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Maldives coral reef report live from Manthiri liveaboard expedition
Powered by CYBER DIVER News Network
by CARMEN SANCHEZ - CDNN Travel Editor
Manthiri expedition divers report "little or no damage" to Maldives coral reefsONBOARD MANTHIRI, Maldives (31 Jan 2005) -- While damage to coastal villages, resorts and marine ecosystems was heavy in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands and Thailand, initial reports from divers aboard Manthiri indicate that most of the coral reefs in the Maldives were spared the full destructive force of the tsunami.
And given the record of attempted cover-ups by tourism industry officials and dive shop owners, especially in Thailand, first-hand reports from divers are the only way to get the facts about the full extent of damage both below and above the ocean's surface.
From expedition divers aboard Manthiri, here are the ship-to-shore, day-by-day dive site and coral reef reports sent to CDNN during the past 10 days from atolls in the Maldives.
DAY 1 :: KUDAGIRI (PINNACLE) - SOUTH MALE' ATOLL
An old tugboat. Some fish life but best suited for a checkout dive. Many red tooth triggerfish. This dive site does not appear to have been damaged by the tsunami.
DAY 2 :: BIYAGIRI (PINNACLE) - SOUTH MALE' ATOLL
Nice pinnacle dive. Fish life: several lionfish, stonefish, scorpion fish. But not world class.
DAY 3 :: COCOA CORNER (CHANNEL) - SOUTH MALE' ATOLL
Many white tip reef sharks. Very fishy dive. This is world class dive. Some broken coral but not due to tsunami. Every visitor to Maldives should dive at this site.
DHON THILA (PINNACLE) - SOUTHEAST ARI ATOLL
Done as an early afternoon dive. Visibility not so good but red tooth triggers and black coral produce a spectacular effect. No apparent tsunami damage. This is another site that everyone should experience. The gray and black "theme" of the dive is nice for video. World class.
GETHI MULI (OUTER REEF) - SOUTH EAST ARI ATOLL
Done as a twilight dive. Limited visibility but many fish. Some coral damage. But apparently not tsunami related. Good dive.
DAY 4 :: KUDA RAH THILA (PINNACLE) - SOUTHEAST ARI ATOLL
A superb dive. Beautiful Thila dive. Many schools of fish. Coral in excellent shape. Schools of snappers, many red tooth trigger fish. A world class dive.
DHIDDHOO-BEYRU (WALL DIVE) - SOUTH ARI ATOLL
Coral garden on a gentle slope. A lot of fish fusiliers, many at cleaning stations. Slight current. Coral in great shape—no tsunami damage.
HOLIDAY GONI (WALL DIVE) - SOUTH ARI ATOLL
Lovely wall dive site. Plenty of fish life. Coral condition was excellent. Saw absolutely no damage to the wall at all from tsunami. And by the way, not any evidence of El Nino coral bleaching.
DAY 5 :: SUN FARU (WALL DIVE) - SOUTH ARI ATOLL
This dive was very similar in style to the above dive. Once again, lots of fish life, coral in great shape. Not any evidence of tsunami damage. Great dive.
RANGALI MANTA POINT (CHANNEL WALL DIVE) – WEST COAST ARI ATOLL
This dive was fantastic. Fish life on this dive and all others has been pelagic. The mantas were there for a good part of the dive. Once again the condition of reef was terrific: soft corals, table top corals all pristine. No evidence of any damage to the reef at all. Nor was there any evidence of any coral bleaching.
RANGALI MANTA POINT – WEST COAST ARI ATOLL
Same as above. FABULOUS AGAIN!!!
DIGA THILA (PINNACLE) – MID ARI ATOLL
Wonderful wall dive with a large amount of life. Plenty of fish. coral, and even turtles. Coral is in perfect condition and there is no tsunami or El Nino damage.
DAY 6 :: KALA HANDI (CHANNEL DIVE) - WEST COAST ARI ATOLL
Great condition again. Tons of table top coral. Perfect condition again. Not any damage at all. Beautiful setting. Lots of fish everywhere. Rays, puffers, fusiliers, parrot fish. No damage. COME AND DIXIE!
DONKALO THILA (PINNACLE-CHANNEL) – WEST COAST
This was a great dive. Sand channel leading out of the lagoon to outer area of atoll. 3 – 4 mantas to play with for whole dive. Absolutely great. BIG ANIMAL ACTION!!
MALOS THILA (PINNACLE) - WEST COAST ARI ATOLL
Extensive soft coral. Lots of fish. Overhangs have a lot of soft coral hanging down. Many gorgonian. No tsunami or even diver damage. We did two dives—one with strong current and the other with little current. We were in a couple of canyons w/coral overgrowing all sides. With current, this is a world class dive.
MALOS FARU (WALL DIVE) - WEST COAST ARI ATOLL
Terrific wall dive with slight current. Plenty of fish life. Coral is in wonderful shape with huge, beautiful table top coral. Absolutely NO tsunami damage or El Nino bleaching.
DAY 7 :: FESDU WRECK - MID ARI ATOLL
Tug boat. Nice soft coral. Blue fin jacks circling + hunting – bursting into the clouds of small clouds of fish. No tsunami damage. Strong current.
FISH HEAD (PINNACLE) – MID ARI ATOLL
High current. Grey reef sharks, white tip shark. Big Napoleon wrasse. 2 – 3 turtles (friendly). No tsunami damage. Many anemones. Excellent coral.
DAY 8 :: KANDOL CORAL GARDEN (WALL DIVE) – MID ARI ATOLL
Corals all over the place. At the end many table corals at about 10 – 20 feet. Also, many fish. No tsunami or El Nino damage.
MAYA SHARK POINT (PINNACLE) - NORTH ARI ATOLL
Schools of either giant or golden trevally passed by several times. A number of large sharks. One octopus, many other fish—red tooth trigger fish, fusiliers, etc. Two turtles, one manta, shrimp, eels. No damaged corals.
DAY 9 :: GAHA FARU (OUTER WALL) - NORTH ARI
Excellent coral and fish life. Terrific manta ray encounters as well as white tip sharks. No tsunami or El Nino damage visible anywhere.
RASDO CHANNEL (CHANNEL) - RASDOO ATOLL
Tuna, eagle rays, and plenty of other sea life. Coral appeared in excellent condition with no tsunami or El Nino damage.
DAY 10 :: VELLA WALL (WALL DIVE) - SOUTH MALE' ATOLL
Beautiful vertical wall with plenty of fish life and both hard and soft coral. Excellent caves and overhangs. White tip sharks, turtles, Napoleon, and large schools of smaller fish.
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WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Direct Donation to Sumatran Surfariis:
We began our efforts on 12/27, the day after the quake, and were the first to take action by leaving for the islands on 12/31. We did not hesitate or seek help from others before starting our efforts: we have literally used all of our off-season savings and are operating on credit to purchase goods and provide relief for villagers in the most remote islands in Western and Northern Sumatra. Hopefully you can see from pictures and updates on the site that your donations have been put to good use so far, and will continue to be put to good use in the future.
Danny Siudara (Partner/US Rep of Sumatran Surfariis) and Scuzz’s dad Hal are serving as regional collection centers for the US and Australia. If you send a donation via check or money order to Danny or Hal, please make them out Danny or Hal at the following addresses.
Any American donations be sent ASAP to:
Danny Siudara
3302 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94118 USA
Any Australian donations sent ASAP to:
Hal Scurrah
77 Koornalla Cres
Mt. Eliza, Victoria 3930 Australia
Well-concealed cash will also be accepted, but we do not recommend sending cash in the mail. Should you need a receipt for your records, or see receipts of how your money is being spent, we can provide that as needed.
Donations to the Clean Ocean Foundation:
For donations that need to be tax deductible, we recommend that you make your donations through the Clean Ocean Foundation, www.cleanocean.org. We have worked with the Clean Ocean Foundation for several years now and they do amazing work, so please feel free to check out their site to see what they are all about. Please make sure to make note that your donation is for the Sumatran Sufariis Relief Effort and include your address info in order to receive you receipt and DVD when AK gets back to the US.
There are a few ways of donating through Clean Ocean. The first is an electronic bank transfer. Here are Clean Ocean’s bank details:
Bank: National Australia Bank, 445-447 Warrigal Road, Moorabbin East, Victoria, 3189
International Transfers Quote Swift Code: NATAAU3303M
Account Name: Clean Ocean Fund
BSB: 083 535
Account: 533966529
You can also make a donation via check. Their address for check donations is:
Clean Ocean Foundation
PO Box 810
Mornington VIC 3931 Australia
Dawn Forrest is our point person at the Clean Ocean Foundation, and when you make a donation you can forward your details (name, address and the amount of the donation) by the following methods:
Email to: dawn@cleanocean.org
Mail to: Dawn Forrest, Clean Ocean Foundation, PO Box 810, Mornington VIC 3931 Australia
Fax to: Dawn Forrest, Clean Ocean Foundation, +61 3 5973 6799
Phone: Dawn Forrest, Clean Ocean Foundation +61 3 5973 6788
Dawn will then post a Tax Deductible Receipt out for your taxation purposes. As stated earlier, Sumatran Surfariis can issue a receipt as well, but donating through the Clean Ocean Foundation is the cleanest and best way for us to keep track of your tax-deductible donations.
IDEP:
The aid organization "Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture" (IDEP) has been working extremely hard with us from practically the very beginning. IDEP is an Indonesian NGO based in Bali that works to develop education, permaculture and training in Indonesia to encourage the restoration of ecological systems, and to support the realization of sustainable lifestyles. Team workers Petra Schneider, Sam Schultz, and Lee Downey (among many others) have been a constant presence at the hotel and have brought literally tons of medical supplies up from Bali to help those in need. Their organization and actual legwork around the hotel and in the field has been essential in process of saving and rebuilding lives. Christina is working with Petra to keep aid money coming in to supply the boats with supplies they may need. IDEP worked with Microsoft to put together an online donation facility. Please log on to www.idepfoundation.org for more details and updates. They have set up a PayPal link so you can make quick, reliable donations.
Huge swaths of Ocean must be re-mapped after tsunami
Indian Ocean Tsunami:
Huge Swaths Must Be Re-Mapped
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 06 January 2005: - - Water depths in parts of the Straits of Malacca, one of the world's busiest shipping channels off the coast of Sumatra, reached about 4,000 feet before last month's tsunami. Now, reports are coming in of just 100 feet - too dangerous for shipping, if proved true.
A U.S. spy imagery agency is working around the clock to gather information, warn mariners and begin the time-consuming task of recharting altered coastlines and ports throughout the region. Officials at the Bethesda, Md.-based National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency say the efforts will take international cooperation over months, if not years.
Thousands of navigational aides, such as buoys held in place by mushroom-shaped anchors, were carried off to new locations by 50-foot to 100-foot waves. Old shipwrecks marked on charts have been relocated, joined by new wrecks that will have to be salvaged, moved or charted. But there might be a silver lining in the devastation.
"Maybe there's less pirates now,'' says Peter Doherty, who works at the agency and is chairman for the International Hydrographic Organization's commission that sends out radio navigational warnings.
He and others are hoping that the waves carried away the modern-day Blackbeards. These thieves trolled the waters in high-speed boats, armed with guns, knives and grappling hooks, which they used to climb the sides of ships to steal them and their goods.
Just how different the ocean floor looks remains largely a mystery. The bulk of the tsunami recovery effort has gone toward humanitarian relief. Gradually, however, attention will turn to what it will take to make the region's waters safe. Among the first priorities will be making the channels safe for relief shipments.
The U.S. agency, which analyzes spy satellite imagery and produces maps and charts for the Defense Department, has so far sent out two tsunami-related warnings on a Pentagon messaging system and made them available publicly on its own Web site.
Ports of call may be heavily damaged "to include unknown new bottom configurations, ship wrecks, shoreline changes and depth limitations,'' according to a warning from Dec. 29. "In addition,'' the notice said, "aids to navigation may be damaged, inoperable, off station or even destroyed. ... Proceed with extreme caution.''
The agency has received an unconfirmed report that one area of the Strait of Malacca, which divides Malaysia and the devastated Indonesian island of Sumatra, had its depth cut from 4,060 feet to just 105 feet. In another area of tsunami-effected waters, a merchant marine ship has logged that the depth was cut from 3,855 feet to just 92 feet.
The agency's chief hydrographer, Chris Andreasen, said experts may find that whole channels were moved by the earthquake that preceded the tsunami, shifting the ocean floor many feet, rather than the inches seen during the 1989 California quake during the World Series. "When the plate moves, everything on it moves,'' Andreasen said. "There could be some pretty serious shifts.''
Warnings about the new oceanic landscape go out right away. But the agency waits to update its charts until it gets final confirmation. Among other international operations, the Navy is sending two ships to begin efforts to rechart the waters. One, the USNS John McDonnell, could arrive by next week.
It is expected to be followed by the newer USNS Mary Sears, which is awaiting final orders to head out from Japan. On board will be sonar, a dozen scientists and 34-foot vessels used to rechart the shipping channels.
The initial goal is not to study every square foot, but to understand what happened to the channels so the ports can be used to deliver relief supplies. Now, helicopters and airplanes are the primary means, said Capt. Jeffrey Best, commanding officer at the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
The Navy does not know what it will find. "We may have buildings or buses in the channels of the harbors,'' Best said.
http://www.DiversAlertNetwork.org/tsunami/index.asp
News of the Reef
Last Updated: 3-Feb-2005, Paul Foley
Statement from the Dive Operators Club of Thailand – Phuket
Divers have a very close relationship with the sea. We immerse ourselves in her. We feel her maternal primal pull as we float weightless, while we watch in awe the life she supports. We are more aware than most of her dangers, that she can be a cruel and capricious mistress as well as a beautiful friend. Never has this been more evident.
The tsunami was a terrible tragedy inflicted upon coastal communities and their guests. Nowhere was it worse than at Khao Lak and Koh Phi Phi, two destinations largely driven by the dive industry. The diving community has suffered a terrible blow. We have lost friends, and family, and colleagues, and so many others. We have shed an ocean of tears.
Yet after all this, we invite you all to come to the Phuket area at the earliest opportunity. Come have fun, see the amazing holiday destination it is. Please also consider it as the ideal place for meetings and conferences, particularly those necessary in the aftermath of the tragedy. The infrastructure and fundamentals are not only intact, they've never been better. Indeed Phuket has suffered from being so well organized it became the region’s media centre – but (without wishing to diminish the real and obvious suffering here in Phuket) it was not the centre of the tragedy as it sometimes appeared. This internationally held false impression will take time and effort to counter. We ask you to help us in this.
Inevitably, we are now entering a recession as confidence falls in the general absence of tourists – and this is misery heaped onto tragedy. We have lost lives. (But you’d never know it.) What we don’t need now is to lose livelihoods.
If you know and love Thailand, or would like to, you will find that the natural joy of the Thai character remains undimmed. It was the very first thing to reappear after the tsunami, it helped us all get through the pain and then recover fast, and it is here to greet you the second you arrive. Sabai di.
Marine Resources
A full analysis of the effect of the tsunami on marine resources is under way. It is being co-coordinated by the Department of Coastal and Marine Resources, and conducted using a standardised methodology by the Thai universities in possession of baseline data.
In the meanwhile, a preliminary ad hoc assessment has been conducted by dive operators from the Dive Operators Club Thailand – Phuket, and the private sector. It used established divemasters to estimate damage done to recognised dive sites. The areas surveyed were in the world renowned Surin -Similan archipelago, and those in the south of Phangnga Bay, the sites closest to Phuket.
The great benefit of this method is that the survey teams were day-in day-out familiar with the sites. The drawback is that the methodology was neither standardised nor rigourous; and the baselines, being only memories, are open to variation and interpretation.
The government survey should be finished shortly, and the Dive Operators Club Thailand - Phuket (DOCT) will publish their results alongside our own.
However, a clear broad picture has emerged from our assessment.
* Reef damage is considerably less than might be expected and was initially reported (given the coastal damage).
* As on land, significant damage is extremely localized.
* Fish stocks appear completely intact, and are probably benefiting from reduced fishing effort.
* Exposed shallow fringing reefs suffered (as one might expect).
* Coral with delicate and inticate structures (such as gorgonian fans) were most susceptible to impact.
* Damage otherwise followed no obviously discernable pattern, often being counter-intuitive (e.g. at the North end of the Similans despite the wave coming from the South West).
* Similan Island 9 and Surin suffered most of the serious damage.
* Several of the heavily damaged sites are still considered diveable, with abundant fish life.
* Famous sites such as Shark Point, Richlieu Rock, and Hin Daeng are untouched.
* The reefs of Myanmar appear completely unscathed.
* There is no need whatsoever to cancel bookings or not to consider Phuket as a dive destination. There is an enormous wealth of natural beauty still here to see, as well as a once in a lifetime chance to view the underwater effects of a major natural phenomenon.
* There has never been a better time in recent history to come for a clear, calm and uncluttered view of these world class attractions.
Survey Results
(Survey boats: Thailand - The Junk, Sea Bees, Colona, SeaKing.)
Damage was divided into 3 categories, as a percentage of coral cover damaged
Slight (0-33%)
Moderate (34-66%)
Heavy (67-100%)
Of 70 sites surveyed (a fairly comprehensive list of the Thai dive sites commonly visited from Phuket)
51 (73%) slight
- more than half of these (27 sites) had no or minimal (10% or less) damage.
6 (8%) moderate
13 (19%) heavy
Analysis
Topography and exposure, as on the coast, appear to be the relevant local variables acting upon effect, although wave amplification and negation through constructive/destructive interference may well have had the greatest influence on site specific impact.
Interestingly, of the few severely damaged sites, several are at depth. There is an aggregation of rubble at the base of a sea mount that is otherwise unscathed. This suggests potential damage along the sea bed in places unsurveyable.
The nature of the damage has reinforced the opinion that we know remarkably little about the sea upon which life on earth depends, and we join in calls for greater attention and research budgets
Fish and other life appears generally unscathed, apart from benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms which have disappeared along with the fine sand, exposing rubble. Some sites thus look worse than they are. This phenomenon will probably not last much beyond April when the calm seas of the dry season finish.
Although there are naturally concerns about the smothering effect of displaced sediment and physical damage upon reefs and other fish nursery grounds, we feel these to be misplaced. Those of us who have dived on tsunami hit reefs before, such as at Maumere on Flores in Indonesia, know that reefs are fully capable of taking such natural events as this in their stride.
Initial widely reported fears of reef devastation in Thailand were ungrounded and not based on fact.
Mostly reefs are capable of withstanding the force of the wave, and where they are not, the reef bounces back in remarkably quick time, with no noticeable detrimental effect upon fish stocks. Indeed generally, the tsunami event may prove to be a positive thing for the health of the reef as a whole, just as forest fires play an important role in reinvigorating the forest ecosystem by allowing a spurt of fresh growth.
This is in contrast to the damage that occurs from pollution, warming, habitat destruction, damaging fishing practices, and overfishing: We remind all that these insidious dangers are the real issues needing address so as to maintain the health of the reef ecosystems we love.
The future: hope from tragedy
We welcome any moves to manage the fishing industry more effectively. Reducing the general fishing effort and eliminating damaging fishing practices will provide the artisanal fishermen of the Andaman coast with a sustainable and prosperous future for themselves, their families and communities. It would bring some real benefit to those coastal people who, like us, have lost and suffered so much.
Our hearts go out to those with whom we share the coast, the sea, and this tragic loss with. We hope we can all work together to manage this resource in the most productive manner in the future, for the benefit of the Kingdom of Thailand and its people.
It is rare in life that one has the possibility to act with hindsight. We feel the best memorial for all those lives lost and damage done is to make something positive come of it. Use the opportunity to get things right second time round, to learn from past mistakes; to put in place better (coordinated, sustainable, effective and transparent) planning and management of natural resources, both in extractive industries (e.g. fishing) and in non-extractive exploitation (e.g. tourism). This will take some institutional change. It will be difficult, yet it should be done. We owe it to their memory.
By Paul Foley, on behalf of the DOCT – Phuket.
Great Hawaiian tsunami site
http://gohawaii.about.com/od/tsunamis/
DRAFT: CASCADIA MEGATHRUST EARTHQUAKES IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST INDIAN MYTHS AND LEGENDS
by Ruth Ludwin, University of Washington Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences 12/29/99 DRAFT
This article was developed under USGS Grant #1434-HQ-97-GR-03166; "A database catalog of Cascadia earthquakes"
Disclaimer: The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors, and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either express or implied, of the U.S. Government.
Introduction
The oldest earthquakes documented in Cascadia are known from geologic evidence (Atwater, 1995). The most recent of the Cascadia megathrust earthquakes occurred between August 1699 and May 1700, and probably accounts for a tsunami which is documented in Japan (Satake et al., 1996, Tsuji et al., 1998). We searched for Pacific Northwest Indian tales and legends related to the 1700 megathrust earthquake and found a set of related stories that, taken together, indicate that strong shaking was felt over a wide area and accompanied by severe coastal flooding.
Although the natives of the Pacific Northwest possessed a rich oral tradition, only fragmentary remnants of their stories are available today. European diseases spread across the continent much faster than settlement, and Pacific Northwest Native populations were substantially diminished long before the actual arrival of Europeans on the Northwest coast (Dobyns, 1983), and continued to decline rapidly until after 1900 (Arima et al., 1991, p. 2). Stories were likely lost as the population declined. Sudden epidemics and their attendant disruptions may have had an especially damaging effect; stories were individually owned in some tribes, and may have perished with their owners.
It is estimated that perhaps 95% of the native oral literature of Oregon has been lost (Jacobs, 1962). Stories from Washington likely also suffered great losses. Published stories collected by ethnographers, anthropologists and others reflect to some extent the interests and biases of the Europeans that recorded them. The available representations of Native oral literature may not be a representative sampling of the original material.
From our perspective at the beginning of the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine how traditional cultures experienced the world before the persuasive explanations of science. As scientists, we seek clear and unambiguous descriptions of earthquakes and/or tsunamis. However, Indian myths and legends are not newspaper reporting, but stories from a traditional culture.
Native accounts of a once-in-many-generations event like a great earthquake may be incorporated into preexisting myths and explanations of phenomena in a way that makes that event difficult to separate from the intertwined background. Native stories served many purposes, and were deeply embedded in the overarching tribal cultures. Understanding the story motifs and characters that are most likely to be linked with earthquake stories requires careful study and insightful interrogation of the material.
Review of Previously Cited Material We began our investigation with a review of the material cited in geophysical literature or listed in the "Bibliography and Index of Indian Tales in Special Collections University of Washington Libraries" (Edwards, 1983), an index of Indian myth story motifs and characters. Under the motif or character name of "earthquake", most of the entries in Edwards (1983) are from the Yurok (northern California) and Haida (northern Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands).
All of the earthquake-related Yurok stories are contained in "Yurok Myths" (Kroeber, 1976). These include the relatively unambiguous story of co-seismic subsidence and tsunami "How the Prairie Became Ocean" (Kroeber, 1976; BB3) (previously discovered by D. Carver and G. Carver). The Yurok stories include a character called "Earthquake" (Kroeber, 1976; stories B5, C1, C5, F1, L1, P1, P6, W1, X1, and BB3).
Haida earthquake stories appear in several volumes (Tora, 1976; Barbeau, 1928, Swanton, 1905), and feature an Atlas-like and/or hero-figure who causes earthquakes by moving his hands and feet, or by stomping on the ground, or by boiling over duck grease. This figure is variously known as "Stone Ribs", "Strong Man who holds up the World", and "Sacred One both Still and Moving". The Haida and Yurok areas are located at the north and South ends of Cascadia, where earthquake activity is more frequent than on the Washington and Oregon coastal margin.
Within Cascadia, from Vancouver Island, several stories clearly set in historical (not mythic) time, and possibly related to great Cascadia earthquakes. One such story is of the destruction of a village on Vancouver Island's Pachena Bay, "The tsunami at !ANAQTL'A or 'Pachena Bay'" related during 1964 by Louis Clamhouse, published in Arima et al. (1991, p. 231), and cited in Hutchinson and McMillan (1997).
"They had practically no way or time to try to save themselves. I think it was at nighttime that the land shook.... I think a big wave smashed into the beach. The Pachena Bay people were lost.... But they who lived at Ma:lts'a:s, :House-Up-Against-Hill." the wave did not reach because they were on high ground... Because of that they came out alive. They did not drift out to sea with the others."
Another story describes a great ebb and flow of the sea in Barkley Sound (Sproat, 1987; cited by Clague, 1995). Hutchinson and McMillan (1997) note that the story of a flood is widespread throughout the tribes of the Pacific Northwest.
Hill-Tout (1978) records a Cowichan tradition of strong shaking. The Cowichan Valley is located on southeastern Vancouver Island.
"In the days before the white man there was a great earthquake. It began about the middle of one night .... threw down ... houses and brought great masses of rock down from the mountains. One village was completely buried beneath a landslide."
Few Native American stories have been found of earthquakes in Washington and Oregon. Heaton and Snavely (1985) have cited the story of a flood at Neah Bay that James Swan recorded in his diary in 1864,and published in 1870 (Swan, 1870).
A search of Washington and Oregon Indian earthquake and flood folklore
The UW's Pacific Northwest Collection Indian Myth Index contained a few other references to earthquake shaking, but nothing that could be definitively linked with a tsunami or tidal disturbance in coastal Washington or Oregon. We also reviewed a number of the flood myths listed in the Indian Myth Index, and found that very few had any elements that seem even remotely associated with an earthquake tsunami. Because it is difficult to imagine that a great subduction earthquake 300 years ago involving all of Cascadia would not leave some trace in the native oral literatures of Washington and Oregon, we began to scan other stories in the books that contained flood stories. Incomplete as the preserved oral history of Cascadia is, many stories are repeated in multiple versions, with some "mixing and matching" of story elements, and some of the stories are geographically wide-spread.
We discovered a group of stories with common thematic elements which, if they can be taken together, show that great subduction zone earthquakes may indeed be represented in the oral literature of Pacific Northwest Indians. These stories suggest a widely felt event with strong shaking, severe tidal disturbances, incursion of salt water into estuaries, and death and dislocation of Indians along the northern Washington coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca. An important feature of these stories is that the description of physical phenomena in the distant but historical past is intertwined with the story of a mythic battle between supernatural beings. This representation may reflect typical Native American storytelling techniques and a traditional (i.e. pre-scientific) world view, and helps to explain why Native American stories of Cascadia earthquakes and tsunamis have been difficult to find.
The stories discussed below are attached at the end of this text. Table 1 lists thematic elements contained in the stories. Some stories share as many as 8 or 9 thematic elements, while others have essentially no overlap, but are joined by other stories.
Discussion of Selected Native American earthquake and flood stories from Washington State
James Swan Diary Entry
The first story was recorded by James Swan (1818-1900), a prolific diarist and early resident of Washington (1852) who served as the first school teacher at the Makah Reservation at Neah Bay (1862-1866). This story has been cited by Heaton and Snavely (1985) and Hutchinson and McMillan (1997). The version given here comes directly from Swan's original journal (1864).
The story is a seemingly straightforward description of sea level changes, with water flowing from Neah Bay through Waatch Prarie, making Cape Flattery an island. This story is set at some time in the indefinite, but not-distant past. It describes relatively rapid sea level changes that might conceivably be associated with an tsunami, but without any report of shaking, It includes canoes in the trees, many dead, and population disruptions. Heaton and Snavely (1985) point out that some elements of the story; such as the water being warm, and the very slow rise and fall of the water; seem inconsistent with a tsunami.
Albert B. Reagan "A story of the flood"
Albert B. Reagan (1871-1936) worked for the U.S. Indian Field Service. He was initially trained as a geologist, then became interested in ethnology and received his Ph.D from Stanford in 1925. From 1905-1909, Regan was government official in charge of the Indian villages of Quileute (now called La Push) and Hoh.
"A story of the flood" (Reagan, 1934) is a Hoh/Quileute tale strikingly similar to the Swan account. In fact, all the story elements from the Swan account are present. However, this version of the story is clearly set in mythic time, not the historical past of the Swan account, and includes many story elements not present in Swan. "A story of the flood" attributes the tidal phenomena to a battle between two supernatural figures; Kwatee and the Thunderbird. After multiple episodes of battle, Kwatee kills the Thunderbird. This story also adds a unique physical detail - it describes sea animals stranded on dry land when the water recedes.
Kwatee, who figures in this story is also known as the Transformer or the trickster; he is a central figure in many northwest mythologies. Stories about the Transformer deal with how he improves the imperfect world, through "the theft of fire, the destruction of monsters, the making of waterfalls, and the teaching of useful arts to the Indians" (Judson, 1916, p. vii). The Transformer is most widely known as Coyote. This character is called Speelyai in the Columbia River Basin, and appears as Yehl, the Raven, in Alaska.
George Benson Kuykendall "Speelyai fights Eenumtla"
G.B. Kuykendall, M.D. (1843-?) was an early resident of the Pacific Northwest (1852?). He graduated from Willamette University and was appointed to the post of government physician at Fort Simcoe on the Yakima Indian Reservation. He became interested in ethology of the the natives of the North Pacific Coast, and published a number of popular articles. For the story "Speelyai fights Eenumtla", neither the tribe nor the informant is named. From other stories about Speelyai, we know that this tale is from the Yakama Tribe of the Columbia River Basin,
"Speelyai fights Eenumtla" (Kuykendall, 1889; reprinted in Bagley, 1930) like the previous story, details the lengthy epic battle in mythic time between the Transformer and the Thunder god. This inland version of the story clearly mentions shaking, but not water-level disturbances. "Speelyai fights Eenumtla" shares many story elements with "A story of the flood" but none with Swan's account. In this version of the story the culminating battle "shook the whole world". The battle is accompanied with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain while storm clouds darkened the sky. The Thunder god is finally vanquished, and is forbidden to thunder except on hot sultry days.
In general, the Yakama transformer myths in Kuykendall (1889) have different themes from the Hoh and Quileute transformer myths given by Reagan (1934). The similarities between the previous story and this one suggest a single widely experienced event. It is interesting to consider how widely traveled the various tribes might have been in 1700, how frequently they were in contact, and how stories might have been disseminated, shared, and compared between inland and coastal groups.
Albert B. Reagan "A Hoh version of the Thunderbird myth"
The fourth story, from the Hoh tribe, is "A Hoh version of the Thunderbird myth", found in Reagan (1934). A slightly different version is available in Reagan and Walters (1933). "A Hoh version of the Thunderbird myth" is another supernatural-being battle story in mythic time, also featuring the Thunderbird. It is worth noting that in Yurok myth Earthquake and Thunder are strongly associated; Kroeber (1976, p. 279 and story BB3). In "Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest", Judson (1916, p. v) speaks of "Tatoosh the Thunder Bird who ... shook the mountains with the flapping of his wings".
Like "Speelyai fights Eenumtla", this story shares many story elements of "A story of the Flood, but has few similarities to Swan's account.
In "A Hoh version of the Thunderbird myth" the Thunderbird struggles with two bad whales. There are many battles, a whale is carried over the land and dropped to the prairie below. Ultimately, the Thunderbird prevails, tearing apart the bad whales and strewing them around the country where they turn into landmark rocks and landforms. This story contains an epilogue, where the informant adds some details related to him by his father:
"There was a great storm and hail and flashes of lightning in the darkened, blackened sky and a great and crashing "thunder-noise" everywhere ... There were also a great shaking, jumping up and trembling of the earth beneath, and a rolling up of the great waters".
This is the most clear and unambiguous description of an earthquake and tsunami yet found in the native literature of Washington or Oregon. It is interesting to note how this information is set aside from the main myth. The specific mention of the informant's father suggests that this information, passed from person to person, is not really part of the myth. The manner in which this epilog is tacked onto the main story may indicate that a historical event has been overlain on, and associated with an older myth.
Erna Gunther "The Flood"
Erna Gunther (1896-1982), was a UW Professor of Anthropology, Chairman of the UW Anthropology Department 1930-1955, and Director of the Burke Museum for thirty years. She wrote numerous books on Northwest Coast Indian Ethnography.
Our last story, "The Flood", recorded by Gunther (1925), is a Klallam folk tale which recounts a version of the flood story. Flood stories are extremely widespread in Pacific Northwest Indian lore, although most versions have no story elements suggestive of either shaking or tsunami. Floods are the most frequently occurring natural disasters, and are certainly common throughout western Washington. Flood myths are known world-wide (Vitaliano, 1973). The story of Noah's ark is very popular, was very likely told by missionaries and early settlers. Native Americans may have incorporated some European stories in their repertoire (Marriott, 1952), and some of the Pacific Northwest flood myths may reflect outside influences. The story given by Gunther (1925) mentions heavy rain over many days and the death of children due to cold weather following the flood. This story does not mention shaking, but has one element that suggests a tsunami; the rivers become salty during the flood. The canoe-in-the-tree and "many dead" elements are very similar to those in the the Swan and Reagan accounts. We have included this story because it includes both typical and distinct story elements when compared with other Pacific Northwest Indian flood stories, and illustrates the difficulty of placing these stories into the context of an earthquake and tsunami. Typical story elements include foresight of the flood and preparation of canoes, rain, tying the canoe to the mountain and the death of many people. Distinct elements include the salt water, extreme cold, and the canoes striking the trees. These distinct and specific details give an impression of the recall of a real event.
Discussion and Conclusions
Oral literature disperses information through multiple versions of a story, with story elements added and subtracted according to the occasion and to the knowledge, recall, and inclination of the storyteller. The loss of stories and the loss of multiple versions of known stories blurs the information contained in the stories. Taken as a group, these stories suggest how a historic event ten generations ago might be incorporated into a pre-existing mythic world-view. To extract the full information content, the stories need to be viewed in their wider cultural context, with an appreciation for the way that oral literature mixes and matches story elements.
The depiction of a great earthquake as a battle between supernatural beings seems eminently rational, as does the mythic association of earthquake and thunder. Weather and earthquakes are both ephemeral phenomena and in our own culture, they were traditionally grouped together. Early weather observers were responsible for noting earthquake occurrence, and "earthquake weather" was often discussed in 19th century newspaper articles.
We believe that the stories discussed here are evidence of a large earthquake accompanied by a tsunami. Using similar thematic techniques in a more comprehensive review of Pacific Northwest Native American stories may reveal additional details of the effects of the 1700 earthquake, and of prior megathrust earthquakes.
Table 1: Shared story elements, and mentions of motifs possibly related to earthquakes and tsunamis. Reagan1 refers to "A story of the flood"; Reagan2 indicates "A Hoh version of the Thunderbird Myth".
Swan Reagan1 Kuykendall Reagan2 Gunther
Not-too-long-ago time frame X X
Mythic time frame X X X X
Cape Flattery Island X X
Relocation of Chimacums and Quillehutes X X
Flooding X X X
Multiple water receding/rising X X
Canoes in the trees/many dead X X X
"no waves" X X
Waves X
Stranded marine life X
Whales X X
Battle of supernatural beings X X X
Lengthy multi-episode battle X X X
Creator God X X
Thunder God X X X
Death/Loss of Supernatural Power X X X
Darkened Skies X X
Dropping on land surface X X
Lightning X X
Rain X X
Thunder-noise X X
Shaking X X
Hail X
Landslides X
Salt Water in rivers X
REFERENCES
Arima, E.Y., D. St. Claire, L. Clamhouse, J. Edgar, C. Jones, and J. Thomas, 1991, Between Ports Alberni and Renfrew: Notes on West Coast Peoples." Canadian Museum of Civiliazation, Ottawa. Canadian Ethnology Service, Mercury Series Paper 121.
Atwater, B. F, A.R. Nelson, J.J. Clague, G.A. Carver, D.K. Yamagughi, P.T. Bobrowsky, J. Bourgeois, M.E. Darienzo, W.C. Grant, E. Hemphill-Haley, H.M. Kelsey, G.C. Jacoby, S.P. Nishenko, S.P. Palmer, C.D. Peterson, M.A. Reinhart, 1995, Summary of coastal geologic evidence for past great earthquakes at the Cascadia subduction zone, Earthquake Spectra. 11; 1, Pages 1-18. 1995.
Bagley, C.B., 1930, Indian Myths of the Northwest, Lowman and Hanford Company, Seattle Washington, pp. 29-30.
Barbeau, Marius, 1928, Haida Myths illustrated in Argillite Carvings, Bulletin No. 127, Anthropological Series No. 32, National Museum of Canada, pp. 320-325
Clague, John J., 1995, Early historical and ethnological accounts of large earthquakes and tsunamis on western Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in Current Research, 1995-A; Geological Survey of Canada, p. 47-50.
Dobyns, Henry F., 1983, Widowing the Coveted Land \fIin\fR Their Number Became Thinned; Native American population dynamics in Eastern North America, University of Tennesee Press, Knoxville, TN, pp. 8-31
Edwards, Elizabeth A., 1983 (unpublished manuscript), Bibliography and Index of Indian Tales in Special Collections University of Washington Libraries, University of Washington Special Collections, University Archives Division.
Gunther, Erna, 1925, Klallam Folk Tales, University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 113-170.
Heaton, T.H. and Snavely, P.D., 1985, Possible tsunami along the northwestern coast of the United States inferred from Indian traditions, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. V. 75, No. 5, pp. 1455-1460.
Hill-Tout, 1978, The Salish People: The Local Contribution of Charles Hill-Tout: the Sechelt and the South-Eastern Tribes of Vancouver Island' (R. Maud, Ed.). Talonbooks, Vancouver.
Hutchinson, I and A.D. McMillan, 1997, Archaeological evidence for village abandonment associated with late Holocene earthquakes at the northern Cascadia subduction zone, Quaternary Research, V. 48, pp. 79-87.
Jacobs, Melville, 1962, The Fate of Indian Oral Literatures in Oregon, Northwest Review, Volume 5, No. 3, pp. 90-99.
Judson, Katherine Berry, 1916, Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon, A.C. McClurg and Co., Chicago.
Kuykendall, G.B., 1889, \(fI in \(fR History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II, Part VI, Elwood Evans, North Pacific history company, Portland, Oregon, pp. 60-95.
Kroeber, A.L., 1976, Yurok Myths, University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London.
Marriott, Alice Lee, "Beowulf in South Dakota", New Yorker, August 2, 1952, pp. 46-51.
Reagan, Albert, and L.V.W. Walters, 1933, Journal of American Folklore, Vol. XLVI, pp. 297-346.
Reagan, A.B., 1934, Myths of the Hoh and Quileute Indians, Utah Academy of Sciences, Vol. 11, pp. 17-37.
Satake, K., K. Shimazaki, Y. Tsuji, K. Ueda, 1996, Time and size of a giant earthquake in Cascadia inferred from Japanese tsunami records of January 1700.
Sproat, G.M., 1987, The Nootka: scenes and studies of savage life [edited and annotated by C. Lillard]; Sono Nis Press, Victoria, B.C., 215 p. (originally published: Scenes and studies of savage life: London, Smith, Elder, 1868).
Swan, J.G., 1864, Diary, University of Washington Manuscripts Collection, accession number 1703-001, Entry dated January, 1864.
Swan, J.G., 1870, The Indians of Cape Flattery, at the Entrance to the Strait of Fuca, Washington Territory", Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, Vol. 16, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Swanton, John R., 1905, Haida Texts and Myths Skidegate District, Bulletin 29, Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 191-207
Tsuji, Y., K. Ueda and K. Satake, 1998, Japanese tsunami records from the January 1700 earthquake in the Cascadia Subduction zone, Zisin [Journal of the Seismological Society of Japan], V. 51, pp. 1-17. (in Japanese with English abstract, figures, and figure captions)
Vitaliano, Dorothy, 1973, Legends of the Earth; Their geologic origins, Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
This is file http://www.pnsn.org/HIST_CAT/STORIES/draft1.html; modified 12/2/2002 - If you see any problems e-mail: seis_info@ess.washington.edu
January 3, 2005
Could a Tsunami Swamp a Cruise Ship?
Could a tsunami swamp a cruise ship?
Such an occurrence, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' Andrew Poulton told Cruise Critic today, would be highly unlikely.
Indeed, when the tsunami began to strike the coastlines of 12 different countries in South Asia, a handful of cruise ships, such as Star Clippers' Star Flyer, Seabourn's Spirit and Swan Hellenic's Minerva, were sailing, if not right in affected areas then in the general oceanic vicinity. None reported any damage to the vessel -- or injury to passengers and crew. In fact, Poulton says, "If you are on a cruise ship and in the ocean you might not even notice it."
Tsunamis travel at speeds of 500 miles per hour across the open sea, Poulton adds. "People may think of it as a wall of water coming across the ocean, but it's not. It's a shock wave sent across the sea. When it gets to shallow water it compresses and is forced into a huge wave -- because it's got nowhere to go. It only becomes an issue when the water hits land."
Even ships docked, pierside, likely won't be horribly affected should a tsunami approach. That's because most cruise ships need at least 30 feet or so to dock, which is actually fairly deep (15 ft. deep, on the other hand, would be considered shallow). However, the caveat is: ships must be tied with super extra care.
A story on today's wire services backs that up. In a report issued by Bloomberg, the government of India is warning that, as a result of aftershocks, another tsunami could occur. At Madras' Chennai Port, which is primarily a cargo port, loading was halted -- and 15 ships were anchored in the harbor rather than sent out to the open sea (cruise lines have already altered itineraries away from the impacted areas).
The worst-case scenario is that the wave, approaching the docked ship, could be fairly "large at that point and may knock the ship against the pier -- but it wouldn't capsize," Poulton explains. Far scarier for cruise passengers than a tsunami, he adds, is a rogue wave. He noted that some years ago when he worked for Cunard, Queen Elizabeth 2, sailing in the Atlantic, was almost suddenly slammed by a 90-foot wave -- a freak condition, Poulton says. "Thank god the captain actually saw it coming on radar," he says. "It was like a wall and he faced the ship right into the wave. There was some structural damage, but nothing else."
December 25
Green slung chair, broken shells surround.
Dark sun streaks burst forth through
Royal clouds, fan down to shimmering sea.
Island dog lifts his sleepy head, heaves sigh.
Casuarinas stretch, shadows still in the heat.
Did the gypsy fisherman hear the sun whisper:
Tomorrow sea like angry dragon?
Posted by Evelyn Rodriguez on Feb 03, 2005
y
Indian fishermen stand on the coast of Tamil Nadu in southern India. File picture / Reuters
14.02.05 12.00pm
By Jan McGirk
The mighty Boxing Day tsunami has revealed what archaeologists believe to be the lost ruins of an ancient city off the coast of Tamil Nadu in southern India.
The 30-metre waves, which reshaped the Bay of Bengal and swept more than 16,000 Indians to their death, shifted thousands of tonnes of sand to unearth a pair of elaborately carved stone lions and a stallion near the famous 7th century Dravidian temple on the coast at Mahabalipuram, south of Madras.
Indian archaeologists believe these granite beasts once guarded a small port city that may have been submerged since the last Ice Age. The 2-metre high lion statues, each hewn from a single piece of granite, appear breathtakingly lifelike. One great stone cat sits up alert while the other is poised to pounce. Two man-made foundation walls also remain visible beneath the murky waters, now measurably shallower.
The tsunami also de-silted a large bas-relief stone panel that had been buried in sand for centuries, close to the shore temple. The half-completed sculpted elephant was effectively scoured clean by the great waves and now attracts mobs of visitors who touch its eroded trunk as a good luck talisman.
Scientists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) are descending on the World Heritage temple complex of Mahabalipuram to examine these exquisite relics and to launch an underwater survey.
One of the local fishermen who survived the Boxing Day disaster was catapulted aloft by the tsunami and reportedly clung for hours to the great arch of the shore temple. He spotted the undersea structures from this perch and told district authorities seven weeks ago.
Since April 2002, marine archaeologists have been working in tandem with divers from Delhi and a team from the Scientific Exploration Society based in Dorset, England, to search for any remnants of this ancient port.
"The sea has thrown up evidence of the grandeur of the Pallava dynasty," the head ASI archaeologist, T. Sathiamoorthy, told reporters last week. "We're all very excited about these finds."
Set among the casuarina trees and palms at Mahabalipuram, these sprawling temples are among the most venerable in India. Two centuries ago, sailors referred to Mahabalipuram as the "Seven Pagodas".
According to Shobita Puja, an Indian historian: "Six other pagodas and, indeed, an entire city were said to have been consumed by the waves, leaving the treasures at the bottom of the sea."
Legend has it that this city was so magnificent that jealous gods unleashed a flood that swallowed it up in a single day.
A British travelogue, penned by J. Goldingham, who visited the South Indian coastal town in 1798, first mentioned these sailors' tales in writing. But even in Ptolemy's time, the place was considered an ancient port. One of the Dorset divers, Graham Hancock, was exultant after initial investigations were completed three years ago.
He told the BBC at the time: "I have argued for many years that the world's flood myths deserve to be taken seriously, a view that most Western academics reject. But here in Mahabalipuram, we have proved the myths right and the academics wrong."
- THE INDEPENDENT
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