Heatheroe
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How much damage can a Cat 3 hurricane do to a reef system?
Hurricane Damage
- Thread starter Heatheroe
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deeper thoughts
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It is going to help us here in the Keys by bringing the water temps down
OP
Heatheroe
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very interested in hearing anyone's experiences with reefs after a major hurricane. Going to Andros and Eleuthera in October.
OP
Heatheroe
Contributor
very interested in hearing anyone's experiences with reefs after a major hurricane. Going to Andros and Eleuthera in October.
under-h2o-nerd
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There isn't a simple answer here. Damage can range from non-existant to severe - it all depends on the specifics of the locality. Things like water depth, distance from a freshwater source (runoff - and the nutrients / sediment it brings can be tough on a reef after the rains that accompany a hurricane), wind direction - all matter a great deal. Basically, a knowledgable divemaster/captain should be able to find places that weren't hit too bad.
Keep in mind that hurricanes are natural phenomena - and coral reefs evolved to deal with them on a pretty regular basis. Healthy reefs do recover from hurricanes pretty quickly (of course, most reefs aren't the picture of health these days)...
Keep in mind that hurricanes are natural phenomena - and coral reefs evolved to deal with them on a pretty regular basis. Healthy reefs do recover from hurricanes pretty quickly (of course, most reefs aren't the picture of health these days)...
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