Last night, our buddies, Don and Phyllis joined us for dinner, once again, at our local joint (for the 3rd night in a row). All of the other patrons were the samo-samo people we've hung out with before. Don was holding court, talking about his current favorite topic: the palolo worms. It seemed like it would be an amazing sight, but quite honestly, I do have what I call a healthy level of skepticism, so, let's just say, I wasn't yet a believer.

This is the email he had sent me earlier in the day:
"This eclipse reminds me that when the full tide is in the middle of the
night after the October full moon there may be a spawning of the Palolo coral warm. They drop off their worm-tails or pods; jade (female) or brown (male), and these mix together in the swirling tide, with each having a light sensitive spot that
directs it towards the moon (then sinking in the west) or a flashlight.
At dawn the pods dissolve, allowing eggs and sperm to get together and
form the new generation. The rising is only on the turn of that one tide
and only takes place for a few hours. This is worm-sex, Pacific style. The pods can accumulate in the sea in massive amounts. Ask the locals about this and if you time it right you may be about to collect some of this rare delicacy, or photo it. They
might look yucky, but taste really nice on toast, something like caviar,
so I’m told."

Bali is predominantly Hindu, and the Hindus believe in animism, a belief in the spirits in nature. Last night, the night of the full moon, was a cause for celebration, and most of the locals were all dressed up and were going off to their temples. If the worm phenomena occurred, the animist shamans would hold rites rites about these palolo worms.

After dinner, we went back to our respective boats. Ken and I were sitting in the cockpit, having an after dinner drink under the full moon when.....it happened!!!! It was so amazing. I tried to call Don on the VHS radio and phone to make sure he was watching it, but he was incommunicado. Naturally, I grabbed my camera, and took pictures. They came out! Go figure! The event went on for some time. The little wormies had quite an orgy for themselves, and seemed to be having a blast. They didn't even mind that we were watching. In fact, when I shone my flashlight, they came closer so they could have an audience. How 60's of them.