezithanda izwe.

Nokho amaqoqo amancane amahhashi abelokhu ephila lapha iminyaka engamakhulu ambalwa, ashiywe lapho ngowaseBostonian ofanele eminyakeni engaphambi kwenguquko yaseMelika.

Amahhashi asinda kanjani? Bangadlani? Ziphephela kuphi emimoyeni yasebusika?

Futhi yini emhlabeni ulwandle enayo ukuze inikeze lezi zilwane ezincelisayo zasemhlabeni?

UMcLoughlin unamaphupho okuthola izimpendulo zale mibuzo neminye eminingi efanayo eminyakeni engama-30 ezayo.

Usenayo inkolelo-mbono eyodwa ethakazelisayo.

Phakathi neminyaka embalwa edlule, i-Sable Island kuthiwa ibe yindawo enkulu kunazo zonke yokugaxa izimvu zamanzi noma yikuphi enyakatho ye-Atlantic. Ihlobo ngalinye omama abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ambalwa be-grey seal bazala futhi banakekele inzalo yabo ogwini lwesihlabathi salesi siqhingi. Uma kubhekwa ukuthi isiqhingi siwucwephe olungamakhilomitha-skwele angu-13 kuphela, ngingacabanga amazinga e-decibel njalo entwasahlobo nasekuqaleni kwehlobo.

Amahhashi abhekana kanjani nazo zonke lezi zinxushunxushu ezihlobene nezimpawu? UMcLoughlin akazi kahle okwamanje, kodwa uthole ukuthi amahhashi asenyukile njengoba ama-seal andise isibalo sawo.

Ingabe lokhu kumane kwaqondana nje? Noma kukhona ukuxhumana?

UMcLoughlin unombono wokuthi umsoco ovela olwandle wondla amahhashi ngokuguqulwa ngezigxivizo zibe yindle evundisa isiqhingi futhi ikhulise uhlaza. Uhlongoza ukuthi uhlaza olwandayo lungase lukhulise inani lefolishi futhi mhlawumbe nokuqukethwe kwezakhi zefolishi, okungase kukhulise inani lamathole angaphila….

Futhi njalo njalo njalo.

I-Sable Island iyisistimu yempilo encane, encike komunye nomunye. Ilungele izinhlobo zokuhlobana uMcLoughlin anethemba lokuzifunda emashumini eminyaka ezayo. Ngibheke phambili ekuqondeni okujulile futhi okuphoqayo kokuthi thina izilwane ezincelisayo sincike olwandle ukuze siphile.

UWendy Williams, umbhali wencwadi ethi “Kraken: The Curious, Exciteing, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid,” usebenza ezincwadini ezimbili ezizayo – “Horses of the Morning Cloud: The 65-Million-Year Saga of the Horse-Human Bond,” kanye nethi “The Art of Coral,” incwadi ehlola isikhathi esidlule, samanje nesakusasa sezimiso zamakhorali zomhlaba. Ubuye weluleka ngefilimu ezokhiqizwa mayelana nemiphumela yemvelo yokwakha iCape Wind, ipulazi lokuqala elinomoya eMelika.