Stealth Journeys with the Steam Mapper

Chapter 69:"The Expert" Explains Kraken Theory

"Well, as you know", sighed MYKA , "sea monster sightings have been reported as long as people have traveled on the open seas.  Giant squids have been portrayed as deadly foes as far back as ancient Greek mythology.   Norse mythology also includes tales of giant squid and octopi.  Fossil remains of large mollusk beaks within other ocean species, and descriptions, and old wood cuttings and sketches of huge remains washed ashore are all proof of their existence over thousands of years, and scientists believe ancestors of these species lived in prehistoric times."

"There have been many documented reports from sailing vessels and warships, and multiple sightings by several different sailors within days of each other.   There have been more and more videos and pictures of colossal squid pulled aboard fishing vessels.   This has happened in the waters of Antarctica and New Zealand, and Newfoundland, and Japan.   Even more recently along the coast of South America, and up in the Sea of Cortez.    My great grandfather predicted back in the early 70's in a book he co-wrote, "Octopus and Squid", that in future explorations at much greater depths we would learn more about these elusive monstrous sized cephalopods. He had one very brief encounter himself while aboard one of the diving disks.   It happened so fast.   Squid can move at extraordinary rates due to complicated electro nerve impulses.   That is actually displayed on a You tube video where the squid vanishes with a camera."

"We know these species of squid have longer and longer migration routes.   They are voracious eaters and have limited opportunities to reproduce.    It all adds up to more sightings.  That such big examples of several species have been caught or washed ashore suggests that something over the last 150 years is causing them to mutate in ways where size has become an important survival feature.    What causes them to grow and become more aggressive is still a mystery.   So many toxins are dumped into our oceans that have been shown to cause deformities on other species, well, maybe this is what nature has done to fight back.

Deep-sea gigantism, aka abyssal gigantism, is the tendency for deep-sea dwelling animals to have a larger size than they would in shallow water.   This is mostly noticed in species of invertebrates.   We are not certain if this happens because of adaptation for living where food is more scarce resulting in a delay of sexual maturity and greater size.   Or it may be due to hydrostatic pressure, but in the Arctic and Antarctic, there is some question of whether or not that would apply.   There's a theory that correlates with changes in latitude and/or changes in depth: decreasing temperature will cause increased cell size and increased life span leading to continued growth resulting in greater size."

At this point MYKA  stops to catch a breath.   "But in answer to your question, no, I have never heard the phrase "Kraken 3rd Millennium" used to describe this phenomena.   StLF stared in awe.  "I had no idea you were such an expert on the Kraken and squid.   When did you take such an interest in sea monster tales?"

MYKA grinned.  "I've always enjoyed movies and television shows depicting those creatures that could be a threat to humans and the suspense of finding out what happens when there is an encounter.  'Crocodile Hunter' was one of my favorite shows when it began airing in the U.S. back in '96.   Our schools always had satellite dishes capable of picking up all of the U.S. programming.   When Steve Irwin died in 2006, I was devastated.   Finding out that a stingray's barb to his chest puncturing his lung and heart that caused his death really shocked me.   He was always so careful around dangerous animals.    I began studying up on dangerous animals and realized that so many were sea creatures."

StLF interjected, "I was a Wildlife Warrior, too.   And, I'm so glad that Terri Irwin, and the children, Bindi and Robert have kept up the fight to educate another generation about survival of all species.   Go on tell me more."

MYKA  looked a bit flustered.   "StLF, I confess that as a child, I joined my family in Australia and we visited the Australia Zoo in Beerwah.    I had the privilege of meeting Steve and Terri Irwin and their toddler Bindi.    We had a private tour of the zoo and all of its facilities.   Steve showed me how to feed the crocs.   It was a very memorable day.   This is why his death was so traumatic to me.   I looked up to him as a hero.  I felt as though we had become friends that day."

StLF nodded sympathetically, but had a pang of jealousy.   Raised to appreciate parents who worked hard but did not have extra funds for expensive plane fares, definitely not "jet setters", Stef was raised to have gratitude for good health and good friends, good education and good times.   Home schooling using virtual schools, was followed by public high school supplemented with online undergraduate courses towards college.   And, working vacations with Mom and Dad, the kind that stayed in North America.   And, an education supplemented with lots of reading and time on the computer catching science networks and National Geographic, both periodicals and shows.

the Cousteau  family were world travelers, who provided MYKA with a private education in the best of schools in Europe, including schools in Switzerland, which was a good jumping off place for skiing and sightseeing all over the continent.  The private school experience allowed for meeting other elite families who enrolled children there, too.

Once in a while, MYKA let drop a famous name who had been an acquaintance in an earlier time.   The list of people met at least once, long enough for a personal chat, was impressive.   And, those were the names just been mentioned in passing while discussing various and sundry topics, for which both junior scientists had shared a common interest.   Robert Ballard, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Buzz Aldrin, Stephen Hawking, Erin Brockovich, Elon Musk, etc., etc., etc.   StLF wondered if MYKA had ever thought to compile a list.    These meetings were opportunities that any scientist would appreciate.

MYKA  did seem to recognize that these enrichment occasions were indeed a wonderful enhanced education, and not to be squandered away.   Above all else, MYKA respected privacy.   StLF sensed that respecting a Cousteau's privacy was the best gift to give a friend, who had longed for a confidant.

And as an added plus, MYKA shared so much knowledge whenever the two would break away from the research and find a quiet spot for some private down time.   "The Expert" was so worldly about so many topics, which StLF never learned from a world history textbook or from a television special.  One example was the time StLF mentioned the special program about North Korea that CNN's reporter shared after getting "unprecedented" access to rural North Korea and a tour of the shrines.   "Unprecedented" seemed to be the buzzword of 2017, 2018 . . .2019 . . .