Space. The Final Frontier?

Some may think that space is the final frontier.

I think that the final frontier is really beneath the ocean. We know many things about outer space. We've been to the moon, landed a rover on Mars, sent probes to Jupiter, launched satellites, have people living on a space station,

taken Pluto's status as a planet away and more I'm sure I don't know about. In 1994 while visiting Florida, while I didn't see the space shuttle launch, I did see it up in the sky after launch. You could see the shuttle with the flames coming out of the rockets and the big, wide contrail it left. To this day I have never seen a more impressive sight in person.

I'm fascinated by sea life. Any chance I get I watch documentaries about life under water. The deeper they go, the more I like it. You'd be amazed at what's down there. There are some very scary creatures living in the ocean. Take for example the angler fish and the viper fish. Nothing I'd want to see up close and personal.

There are beautiful creatures in the sea also and while I love to see these sea animals on TV, there is no way I'm going under water to see them. I have this somewhat irrational fear of being underwater, even in a pool. I'll wade in the waves at the beach but not go out much further than my knees. The last time I was out in the waves was about 15 years ago in Cape Cod. I got beaten up by a big one and when I came to the surface my bathing suit top was off. There I was staring my father's friend in the face. He got an eye full but never said anything about it. Thank you Gordon.

When I read about the colossal squid caught off the shores of New Zealand estimated to weigh 900 lbs and 39 feet long it just reaffirmed my fear of being underwater. Since they live in deep water, one needn't be afraid of meeting one. They can descend to 6,500 ft.

I don't know if a colassal squid is the same as a giant squid. I do know that the giant squid is the favorite meal of the sperm whale. My elderly friend, Mrs. R. who died several years ago, asked me what I would like from her. I asked for her sperm whale tooth. Her great uncle was a whaler out of Nova Scotia about 150 years ago. They would go out hunting whales and be at sea for sometimes 2 years. He kept this sperm whale tooth and gave it to her. Now it's one of my prized possessions.