This Week’s Dive Report
A fine winter week for diving! Conditions were decent this week, and we were out on the water. We had a few windy days, but, all-in-all, the week was a good one to scuba.
The University of Miami Scuba Club came down to hang out with us this weekend. We took them out to a couple shallow patch reefs just off Crocker Reef. It’s always awesome to dive with the next generation – they’re full of energy and a blast to be in the water with.
Next Week’s Dive Report
Next week, the first few days should be very nice for all ocean activities. Toward the end of the week, the wind is slated to pick up somewhat. This shouldn’t be enough to cancel any ocean-related fun you have planned, but it might make for some rollers or “sporty” seas.
Conservation Update
I.CARE is continuing to work in collaboration with the community and locals to plant endangered corals on the reef. On Saturday, we planted at our shallow reef site, and on Sunday, we went out to our deeper site for snail maintenance.
What is snail maintenance, you ask? Well, there are sea snails that feed on our corals. They come out at night and suck the coral polyps right off their coral skeleton. During the day, they retreat to the branches of the coral or hide underneath it.
On our snail maintenance dives, we hunt for these snails and remove them from our planted coral colonies. We do this under permit from the sanctuary as part of a more holistic approach to reef restoration.
Stay tuned to what I.CARE is doing as more amazing science and restoration work are coming. The reefs are an entire ecosystem, so rebuilding them for long-term success requires paying attention to all of the different, complementary parts that make up that microcosm.
Conservation Tip
The corals we plant have a higher chance of success if we keep the waters clean of trash and runoff. The better the water quality, the higher the survival rates of corals tend to be.
I.CARE Tip
ICARE is doing a lot to preserve and rebuild our reefs in our community. They are solely funded by the community. Donations are very appreciated and it’s easy to do. Simply go to www.icareaboutcoral.org and hit the donate button.
