known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven genera. While they do not "fly" in the same way a bird does, flying fish can make powerful leaps out of the water where their long wing-like fins enable gliding for considerable distances above the water's surface. The main reason for this behavior is thought to be to escape from underwater predators,[3][4][5] which include swordfish, mackerel, tuna, and marlin, among others,[6] though their periods of flight expose them to attack by avian predators such as frigate birds.

Barbados is known as "the land of the flying fish" and the fish is one of the national symbols of the country. The Exocet missile is named after them, as variants are launched from underwater, and take a low trajectory, skimming the surface, before striking their targets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_fish

the water to get up on dry land to escape predators.

Ain't evolution wonderful?
(I wouldn't be here without it, which is another reason to doubt the benefits of evolution....)

The was about 100 yards of wing flapping.

They were some 500 ft away from the ship, and at first I thought they were birds. I soon realized these ‘birds’ were disappearing beneath the waves, and that’s when I realized they were flying fish.

They’re my favorites to see

In Aotearoa - New Zealand- and in Raratonga they are called Maroro.

They are so cool!