Synchronous Swimming Sinks Scrub Hare Swagger

Hare stamped his hind leg. “C’mon! Rematch? How about Tag? You’re It.”

Turtle grit his beak. He’d rather play hide and seek.

“Your turf, then.” Hare yawned with indifference. “On land or sea, I’ll beat a hundred turtles.”

He missed the glint in Turtle’s eyes.

***

On the day of the Big Race, Hare sneered as 100 turtles lined up in a V formation. What do these shell-heads think they are, mighty ducks? Anyway, going upstream through murky rapids would be a snap. He’s stronger, faster, and sleeker.

Bam! Annnnnd….they’re off!

Hare surged ahead, his powerful hind legs building momentum to overcome the currents’ resistance, friction, and force. Far behind, the turtles floundered in the viscoelastic fluid. Figures. Hard shells, sissy swimmers who can’t stand a little marsh and mucus in their freshwater.

Whump! Debris buffeted the bunny. Water weighed his fur and he came up sputtering. He blinked, and saw the finish line drifting 75 degrees starboard. Struggling against the swill, Hare swallowed in panic and pride. Easy! Slow and steady wins the race. That’s the moral.

A roar of water rumbled behind him.

Hare glanced back... ...and gasped.

A blockade of turtles barreled toward him, the massive arrow-shaped formation cutting through currents. Their synchronized sculling seared through water, minimizing drag and maximizing buoyancy as they accelerated at ramming speed.

Hare imagined water-logged rabbit road-kill at the winner’s circle banquet.

In unison, the turtles leapt over Hare, retracting into their shells to lessen wind resistance. Hare gaped as the streamlined keratin shields spun and back-flipped overhead and crossed the finish line to the tune of Swan Lake.

The scores came in. “10 for precision!” “10 for ballet artistry!” “7.2 for choreography. That rascally rabbit ruined the routine.”

“Boo!” hissed the crowd of tortoises, terrapins, and other Testudines.

Bristling in rage and shame, Hare’s ears rose and flapped. He felt his body lift from the sodden marsh. Hmmm…he schemed. Next week…the Powder Puff Derby.

Inspiration Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.961623/full