Why do you love diving on coral reefs?

Hi everyone!

Obviously our main goal is helping protect the future of coral reefs in Florida, but I'd like to know why you specifically love diving on coral reefs, or what you would miss if they disappeared.

Don't worry - I'm not trying to trick you into supporting our program based on your answers (although if you WOULD like to support us, by all means, go ahead! ), its just nice to get real honest answers from people who truly get to experience the beauty of coral reefs face to face.

Thanks for your help!
Caitlin

The hard corals are impressive structures, they remind me of a cross between a big tree and a geologic feature. It's just impressive to see the shapes of the "living rocks".

I recently dove down in the keys from Looe key to Carysfort and couldn't believe how bad the reefs were. Where forests of elkhorn and staghorn coral grew back in the 70's, a few stressed specimens survive. It reminded me of a logged forest.

No one seems to know what caused it, theories go from sewage from the increased population to global warming. If it was just global warming it wouild seem that the reefs off of broward and palm beach would be improving. The other thing I noticed missing was the black spiny sea urchins with the long spines, they used to be everywhere.

It's hard to protect the future of the reefs when no one knows why they are dying off.

We just returned form a week on Bonaire, and specifically Bari Reef mostly. It is the extreme variety of marine life you see on the reef, especially those times of day, night or morning when the light is changing, and the various life forms are just waking up, or retiring.
This trip, thanks to a local, we did discover an un-named, seldom dived non-site, that was practically unspoiled by dive traffic, and it was a real treat to dive because so much of the soft coral that is easily damaged was still intact.

I just spent the day conducting a workshop concerning major ocean issues for professional educators (teachers). The goal was to attempt to bring into sharper focus some of the more pressing issues regarding the oceans and the impacts on us and from us. Coral reef issues were among those concepts presented and discussed.

So to the question...I enjoy diving reefs because I love seeing the biodiversity and uniqueness of the environment. I then attempt to bring some of that awe and wonder back so that others who may be landlocked and totally unknowing may get get a glimpse of the spectacular hidden world I have been blessed with the opportunity of observing firsthand. That's why I particularly enjoy diving the Flower Garden Banks NMS...it's one of the healthiest reef environments in the world, and it never fails to fascinate me with its wild uniqueness. It has been said that we only protect what we love, and we love that which we understand.
My purpose is to attempt to understand as much about our reefs as I can and then pass that little smattering of information along to others in the hope that they will begin to love those special ecosystems too.

Guba:

I enjoy diving reefs because I love seeing the biodiversity and uniqueness of the environment. I then attempt to bring some of that awe and wonder back so that others who may be landlocked and totally unknowing may get get a glimpse of the spectacular hidden world I have been blessed with the opportunity of observing firsthand.

Click to expand...

I like to see things moving around. I like to pause and see small things doing amazing things. I like to see big things doing amazing things. I like never knowing what is going to happen next on a reef! A Shark! A Turtle! An Octopus! A giant freaking grunt or arrow crab! A beer can to pick up and stuff in my BC pocket! Whatever.....
I am not a particularly religious person as far as a specific sect might go, but I sure do love what God gave us to sustain us and for our enjoyment.
Life is a beautiful thing if you let it be so.

Chug

Man ... when I saw the title of the thread, I thought I'd set myself for some seriously humorous flaming, and maybe even some physical beatings, by suggesting (IN JEST LADIES), "I like diving on reefs because the recreational diver girls are far prettier than the technical diver girls." But, after reading the seriousness of the issue, some responses, and checking out Bill's site on devotional scuba diving ministry and outreach, I'm kind of sobered into answering seriously ...

I recently had eye surgery to remove vitreous floaters. I've had eye floaters since I was a teenager, like many people who see them when looking at certain surfaces in certain lighting conditions. But, months ago, I developed a cluster of dark floaters that would move into and blur or obscure the central vision in my left eye. Most doctors tell you that you have to live with them and nothing can be done, but I did some research and found an excellent surgeon who was williing to perform a vitrectomy to remove them and replace the debris-filled gel with saline. I'm posting this part in case any ScubaBoard member suffers the same thing to put out the word that help is available.

Going through this made me realize all the little things that we take for granted. A huge part of diving for me, and for most of us, is the gift of sight and being able to see the beauty and mystery of the world's marine and aquatic realms. Lots of people were praying for me because the surgery has certain risks and when I get back in the water I'll be even more exceptionally thankful to God than I am already. I've been cleared to dive and I'm getting ready to start teaching courses again. I promised my girlfriend to wait for her to get back from a business trip to dive with her the first time back since she's missed me underwater. Sheand I are planning to go to Bermuda in October and then cave diving in northen Florida and to the Florida Keys afterward.

One of my last reef dives for fun, my Green Force light kept dying and I spent the entire dive monkeying with it trying to figure out if it was a cord issue or something else. My girlfriend saw lots of creatures that really got her excited. She's worked in the islands as a DM and grew up on boats. We're both instructors so whatever she saw must have been impressive! I just saw my light fire ... burn ... die. Wait for it to be safe to switch it on again. Fire ... burn ... die. Missed a lot.

I realize that diving still appeals to the child in me. I grew up snorkeling, anxiously waiting for the day I could really scuba dive. Learning that in murky laker, I couldn't wait to dive in clear water like in The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Sea Hunt or Flipper. Having started scuba diving at age 13, I'm still passionate about it at 41. I love diving. I love teaching it because I love it so much. It doesn't matter if it is in the pool, in the clear sea, in a low-vis river or in a cave. Every place has great diving - just different.

For me, coral reefs are a place to relax, to just appreciate nature and make childhood dreams come true. The healthier the environment, the more stimulating and rewarding it is for the soul. It's where I can free myself of deco schedules, goals, career, stress, message boards, politics, competition ... and just float motionless and let the environment steal the show. What a show it is in all its breath-taking splendor!

Ultimately, having had this sport and the underwater world occuy so much of my life, a coral reef is where I can go to feel safe, to feel the sensation of warm water, pressure and the gentle caress of bubbles alongside my face; it's where I can feel the weightlessness that is home, hear the crackling, songs and voices of its inhabitants, and feel most like myself in my element and where I can worship God in the Church of the Blue Water.

After diving a bunch of them I find they get boring.

Its all about the life!!!

Hey, Trace...

amen, pardna'!

The reefs in Rangiroa, I think, epitomized what I love about diving reefs. There, we saw a tremendously healthy ecosystem with a high density of life, and you could watch the variety of animals going about their business. I love watching behavior and interaction. I also adore color, and the colors there were wonderful.

It was particularly wonderful to dive there, because we had spent a week and a half diving the blasted wastelands that were most of the reefs in the Society Islands and south. Broken, dead, and algae-covered, those reefs were incredibly depressing (and I thought the deterioration in Maui was bad). It was good to see that, in a place where there are few people and no agriculture, the reefs were still healthy and vibrant.

I've only been diving for four years, but even in that short a time, I've seen places I visit repeatedly showing a decrease in the number of fish, and the presence of dying coral. It frightens me, what it portends for the globe -- it's too easy for the majority of people to ignore what is happening underwater, because they can't see it.