2015-12-07

【Aiden in English】

        Water makes up about seventy-five percent of the surface of Earth. One may say this seventy-five percent is useless, undrinkable, and dangerous to many animals. What they don’t see is the organisms thriving below the surface of the water, where the water is everything to the creatures that live there. I too didn’t realize the extent of how much marine life could sustain. It all changed when I traveled to the Galapagos Islands, in which I embarked on the journey of my life. It was then that I finally come to the obvious conclusion that all along the water couldn’t have been more helpful and alive and active than I ever imagined.

        Just a thought about the oceans gave me a shiver. At the start of April, the power of the equator was already taking effect, and the sun brutally beat upon my unprotected neck. But even the most penetrating ultra-violet rays could not counter the constant jittery shiver traveling down my spine. There was nothing cold about this day, even the shade on board the cruise ship of Celebrity Xpedition reflected this fact. If it was just another regular vacation, I probably wouldn’t be experiencing this odd sinking feel down deep inside, slowly making its way through my body. I couldn’t really put my finger on the emotion, but the thing in my stomach felt like a mix of fear and adrenaline. Checking the clock for at least the hundredth time, I settled down enough to take a few calm breaths. In ten minutes, I would ride a zodiac, a small raft with a propeller, off of this floating safe haven into dangerous waters. With top of the notch gear, and experienced guides, I should be in a cool, assured state, not the unshakeable unease residing in me. Staring at the clock once again, counting the seconds out until the minute mark, while trying to compose myself, I slowly walked towards to a door. Even though my breaths evened out, the sense of impending doom clung with me as I reached for the door.

        As I made my way to the forward decks, the strong scent of sea salt attacking my senses, I saw no signs of people. Everyone was talking about going snorkeling the night before, and the Galapagos Islands had wonders of nature unmatched on earth. These islands were formed from underwater volcano thousands of years ago. With nutrients from the cooled lava, not only did the animals above land benefit, but life beneath the surface of the water was just as teeming with life. After hearing all these good things about nature, I still felt scared. When I was younger, I was afraid of drowning. As I started taking swimming lessons, however, I slowly overcame that fear. The reason I got that churning feeling in my gut today was a fear that had been developing since the first day of preschool. The Galapagos Islands were said to contain sharks.

        The only other person who knows about my odd fear was my mom, and she persistently bugged me on how human flesh doesn’t taste very good to the sharks. Although she put in a lot of effort, it wasn’t exactly comforting. The zodiac was ready to take the snorkelers out to the diving area came into sight, and an overwhelming smell of bleach washed over my mouth and nose. I saw mom waiting for me, and she was holding out my snorkeling gear, which consisted of a suit, a mask, lenses and a pair of flippers. Gratefully taking them, mom approached me one last time about my thing with sharks. “Aiden, you know sharks don’t like the taste of human flesh,” she said, in such a matter-of-fact tone that discouraged me even further. 

        Having already heard similar things over a hundred times, I replied just like the other replies I had said before, “Woah, that’s a confidence booster.” Usually, mom doesn’t really get the sarcasm at first, though. Once my gear was on, I was signaled into one of the boats, and within moments of boarding, the sudden lurching of the zodiac was detected by the passengers, silently telling them that standing would be unwise. If they somehow did not receive the message, a monotonic voice spoke over unseen loudspeakers. “Please be seated when the boat is in motion,” although that was quite unnecessary as the ship had just been bashed by a wave or the size of the state’s standardized test.

        In no time at all, the cruise ship became a single simple, shining dot floating upon a light, fresh, turquoise horizon. Head stretching out on top of the waves, the wind streaming by felt amazingly crisp, fueling me with exhilaration. I was closing my eyes, picturing of paradise, just beginning to relax when a particularly large wave smashed into my face. Snapping out of the trance, I finally took notice of my surroundings. The zodiac had taken a turn around an enormous fifty-meter high cliff that had seemingly appeared from thin air. It loomed above our tiny boat as if it was threatening to squash us like flies caught in a spider web. Skirting away from the rocky edges of the outcrops, I recognized the area the guides had informed me of the day before. The zodiac slowed down as we approached an area where the cliff gave way to a shallower spot teeming with marine life. Even from above the water, the bright colors of some fish penetrated the surface of the water. The guides and lifeguards gave us the word to jump in, although I felt though it was more like the passenger's dove in before the signal was given. We had two hours of time to spend here, and in those two long hours, it appeared to be a large opening for a shark sighting. Even though I was quite scared of them, it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t a tad bit interested in seeing one face to face. Standing on the edge of the zodiac, seeing all the fish and the fun the other tourists were having, I took a deep breath and leaped off of the secure area of the boat and into dangerous territory.

        When I opened my eyes, they were greeted by an assault of fish. Quite literally, considering the splash had disturbed a small school of fish zipping through right beneath me. I didn’t mean it, and so the fish regrouped nearby and moved on. Throughout the crazy, frenzy-like start, sometimes along the first few minutes, I took a small breath, and water slipped into my mouth. This is quite rare coming from an experienced swimmer, but it’s not every day that you landed on top of a school of fish. The sickly saltiness of the water registered in my brain, and I was stunned at how strong the taste was on the equator. I’ve known what saltwater tasted like from previous experiences from going to the New Jersey shore multiple times in the summer, but this time of year is way too cold for swimming in the north. The horrid taste gave me a quick flashback and breaking the surface, I couldn’t see anyone else above water. So, taking a few large breaths, readjusting my goggles, I tucked my head first underwater. At the outset, the message wasn’t processed in the mind. When it finally dawned upon how simply spectacular what I am witnessing, I had to take a gasp. Instead of fish swimming around a bunch of rocks, I saw them moving around in a community, as a society, as a whole new world. Coral and sea plants of all kind sprout from seams and crevasses in rocks and the floor, in which fish fed on. Fish with the color of the sandy floor hid in shadows, while others appeared to glow with the light bouncing strongly off their beautiful scales. Trumpetfish, long and proud, would race with one another around seaweed. As I traced their paths, they somehow narrowly missed an eel that minded his own business. It seemed as if I had leaped into a whole new world, hidden from view to regular mortals above. Unfortunately for me, the gasp had forced me to inhale a bit of water, so the moment came to an end abruptly for I, again, would find myself in desperate need of air. As I rose to the surface, a particularly large splash caught my attention and as well as nearby snorkelers.

        At once I thought it was to be a shark, but the sea continued to play with me since that was not the case. A very casual sea otter stopped by to check out what was going on, and he discovered a group of tourists invading his area. Instead of defending his rightful territory, the sea otter swam around, giving us all a show. I must say, the way his fins easily and gracefully sliced through the water seemed like the otter was just a big, hairy fish. Twirling like a ballerina, it surrounded itself in bubbles, torpedoing away from my sight. As soon as I gave chase, a shadow seemed to pass over me, making to water immediately feel ten degrees colder. Tilting my head the slightest, afraid to attract whatever had suddenly given me the fear, out of the corner of my eye, a quick flash brought terror to my mind. I knew what it was, how fast it moved, there was no doubt about it. A shark had found me.

        Circling around really quick underwater, my twin eyeballs latched on to the shark’s position. Its body easily moved over two meters in length, its eyes seemed to reflect a dangerous glint of a deadly predator, and its flesh was traveling like a sleek missile acquiring a target. Effortlessly gliding across the water, I thought the sea otter would be the most nimble in the water. The more I saw of the shark, the more I knew how greatly I was mistaken. The shark was the king in the water, no one daring to oppose it. Although the sea otter had amazing abilities underwater, it had an extent, and it was also a creature of the land. The shark was born to be the ruler of the oceans, the undeniable god beneath the surface. It circled me, sizing me up. It was just a matter of moments when the shark would flash in for a quick strike.

        It never came. The shark simply turned the other way, facing the other tourists like it was no big deal. I watched its tail swish back and forth into the distance, and I just noticed I had been holding my breath the whole time. When I gasped, and once again water rushed in because my head was still below the surface. As I resurfaced, as I felt a sense of annoyance as how easily I forgot that breathing underwater wasn’t healthy for the body in snorkeling gear. I stared down upon the life below from near the top of the water, afraid of the shark was going to return. Yet at the same time, I felt calm as if a realization had dawned on me. The oceans may have seemed scary before, where people drown and lives are lost, and sharks attack innocent creatures, but it is no different than any other ecosystem on earth. Although I can’t say my fear of sharks was gone, if they didn’t eat me, I guess I could live with them around. A quick yet piercing fog horn sounded, slicing through both air and water, signaling all tourists to return to the tenders. Looking back to the last place I sighted the shark, I turned and swam to the boats, and to the safe and secure.

【红霞译文】

        地球表面大约覆盖着百分之七十五的水分，也许有人会说这些水跟废物没什么两样，既无法饮用，又对不少动物造成危害，可他们偏偏忽略了水面之下寄居着形形色色的生物个体，可以说水是世间万物赖以生存的基本保障。起先我也没有意识到海洋生物与水资源息息相关，直到踏上加拉帕戈斯群岛亦即达尔文群岛开始实地考察之旅，方才明白水要比从前想象的更加实在，更有灵性，更富活力。

        一想起大海，我心里难免有些发怵。时下正值四月伊始，赤道已彰显威慑力量，太阳恨不能把我的脖子烤焦，但哪怕穿透性极强的紫外线都无法驱散我脊梁骨冒出的嗖嗖寒气，其实天气本身一点不冷，即使躲进“名人·远征”号游轮背阴之处也不会让我感到丝毫凉意。假如换成一般性度假，哪至于浑身上下处处感觉不是滋味，我并非有意矫情，而是心里确实紧张得要命，结果频频盯着钟表查看时间，前后少说百八十回，最终好不容易才让自己的情绪平静下来。十分钟过后，我将乘坐小型充气快艇离开眼前随潮涨落的安全港湾，前往波浪起伏的深海水域。当然专供接送我们的交通工具装备精良，而负责带队的导游又经验丰富，我本应随遇而安，可心里头却像十五个吊桶打水七上八下的。我抬头再次凝视挂钟，随着秒针推向分針，心里暗自数起数来，为的是保持淡定。这时我慢慢地向大门走去，虽然呼吸平缓神情自若，但在伸手拉门那一瞬间，一种不祥的预感猛然涌上心头。

        当我走到甲板，只觉刺鼻的咸腥味迎面扑来，周围鲜见人迹影踪。昨晚大家已商定好今儿一块去深海浮潜，达尔文群岛得天独厚，自然景观奇特秀丽，世上没有任何地方能与之相媲美。这里大大小小的岛屿都是几千年前由海底火山爆发衍生而成，喷出的岩浆冷却后为生物圈提供了天然养分，不仅有益于陆生动物生长发育，而且还滋养海洋生物繁衍后代，了解到当地生态与地貌间关系之后，我反倒变得焦虑起来。记得小的时候，我很怕溺水，好在自打上课扫盲并强化游泳技能以来，逐渐克服了内心恐惧，但时至今日之所以仍对海水心有余悸，恐怕要归咎于幼儿园初始所接受的启蒙教育，何况达尔文群岛的确常有鲨鱼出入。

        知子莫如母，妈妈最了解我内心纠结，这也是为什么她总是劝我释然放怀，鲨鱼并非喜欢人肉味道，但无论她想出何种办法，始终未能彻底打消我恐惧心理。游轮外，小快艇按原定计划各就各位，正准备带领我们这些浮潜爱好者奔赴附近水域；游轮上，一股股清洗潜水道具的漂白剂气味直扑脸庞，呛得我难以呼吸。妈妈早已等在一旁，手中握着救生衣、面具、蛙镜和蛙鞋，我欣然接过行头，临行前她不忘凑到跟前再三强调：“儿歌，鲨鱼真的不爱吃大活人。”经她这么一说，我愈发觉得自己底气不足。

        经常听到诸如此类的问题，我的答复也变得老成许多：“好哇，这真叫我信心倍增。”一般情况下，妈妈一下子吃不准我话里有话。等装束完毕，我旋即登上指定的船只朝目的地驶去。没过多久，小气艇出现突发状况，有人无视劝阻居然从座位上站了起来，假如你事先不知明文规定便罢，那么现场不知从哪个扬声器中传出的念经般声音迫使你必须照章执行：“行驶当中请在原位坐好”。其实这种担心完全没有必要，因为船体本身业已通过国家级波浪冲击标准检验。

        很快地，游轮越变越小，好像一道亮光影影绰绰闪耀在明快清新碧绿色地平线上，露出水面的小部分船体随波漂荡，海风从水面上阵阵吹拂，浪花欢快地唱起嘹亮的歌儿，无不叫人感到心旷神怡。我闭上双眼，宛若步入人间仙境，本想好生放飞思绪，不料却被迎面袭来的巨浪打得粉碎，恍惚之余，我赶紧集中精力注视周围境况。小气艇转弯来到一座空气稀薄高度足有五十米的巨型峭壁跟前，犹如泰山压顶，让我觉得像只苍蝇掉进蜘蛛网那般死无葬身之地。绕过嶙峋的礁岩，我即刻认出导游昨天向大家描述的景地，小气艇开始减速，慢慢朝水位低浅但生机盎然的区域靠近，即使站在海面之上，人们一眼就能看清水中色彩斑驳的鱼群，尚未等到导游和救生员令下，大家纷纷跳下船去。今天我们来这里浮潜打算消磨两个钟头，也就是说鲨鱼可以充分把握大好时机来处置这些瓮中之鳖。尽管我吓得要死，但若不面对面亲自看上鲨鱼一眼，心里难免有种遗憾的感觉。诚然，我也可以像其他游客一样站在小气艇边尽览鱼翔浅底，藉之体验出海游弋的快乐，不过我情愿远离安逸地带，鼓足勇气一头扎进遍布刺激的危险水域。

        当我睁开眼睛，恍然发现自己已陷入鱼群的重重包围之中，毫不夸张地讲，大批鱼群正从身下蜂拥而上，本人并无别的意思，它们只不过集结在我身旁而已，然后倏忽聚散继续前行。初来乍到，我脑袋有点犯懵，换气时不小心呛了一口海水，对于像我这样经验丰富的游泳能手来说，真够露怯的，可话扯了回来，咱又不是天天以鱼为伍，出现这种闪失情有可原。海水猴咸，深深烙印在大脑皮层，“民物于世樊然并生，同食天地自然之利”，我由衷感叹赤道上甚至连海水的咸度也卓尔不群。以往每逢夏天来临，我频繁出没于新泽西州海边，因此熟知那里的海水滋味，可惜时下正值初春四月，北方气温尚低寒冷依旧，洗海澡谈何容易。关键在于，这可怕的咸味一下子打乱了行进节奏，逼我再度浮出水面，我两眼模糊，前方什么人物都辨认不清。于是我赶紧做上几回深呼吸，重新调整好潜水蛙镜，然后转头扎猛入水。一开始我顾不上多想，后来逐渐被周围壮美的自然景观所打动。从那时起，我不再把目标锁定在穿梭于暗礁之间的鱼群，而是将注意力投向它们的集散团队、水生环境乃至全新世界。珊瑚海藻从岩缝石壑中繁茂成长，为鱼群提供了取之不尽用之不尽的物质食粮。有的小鱼孤身躲在海底背阴处，与沙地浑然一体；还有的小鱼身着五彩缤纷的鳞片，随时反射出明快绚丽的光芒。喇叭鱼身段颀长且自视清高，彼此争相围着海草绕来转去。我尾随其后，不知什么原因，它们不太理睬鳗鱼，而鳗鱼更喜欢孤芳自赏。远离水面上方马达的喧嚣吵闹，眼前的一切让我犹如置身于世外桃园。可惜好景不长，换气时我倒吸了一口海水，因此必须重新调整呼吸装置，不得已我只好从水面冒了出来，正巧撞见身边溅起的特大水花，立马引起大家的高度注意。

        起初我以为是鲨鱼作祟，不料大海又跟我开了个玩笑，实际上与鲨鱼毫无关系。原来有只海獭顺道打探情况，结果发现一帮游客抢占了自己的地盘，可它并不急于收复失地，反而来回周旋打转，还为我们做特技表演。值得称道的是，海獭前掌后脚配合得轻松优雅，其体态雍容大方，看上去很像一条圆滚滚毛绒绒的肥鱼。它的旋转舞姿轻盈娴熟，艺术水平堪比芭蕾舞演员，水面上泛起了层层涟漪。表演完毕，海獭鱼雷般地从人们的视野中消失。我疾速追去，发觉身体上方出现大片影子，顷刻间水温仿佛骤降了十度。我略微转过头来，用眼角余光斜视目标，生怕被所见之物吓坏自己，脑海里浮现出恐怖的景象。我心里十分清楚，单凭移动速度便可断定，鲨鱼已瞄上了我。

        我顺势绕着水环快速游动，张开一对大眼珠子使劲盯住鲨鱼的动向，这个庞然大物只要稍微挪动一点，少说就是两米以远；其双眸横眉冷对，放射出杀气腾腾的凶光，瞧它浑身上下膘肥体壮，简直像个贼肉导弹想打谁就打谁。我越看鲨鱼，越觉得自己办了件蠢事。说实在的，海獭水性高超，在水中游刃有余，大概算得上最机灵的水生动物；鲨鱼号称水中之王，无人敢碰它一根毫毛。不过海獭技术水平再高也有限度，毕竟它还要上岸过陆地生活。鲨鱼天生说一不二，是海底世界至高无上的神灵。此刻鲨鱼围着我转了又转，并一步步向我逼近，接下来无需吹灰之力就可以把我彻底干掉。

        结果什么事都没发生，鲨鱼撇下我扭头朝其他游客游去，一副满不在乎的样子。望着它甩着尾巴渐行渐远，我长舒了一口气，因为全身始终没于水下，海水又一次乘机钻进了我的嘴里。当我再度浮出水面方才意识到，人们很容易干傻事，身着浮潜装在水里憋气实际上对身体健康相当不利。我低头俯视漂游于水面的鱼群，担心鲨鱼会重新杀回来伤害这些无辜生灵。在尝试不凡经历的同时，我的心情豁然开朗，以前一直惧怕大海，因为溺水丧生时有发生，再加上鲨鱼不住地兴风作浪，可是陆地上同样会发生天灾人祸。尽管现在说鲨鱼没啥好顾虑之类的话仍为时过早，但如果它们不想跟我过意不去，这么认为也未尝不可。返航的号角吹响，从空中海上一齐传了过来，所有游客必须重归小气艇上。临行前我回首又看上一眼鲨鱼出没的地方，然后转身径直朝安全地带游去。