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This time on Jonathan Bird's Blue World, exploring seamounts in the Gulf of Mexico!
在本期的乔纳森《蓝色世界》中，我们将一起探索墨西哥湾的海底山丘！
Hi I'm Jonathan Bird and welcome to my world!
嗨，我是乔纳森·伯德，欢迎来到我的世界！
The Gulf of Mexico.
墨西哥湾。
To many people, it conjures images of oil platforms or maybe even oil spills.
对许多人来说，这会让人联想到石油平台，甚至可能是石油泄漏。
But this magnificent body of water is so much more than a rich deposit of oil and gas reserves.
但这片壮丽的海洋远不止蕴藏着丰富的油气储量。
There is warm, clear water containing lush coral reefs,
那里有温暖、清澈的海水，里面满是郁郁葱葱的珊瑚礁，
murky plankton-filled water with giants feeding on the plankton, and virtually everything in between.
充满了浮游生物的海水中满是捕食浮游生物的巨型鱼类，以及几乎所有介于两者之间的生物。
The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin surrounded by the United States, Mexico and Cuba.
墨西哥湾是一个被美国、墨西哥和古巴包围的海洋盆地。
Though connected to the Caribbean, it is somewhat isolated, and experiences rather small tidal changes.
虽然与加勒比海相连，但它有点与世隔绝，经历着较小潮汐变化。
100 miles off the coast of Texas, there are three seamounts, rising up from the depths.
在距德克萨斯海岸100英里的地方，有三座海底山丘，从深处升起。
Two of them are capped by lush coral reefs.
其中两个覆盖着茂盛的珊瑚礁。
These are the Flower Garden Banks, protected by the United States government since 1992 as a National Marine Sanctuary.
这些都是花园河岸，自1992年以来作为国家海洋保护区受到美国政府的保护。
I have been fortunate enough to receive an invitation from the Women Divers Hall of Fame to join their expedition to the Flower Garden Banks.
我很幸运地收到女子跳水名人堂的邀请，参加她们前往花园河岸的探险。
The trip was planned during the week following the full moon in the hopes of observing the coral spawn.
这次旅行计划在满月后的一周内进行，希望能观察到珊瑚产卵。
I board the Fling, a dive boat based in Texas that routinely visits the Flower Garden Banks.
我登上弗林号，这是一艘位于得克萨斯州的潜水艇，经常造访花园河岸。
Captain Bland is at the helm as we set a course for the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary!
布兰德船长正在掌舵，我们正在前往花园河岸国家海洋保护区！
And while the Gulf is infamous for rough seas, we got lucky today.
尽管海湾因波涛汹涌的大海而闻名，但我们今天还算幸运。
The water is flat calm, and a trio of Bottlenosed dolphins have joined us on the bow.
水面平静，三只宽吻海豚和我们齐头并进。
Our first stop is at Stetson Bank, the northern-most seamount in the sanctuary.
我们的第一站是斯特森河岸，这是保护区最北部的海底山丘。
With the mooring line tied, the ladders go down and it's time to suit up.
系好缆绳，放下梯子，该穿上潜水服了。
This is the highest giant stride of any dive boat I think I have ever been on.
这是我乘坐过的潜水艇中跨度最大的一次。
How far is that?
距离是多远？
Six feet.
六英尺。
It's only six feet?
只有六英尺吗？
That's it.
是的。
That is more than six feet.
超过六英尺。
Well, wait until the waves go down.
好吧，等到海浪退去。
It's more than six feet.
超过六英尺。
Alright.
好吧。
Woo!
哇！
Next my camera is lowered on a rope.
随后，我的摄像机系在绳子上放了下来。
Sort of.
差不多了。
As a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, my wife Christine is here.
我的妻子克里斯蒂娜是女子跳水名人堂的一名成员，她就在那儿。
Cameraman Todd had to stay home because Christine is my camerawoman!
摄影师托德不得不呆在家里，因为克里斯蒂娜是我的摄影师！
We descend 80 feet to the top of Stetson Bank.
我们下降80英尺，来到斯特森河岸的顶端。
Stetson, like the Flower Garden Banks, is a seamount
斯特森就像花园河岸一样，是一座海底山丘。
—a pinnacle that rises up from deep water like an underwater mountain.
一座从深海中升起的山峰，就像一座水下山脉。
The summit of that mountain is shallow enough that we can get there with conventional scuba gear.
那座山的山顶在水下很浅的位置，我们可以使用传统的潜水设备到达那里。
Stetson is sedimentary rock.
斯特森是沉积岩。
Erosion has made the layers of the rock easily observable.
侵蚀使岩石层很容易看到。
Due to cool water temperatures, there is very little coral at Stetson Bank,
由于水温较低，斯特森河岸几乎没有珊瑚，
but the rocks are covered in sponges and algae.
但岩石上覆盖着海绵和藻类。
The marine life here takes advantage of what they have: algae, sponges and cracks.
这里的海洋生物物尽其所：藻类、海绵和裂缝。
A crack hides a sea urchin and an arrow crab.
裂缝里藏着海胆和箭蟹。
A well-camouflaged Scorpionfish hides in plain sight on an algae-tufted rock.
一条伪装得很好的蝎子鱼躲在藻类丛生的岩石上，一目了然。
A cluster of purple tube sponge is a home for damselfish.
一簇紫色的管状海绵是小热带鱼的家。
But sponge is also a meal for a hungry French angelfish.
但是，海绵也是饥饿的法国天使鱼的食物。
And, one of the hardest fish to find--a Frogfish looks like a sponge to avoid detection.
还有最难找到的一种鱼，琵琶鱼样子看起来像海绵，为了避免被发现。
It's in a weird position and hard to film, but this rare beauty deserves some screen time!
这个位置很奇怪，难以拍摄到，但这种罕见的美丽值得拍摄！
The bank also attracts big schools of fish looking for food, and a place to hide at night.
这片河岸还吸引了成群结队的鱼来寻找食物，还有一个夜晚藏身的地方。
At this depth, we can't stay very long.
我们不能在这个深度待太久。
Soon it's time to head back to the boat.
很快，就该回船上去了。
We ascend up the mooring line, do a safety stop, and then make our way to the ladder at the stern of the boat.
我们爬上缆绳，做一个安全止动器，然后走到船尾的梯子上。
Woo!
哇！
As soon as everyone is out of the water, the crew begins filling tanks,
当所有人都出水后，船员们就开始给水箱加满水，
and preparing for departure to the Flower Garden Banks.
准备出发前往花园河岸。
Anchors are destructive to the reef, so we are tying the boat to a permanently attached mooring line.
船锚对礁石具有破坏性，所以我们把船系在一条一直连接的系泊缆上。
Down on the reef, the mooring line is attached to a strong steel ring embedded in the reef.
在礁石上，缆绳被固定嵌入礁石中的一个坚固的钢环上。
There are several mooring sites on the bank and no anchors are allowed.
岸上有几个系泊点，不允许使用锚。
Before the dive, we get a briefing from Captain Bland.
下潜前，我们听着布兰德船长做简单介绍。
Just pull hand over hand like you have been doing…
就像你们一直在做的那样，手拉手。
Then it's time to suit up and check out the coral!
该穿衣服，去看珊瑚了！
The water here is super clear and blue and I can see the reef below as soon as I hit the water,
这里的水是湛蓝色的，非常清澈，我一下水就能看到下面的暗礁，
even though its 80 feet down!
即使它在80英尺以下的位置！
Christine and I fire up our cameras and try to familiarize ourselves with the topography.
克里斯蒂娜和我打开摄像机，试着熟悉地形。
We will be back down here after dark looking for the coral spawning.
天黑后我们将回到这里寻找产卵的珊瑚。
The Flower Garden Banks look much different than Stetson Bank.
花园河岸看起来和斯特森河岸大不相同。
In the winter, the water here is only 4° Fahrenheit warmer than Stetson,
在冬天，这里的水温只比斯特森高16度，
but that's enough to allow dense coral growth.
但这足以让密集的珊瑚生长。
In fact, the bank is jam-packed with coral in density that is rarely seen elsewhere.
事实上，这条河岸上密布着珊瑚，这在别处很少见。
The top of this seamount isn't very big, so the coral competes for space.
这座海底山丘的山顶不大，所以珊瑚在争夺空间。
Star corals and brain corals dominate the landscape.
星珊瑚和脑珊瑚占据着整个地方。
Large barrel sponges complete the topography picture.
大桶海绵侦测完了地形。
There are coral overhangs and crevasses.
这有珊瑚悬壁和裂缝。
They create habitats for the type of marine life that thrives on Caribbean reefs.
它们为在加勒比海珊瑚礁上繁衍生息的海洋生物，创造出栖息地。
