"The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" (click here)
Mola mola
As gigantic (click here) as the ocean sunfish can be, it still seems like only half a fish.
Sunfish, or mola, develop their truncated, bullet-like shape because the back fin which they are born with simply never grows. Instead, it folds into itself as the enormous creature matures, creating a rounded rudder called a clavus. Mola in Latin means "millstone" and describes the ocean sunfish’s somewhat circular shape. They are a silvery color and have a rough skin texture.
The mola are the heaviest of all the bony fish, with large specimens reaching 14 feet (4.2 meters) vertically and 10 feet (3.1 meters) horizontally and weighing nearly 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms). Sharks and rays can be heavier, but they're cartilaginous fish....
Graves' Light is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The website containing the interview with Lawrence O'Donnell is at the bottom of the picture.But, it is easy to understand why the sunfish came in from the ocean to do some sun bathing. The red letters is where the recreation area is. It is easy to see Logan Airport in the upper left corner.
But as to the sunfish, the waters there were quiet, calm and protected. It is widely known by marine biologists any protected waters will draw sealife to rest there. Fish may seem like dumb animals, but, they discern quiet water. Swimming 24/7 takes a lot of energy, so they rest from time to time. Boston Recreational Area is a perfect place. Unfortunately, the sunfish decided it was a nice day and it would bask in the sun for awhile and low and behold the fish got more than it bargained for.
I am glad everyone including the fish was safe. The men were good sports. They really cared about doing something interesting and maybe save the life of an endangered species should it have been a turtle. Well done.
