巨人探索小鱼国 Giant Exploring the Micro World

古早以前，地球还是一个水球，火山淹埋在海里。而细胞们都聚集在火山处形成一个个小村子。火山惊天动地爆发的溶岩富含了可以喂饱无数细菌的矿物质。要能够活着度过火山无情的爆发，并不是件易事。成功生存的，或是侥幸，或是不泛之辈。至少在严峻的考验后，就是任吃不怒的自助餐了！
Ages ago, the earth was still a water globe. Volcanoes were somehow buried under the sea. Single cell organisms lived around the volcanoes and colonies were formed. The lava of the erupted volcanoes was rich in minerals that fed billions and billions of these organisms. It was not easy to survive a volcanic eruption. For those who survived, by luck or by inner capability, there will be an all-you-can-eat feast after each volcanic eruption.

纵使火山处有丰盛的享宴，有一天，单细胞们似乎受够了火山要命的考验，于是它们慢慢地（或许几千年，或许几万年，抑或许几亿年的时间）进化以便承受火山的凌辱。就这样，从单细胞进化到双细胞，再从双细胞进化到多细胞。更强的就干脆进化成大的生物（就好比鲨鱼，海豚等）游离火山到别处觅食。至于留守在火山处的可能相当满足于火山所能提供的食物，于是乎就仅仅是进化到一定的形态以承受火山爆发的蹂躏，继续都留在火山处，形成了小鱼国。马纳多就是其中一个小鱼国。
In spite of these wholesome feasts provided after volcanic eruptions, these organisms eventually evolved i.e. from single cell to double cells, then to multiple cells. Survival of the fittest. Those fittest would evolve to larger species such as sharks, dolphins etc which left these volcanic regions. Those remaining continued to feed on the rich volcanic lava. Manado is one of these volcanic regions with these so-called Micro Worlds.


这里乌黑的沙滩见证了火山爆发，见证了细胞们的进化。要在淤泥里潜水，最令皮皮头疼的是必须尽量不让蛙鞋因为踢动而掀起黑沙滚滚。尤其是位于摄影范围之内，搞不好的话还会被驱逐呢。
The black mucky sea floor resulted from the volcanic eruptions. When diving, PiPi was careful so that my foot fins would not stir up the muck. When there are other photographers around, they may chase me away for affecting their photograph taking!

小鱼国的生物要有多小就有多小。最小的海马竟然比鼻屎还要小几倍。这些小到连肉眼都几乎看不清楚的小家伙都寄居在珊瑚上。所以在大海茫茫里，要找到小鼻屎就先找到它的居家咯。你看到了吗？
The living organisms in the Micro World are really tiny. A pigmy seahorse is even smaller than a peanut! They are so small that you probably do not notice them. They simply lived and clamped onto corals. So, one sure way of viewing them will be to look at the corals carefully. Can you spot any of them?

比小鼻屎稍微大些的海马，差不多有半个拇指般大小。用它的尾巴将自己钩在珊瑚上，对皮皮的照相感到害臊。
This seahorse is slightly larger than a peanut, about the size of half a thumb. It clamped onto the coral with its tail. It is camera-shy.

随处可见的蝎鱼，像蝎一般的毒。好几次因为顾着照相，差点就要被蝎鱼给叮上呢。在海里，凡是色泽艳丽的都得特别提防。没有攻击性的一般都会和环境维持类似的肤色，毫不突出地掩饰自己的存在。
Scorpion fish is a common species in Manado (underwater of course). As the name suggests, it is as poisonous as a scorpion. On several occasions, PiPi was nearly stung by it, because PiPi was too absorbed in my photographing. Underwater, beautiful organism can be dangerous. Those harmless organism normally has the same color as that of the environment. This is to avoid being noticed (camouflaged).

蛇般的鳗鱼老是躲藏在洞里，露出头来嘴巴一张一合，皮皮这些潜水新手会因为能够找到和照到而感到暗爽。
Eel fish always hide inside a pot hole. When it came out, PiPi could see its mouth closing and opening. Do you think it is marvelous? Rookie like PiPi was proud to have captured this scene on camera.

顶着苍蝇眼的七彩虾舞动着毛子。这也是个爱缩进洞里的家伙。
Fly-eyed Shrimp waving its hands to say HELLO. This is also a hole hiding creature.

凡是看过‘海底总动员’的，应该都喜欢尼莫吧。至少皮皮就超喜欢尼莫了。只要一接近，它们防备性的攻击就会翩翩起舞了。几乎每个潜点都会看到的尼莫，对潜水老卡而言，是不屑一顾的了。
For those who had watched the movie 'Finding Nemo', you will definitely love Nemos. Well, at least PiPi loves Nemo. Whenever we go near them, they will go on the defensive. Almost at every dive site, there are Nemos. Only Rookie like PiPi will be vowed.

在倍受火山摧残下，这里的海洋有点像是个沙漠。要能找上像样的珊瑚好比在沙漠里寻找绿洲。固然如此，这里的小家伙有能耐撑过火山爆发，自然有值得探索之处。倘若你很想看看这些小家伙到底有多小有多强，就要到马纳多走一圈啦。
Due to the volcanic eruption, the undersea world here is like a desert. To find a good looking coral is like searching for water in a desert. Even so, the living organisms in Micro World manage to survive, so there are always something to explore. If you like to see how tiny and how tough the Micro World creatures are, you really gotta go'round the Manado. Hurray!