Christmas Island & The Red Crab Migration in Pictures

If you’re a regular reader of the site, you’ll know that in December 2017 I had the opportunity to work with Google, Parks Australia and Christmas Island Tourism on a joint campaign to photograph the annual Christmas Island red crab migration and the capture imagery of the Google StreetView trekker as Dr Alasdair Grigg (one of the CI National Park managers) wore the priceless camera backpack to map the Island. I’ve already published a practical travel guide to Christmas Island (take a read if you haven’t already!) but I have so many beautiful images (well, I think they’re pretty good!) from my 8 days there that I just had to put together this collection of pictures of Christmas Island in a sort of photo tour. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to visit this incredible island paradise.

The Christmas Island Red Crab Migration

 

A post shared by Vicki Louise (@maketimetoseetheworld) on Dec 11, 2017 at 8:37pm PST

I was lucky enough to be on the Island around the halfway point of the red crab migration. By the time I arrived  at the start of December the majority of the crabs had already made their way down from the rain-forests, mating had occurred and the females were hunkered down in their burrows waiting for the cycle of the moon and accompanying rainfall to signal it was time to spawn the eggs.  Parks Victoria staff monitor the crabs closely as it gets closer to the predicted date of spawning and these photos are some of my favorite from the day before and day of – which was a morning that we started shooting at 3am!

Christmas Island is tropical by nature and the crabs can get very hot. To combat this they head to the waters edge to ‘dip’ in the lead up to spawning.

Is it just me or do Red Crabs have a look of ‘Predator’ about them?!

After spawning – where the ladies release billions of eggs into the ocean, the red crabs start their journey back into the Island’s forests. The released eggs immediately hatch into larvae and grow through several larval stages into tiny prawn-like animals called megalops. After about 4 weeks the megalops emerge from the sea and they moult into baby crabs. At this time the babies instinctively know to head inland and make their home in the forest. I didn’t get to see this incredible event – which looks like a carpet of crabs – on this visit, but hopefully one day I can return and show you. Until then if you want to be one of a lucky few thousand people who see this amazing even a take a look at the Christmas Island Tourism Website for up-to-date predictions of what dates the red crab migration will occur each year.

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The Other Crabs & creatures on Christmas Island

This alien looking creature is a Robber Crab (or Anomuran Crab) – and whilst they do not exist in the millions like their Red Crab counterparts, they are an instantly identifiable resident of Christmas Island. Their looks resemble something out of an Alien movie and at their biggest they can weigh as much as 4kg and span of 80cm! You can find them all over the Island, and frequently on the roads and if you feel like they are acting like they own the place – that’s because they do! Residents and visitors are conscious of them when traveling around the Island and adhere to the ‘Slow Down, Drive Around’ instructions displayed on the highways. Other residents of the island include 20+ species of birds , crabs, spiders, snakes and other insects including Frigate Birds, Golden Bosun, Ghost Crabs and Purple Crabs – and that’s before we start talking about the ocean residents such as spinner dolphins, manta rays, whale sharks (in season) and giant trevally.

Did I mention there were spiders?

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Dusty from scurrying around the forest floor, the dark colors of this purple crab make it an excellent player in a game of hide and seek.

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This is a Ghost Crab – and I’m sure you can probably guess why..

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I just love this little fella’s eyes and his cute little mustache! (and he was actually that color(!) – no editing required!

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The Landscapes & Beaches

 

A post shared by Vicki Louise (@maketimetoseetheworld) on Dec 8, 2017 at 11:26pm PST

This is one of my favorite shots, has already made it to Instagram – and now proudly adorns the back of one of my business cards!

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Jurassic Park anyone?

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Freshwater Cave

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Christmas Island is a drone pilot’s dream! This is above the Boardwalk at the Blowholes

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The Grotto – a sand bottom cove that leads straight out to the ocean (although I wouldn’t risk it. Te currents around the island can be strong and you might find yourself drifting out to sea!)

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Anderson Dale: It’s hard to show the scale but the triangle of light dead center of shot is where you climb down into this Cove. The photo below is looking out to the Ocean.

Thanks to Mark from Parks Australia for modelling for me at the entrance to the cove!

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Merrial Beach is one of the prettiest beaches on the island and the Google Street View Trekker just had to capture it.

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Flying Fish Cove

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Christmas island has 80km of Coastline..

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Welcome to the (Christmas Island) Jungle..

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Hughs Dale Waterfall (and a perfectly placed Robber Crab, they’re just everywhere!)

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Don’t forget to look up (I love this and you’ll be seeing this on Instagram really soon!)

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Take in the View from the Lookouts

Territory Day Lookout

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Margaret Knoll Lookout

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Sunrises & Sunsets

 

A post shared by Vicki Louise (@maketimetoseetheworld) on Dec 14, 2017 at 4:45am PST

I’m never normally awake for ‘Blue Hour’ in the morning (it’s a time between twilight and when the sun rises above the horizon where the residual light turns the sky a shade of blue) – but the possibility of capturing images like this will always make me get up for them on location in future (even if I hate the alarm clock at the time!)

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Sunrise from the Boardwalk above Lily Beach

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Pink Hour (which happens practically every night on CI!)

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That’s a wrap folks! I have hundreds more which unfortunately may never see the light of day (unless there are more hours in a day that i’m missing!) but I hope you have enjoyed this little look into the Christmas Island Red Crab Migration and it has inspired you to get out to the Island and see this incredible place for yourself.

And Finally – throughout the trip I would often (much to the annoyance of other people) give the crabs a voice and try and verbalize what I thought they were thinking. This last one is made for a caption competition. Let me know what you think he is saying in the comments! (or just let me know if you had a favorite shot!)

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