Adventure Tourism -- Elves Welcome

This was the sign that caught Emory's eye when he walked past a dive shop at the elf resort. He and several of his friends had wanted to join the US Navy SEALS last year, but they didn't pass the height requirement (although they far exceeded all other criteria). Fortunately, elves are not known to dwell on the past because new opportunities might be just around the corner, and the tourism company knew precisely how to tap into that elfin spirit of adventure.

The outfitter (Emory suspected he was a leprechaun, but one can never be certain) fitted each elf with the entire dry suit that is required -- even for elves -- to survive the cold temperatures in the region. Elves do love uniforms! It's a well documented fact. So suiting up in the matching gear added a touch of familiarity to the adventure. And since safe diving always requires a buddy, Emory selected his best friend, Edith (who loves to read about undersea life and knows the names of even the most rare varieties) to be his diving partner.

News in the undersea world travels fast. While it may seem peaceful and idyllic to the casual observer, everything is in constant motion, and even the creatures that don't travel very far, move about quite a bit within their own little neighborhood. Once the word got out that elves were " I-N-C-O-M-I-N-G ! " (shouted by a parrotfish as if they were being invaded) all the little creatures began to tell their neighbors, who told their neighbors, and so forth, and so on, and pretty soon, the entire population beneath the waves was on alert to watch for elves.

The first creature to interact, face-to-face, with the elves was a juvenile seahorse, of the very rare variety called hippocampus fantasticus, or, at least, that's what Edith told her friends. While most scientists believe that seahorses are limited to the warmer waters closer to the equator, this specimen is found in the Drake Passage in shallower waters, if you know just where to look. Edith was very excited about this little one, whom she nicknamed "Scout" because his curiosity got the better of him and he swam ahead of all the others to greet Edith. As she later pointed out to her friends, Scout is a juvenile seahorse because he still has black spots on his white tummy. These will fade as he takes on his adult colors.

Eventually the other seahorses, like Scout's mother, caught up and accompanied the elves throughout their dive. Elves do not speak the languages of undersea life, but it was unnecessary. Have you ever noticed that some friendships don't really require lots of words -- just time spent together, taking in the beauty around you and the uniqueness of each other? Well, that is exactly what they did!

[If you have suggestions for future elf adventures, please share in the comments. In an off-line conversation with a Facebook friend, we discussed the possibility of donating custom cookies to a charity auction. If you know about an on-line auction for a charity that you trust and support, let me know, and I'll look into participating -- perhaps with a gift certificate for custom cookies for a special event or special someone.]