29 July 2006

Lurker of the Deep




Ever heard of an oarfish? Me neither, but one washed up on a beach in Oregon. Apparently they are giaant fish tha tlive in the deep dark depths off the coast of the Pacific. "It looks like a cross between an eel, a tarpon and I don't know what else with that big bug eye," explained Keith Chandler, general manager of the Seaside Aquarium, who identified the mysterious visitor last week. They are extremely rare and rarely seen. Consequently, science doesn't know much about them. But they do have a place in native myth, where they are known as "king-of-the-salmon. As the Oreognian explains, "The name king-of-the-salmon comes from a Native American legend in which the fish leads salmon on their migratory travels."

View the Oregonian article here.



Who the hell....

....are Brent and Jan LeBaron?!?! And why are so many people looking for them?

I get dozens of visits a day from people all over the world -- Canada, Spain, Australia, Japan -- who are Googling "Brent and Jan LeBaron." I randomly posted their excellent photos of Mt. St. Helens a few months back (a friend emailed them to me, but I don't know anything about who they are) and they have been far and away the most visited posts on Ish River Itinerate. So, my curiosity is piqued. If you are a Brent and Jan LeBaron Googler, leave a comment that will help me to decode this worldwide phenomenon!