The Shark Rider (33 page)

“Uh, Director?”

“Yes, Tristan?”

“What happened to the yacht? I mean, did you find Rickerton? Because he knows about us and the webbing.”

Director Davis got up and led Tristan back to his seat, sitting nearby. “Yes, we located the yacht in Tortola. The authorities have taken Mr. Marsh's people into custody, but by the time they got there, Rickerton was gone.”

“What does that mean for camp? And us?” Tristan asked nervously.

“We've been discussing that ourselves.” He looked
to where Coach sat piloting the plane. “At Sea Camp, we've always worked on a reactionary basis. That is—when things happen, we react and send a team out to investigate. But in this case, I think we're going to have to try a different tactic. This time we're going to go on the offensive. Luckily, some of our friends in the government have agreed to help us with that. Rickerton's on the run right now and we plan to keep it that way.”

“But do you think he'll come after us again?”

“No, we'll be keeping him way too busy for that. But in the meantime, we may have to cut camp a little short this summer. Just to be safe.”

“What?” Rosina said, sitting nearby. “But . . . but, what if we don't, I mean, what if we don't want to go
home
?”

The director looked at her warmly. “Don't worry, Rosina. I am well aware of your situation. We'll work something out. Come talk to me once we're back at camp.”

Tristan wondered what that was all about. “What about next summer? And more missions?”

“Oh, we haven't given up on you or our missions. But right now we need to put Rickerton out of business and keep him off our tail. Don't worry. We'll take care of him. By the way, Tristan, you and the other Snappers did a great job back there. What did I tell you? Teamwork is a powerful thing. Relying on your friends—both human and in the sea—will help tame your fears and make you stronger.”

Tristan thought back to riding on the shark and
how safe and connected he had felt. And when they were all working together—even in the middle of the storm—he thought less about his own fear.

The director got up and hit him playfully on the head. “Now enough with the questions. Get some rest and we'll talk more back at camp.”

As it turned out, that was the last conversation Tristan would have with Director Davis for quite a while. After they landed, the man rushed off and was only seen a few more times over the next few days. Coach Fred and Ms. Sanchez spoke to the camp as a whole and explained that due to circumstances beyond their control, the teens would have to go home early this year. Of course, rumors had already spread about what had happened in the British Virgin Islands.

None of the campers wanted to leave early. Many of the teens blamed the Snappers for the abbreviated camp season. When Tristan ran into Brianna at the Conch Café, she avoided even looking at him. Anthony Price, the Squid who always looked at Tristan a little funny, now openly sneered at him. Tristan didn't understand. Given all that had happened in the British Virgin Islands, he thought they'd done incredibly well—performed almost heroically. He was glad when he went to pack and the only other person in the room was Hugh.

“I can't believe everyone is blaming us!” Tristan said angrily. “It's not like any of it was our fault.”

“Yeah, this is crazy,” Hugh said. “It's like they hate us because camp is being cut short this summer.”

“What do you think is going to happen? Do you think we'll even get to come back next summer?”

“I don't know.”

“Hugh, let's go talk to Sam and the others. This is so totally unfair. After all we went through and did, we should be treated like heroes. We have to do something. If what the director said is true, and he's going after Rickerton, maybe we can help. We're good at this stuff. You know, like he said, go on the offensive.”

With one eyebrow raised, the newly adventurous Hugh replied, “What did you have in mind?”

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

I
HOPE YOU
'
VE ENJOYED ANOTHER
T
RISTAN
H
UNT
and the Sea Guardians adventure. The story and characters are pure fiction, but once again many of the locations, ocean habitats, issues, and creatures portrayed in the book are based on real places, real problems, and real marine organisms, along with some of my own experiences in, on, and under the ocean.

In the 1980s, I sailed through the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) aboard a bareboat charter (no, we were not naked) with fellow students from a marine lab in St. Croix and have returned several times since. It is a fantastic place! As described in the book, the BVIs have a history as a hideout for plundering pirates and supposed buried treasure. Numerous islands, small coves, and specific sites really are named after pirates
or things related to their infamous ways. (Yes, there is even a Cockroach Island.)

The Bitter End Yacht Club is a gorgeous resort on the northwest coast of Virgin Gorda. During a recent visit, I stayed in a hillside cottage on the northern side of the property. I went on several early morning swims and made it across the lagoon to Eustatia Island, having to swim across a boat channel, over piles of black spiny sea urchins, and around a very shallow and long reef (I ran aground on it during my first attempt to swim across). By the way, getting stuck by
Diadema
spines is a very unpleasant experience, and while some people say to pee on it—I personally don't recommend the practice.

While in the BVIs, I dove in a cave with a swirling school of silver spoon-sized fish and had a nurse shark spot me and sink to the bottom where I swear it pretended to be still as a statue to go unseen. There was a fish-filled rock hot tub near a small cove off Mosquito Island and I swam on scuba through a narrow, V-shaped chute between giant rocks at a spot called The Chimney. The rock walls looked just like brightly colored abstract paintings, covered with splatters and splotches of pink and purple coralline algae, along with orange cup coral and red and yellow sponges. I also hiked through the towering piles of giant granite boulders and swam at The Baths. (It is just as wondrous and unique as described.) Saba Rock exists as in the story and they really do feed the tarpon at happy hour—those are some fat and happy fish.

While I was there, I saw plenty of sea turtles, jumping manta rays, eagle rays, and an odd fish that looks very much like a serving platter. It is the scrawled file-fish—look it up. Scientists aren't sure why manta and eagle rays jump. Theories include that it is to get rid of parasites, to avoid something chasing them, some form of communication, or simply their idea of fun.

While diving in the BVIs, I waved my hand by the fuzzy tentacles of a pillar coral and found an octopus sitting camouflaged on a giant block of rock. I didn't see any green moray eels, but they're there and are, in fact, coated with mucus to protect their skin (no scales). There are also probably stomatopods, aka mantis shrimp, living in the reefs in the region, though I wasn't fortunate enough to observe any. They live in burrows under rocks or in the sand. Mantis shrimp are truly bizarre-looking creatures and have one of the fastest, most powerful strikes in the animal kingdom. Stomatopods with club shaped legs really are called smashers and those with sword-shaped legs are referred to as spearers. And they have super freaky looking stalked eyes that provide excellent vision.

I also mentioned pufferfish and squirrelfish in the book. Do you know what the yellow coin-shaped fish are or the multicolored striped fish? The small spiraling creatures that Tristan saw on a brain coral that withdraw into tubes are called Christmas tree worms. The algae that looks like a green paintbrush is
Penicillus
.
Halimeda
is one of my favorite algae and I choose green cornflakes for its cereal lookalike. And squid
really can squirt ink as a means of defense to escape from predators.

Lionfish, which are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, can now be found in the BVIs and throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas, off Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico. These non-native invaders eat tons of small reef fish and crustaceans, reproduce quickly, and have no natural predators in these regions. The ecological impact of invading lionfish is not yet fully understood, but we do know that it won't be good. But, they are tasty. Just be sure to carefully cut off the poisonous spines before cooking them.

Scientists use robotic sensors that drift in the sea and go to the surface to relay their data by satellites, but I'm not sure any of them look like a jellyfish or have all the capabilities of my robo-jellies. I have a colleague/friend who builds small submersibles. I was fortunate enough to go down 300 feet on a test dive in one (
tritonsubs.com
). What a great ride! And researchers across the world are studying how chemicals found in marine organisms might be used to fight disease or better understand human physiology. Organisms in coral reefs, such as sponge, are of particular interest because many do, in fact, use chemicals in defense against predators. The venom from the cone snail has already been used to create a new and powerful painkiller.

Unfortunately, overfishing is a real and serious problem in the BVIs and elsewhere. One of the problems in this region is potfishing. It is a fishing method
that uses baited wire traps that are set on or near coral reefs. Everything that gets in (including small reef fish) is collected and sometimes thrown into a pot to cook—hence the name
potfishing
. This form of fishing does terrible damage to the fish population and the reefs. I'm not against fishing, but just against fishing in ways that cause harm or are destructive and/or unsustainable.

Worldwide, pollution in the ocean is also a very serious problem. Trash, oil, chemicals, and other wastes are washed or swept off the land and flow into the ocean. Marine debris and plastics kill tens of thousands of fish, sea lions, sea birds, turtles, whales, and more every year. Unfortunately, sea turtles really do eat plastic bags. In the ocean, the bags resemble one of their favorite foods—jellyfish. When I swim or kayak in Miami, I am continually collecting these bags from the water. Please ask your parents to use recyclable bags at the grocery store and always, always recycle or dispose of your trash properly.

If you want to learn more about me, the ocean, and the science mentioned in this book, go to
www.tristan-hunt.com
or visit our fan page on Facebook. And send me a message—I love hearing from readers. Tell me what your favorite sea creature or ocean habitat is. Maybe I'll put it in the next Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians adventure. And, as always, get out there and dive in!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

T
O ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE ENDLESS
sources of moral support, encouragement, and humor, I thank you with all my heart. Kathy—thanks for always being ready to lend an ear for a sisterly vent and to give great advice. Mom and Dad, I swear I'll tell you what happens in book three soon. Buzz, your friendship, laughter, and support are hugely appreciated. Thanks also to all my other early morning swimming pals that put up with my silly sea creature stories and help me pick up trash at the beach (Ugh!). I am also grateful to my test readers who continue to give their time and provide excellent feedback. To the readers of book one,
The Shark Whisperer
, who wrote fantastic reviews, sent me fun tweets, posted on Facebook, or e-mailed me—thank you. You inspire me to
keep writing and make all the hard work well worth it. Thanks to Sandra Grisham-Clothier and the others at the Bitter End Yacht Club who made my stay in the British Virgin Islands so lovely, productive, and fun. I'd also like to recognize and say a big thank you to Carl and the others at The Safina Center. Their support in travel, writing, and speaking engagements has been invaluable. Great appreciation also goes to my agent, Janell Agyeman, and all the folks at Mighty Media Press for their hard work, attention, and support. Special thanks to Nancy Tuminelly, Josh Plattner, Sara Lien, Sammy Bosch, Chris Long, Anders Hanson, and editor Karen Latchana Kenney. And once again, admiration and thanks to Antonio Javier Caparo, who continues to surprise and amaze me with his superb illustrations for the maps and cover.

A SNEAK PEEK FROM THE PAGES OF
STINGRAY CITY
…

R
YDER STOPPED AND STARED ACROSS THE STREET
at a small park and, beyond it, the dark waters of Monterey Bay. He raised an eyebrow mischievously. “Hey, let's go for a swim.”