Tag Archive for: coral reef

A day in Dominica….

Being in the Caribbean in February is usually a reason for envy, but this time the temperatures in Tennessee felt so springlike, it was actually difficult to leave the States!  These first pictures are from Dominica, the Nature Island, where rainforests cover much of the interior and the rainforests of the sea are vibrant and alive….except when they aren’t..  Nearly two years ago, Tropical Storm Erika dumped something like 27 inches of rain on the island in ten hours causing massive flooding and river erosion.  That sediment from the rivers is still heading out to the reefs near Coulibistrie, where my friend Izzy showed me the new deltas that have formed and the small, winding, tree covered streams which are now wide river beds devoid of trees.  Our plan is to evaluate the reefs and work on stream bank stabilization so maybe, just maybe, we can save these reefs.  We will need lots of help. Read more

Cuba protects life in the Caribbean at Jardines de la Reina

 

https://nyti.ms/1JfyaTZ

I watched this video again today. I haven’t seen Goliath Grouper since I swam with them in the Bahamas when I was a kid. I am so impressed with Cuba’s protection of the mangrove and reefs. They are intimately connected. Without the mangrove nursery AND the coral reef, life in the Caribbean Sea will not flourish.

Belize Clean Water Camp

It was Coral Reef Day at Clean Water Camp for San Mateo kids in Belize! We did a lot of studying how the coral reef was alive and the diversity of life found there. Everyone here likes to and needs to fish so losing fish populations would be a huge problem for them! Then the boys found a large stingray that was injured. We took her to cooler water using a piece of cloth as a stretcher. The kids were treated by Ecologic Divers to a snorkel trip to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. They were amazed!! The squeals of turtle turtle turtle!!! could be heard across the reef!!