The Coming of the Crabs!!

Christmas Island is well known for its crabs, surely you must have realized that by now? But one crab in particular makes a spectacular appearance. It is often comment on about how spectacular the Red crab migration is, I have to say I found the migration an anti-climax. The spawning however was completely different!! In the small hours of the morning millions (yes actual millions, Christmas Island has approx 80 - 120 million red crabs) swarm down to the beaches of Christmas Island to spawn. here the females pile onto the beaches and down to the surf where they gingerly make their way up to the surf (they can't swim or breath under water) to release their eggs. This is the highlight, the females must do what can only be described as a "Jigg" to release their eggs into the sea. Imagine this but on a scale you can't actually imagine and then you have the image, but you won't because you can't!

The spawning marked the end of my tour on Christmas Island, I don't think I could have ended it any better!

An Egg bound female Red Crab

After the madness, a calm sunrise on Ethel Beach.