Damien Enright: Merciless predation on the beaches of Gomera

Snipe trumpet fish close up

Snipe trumpet fish. They live at up to 60m deep but come to the surface at night to feed on zooplankton. Sometimes, geyser-like currents on the seabed impede their return. They die by the thousand on the surface and are washed onto beaches.

Gomera is always replete with stories to tell, and this week is no exception. For me, it began in serendipitous accord with my recent theme of “small is beautiful” when I found myself waist-high in the sea surrounded by small, lifeless fish floating laterally, not belly up, glittering like spangles on the surface.