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 New Providence | Grand Bahama | Abaco | The Out Islands WHAT-TO-DO - FREEPORT/LUCAYA & GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND - JAN 2004  There's plenty to look at But don't touch Originally published WHAT-TO-DO - FREEPORT/LUCAYA & GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND - JAN 2004 © Etienne Dupuch Jr Publications Ltd Asurreal world of wonder lurks under the ocean's surface no matter where you are, but in The Bahamas that world includes some spectacular sights that you won't find in most other places. While the warmth and clarity of these waters are well known, what is truly notable is the volume and variety of life harboured in its depths. Schools of brightly coloured tropical fish stream past. Gaily striped sergeant majors, blue-green parrotfish and triggerfish, silvery-red grunts and vivid blue tangs create a memorable scene above the reefs. Living, breathing coral Swaying purple sea fans wave back and forth with the current. They are a feast for the eyes - but not for the hands. A cardinal rule in diving - don't touch anything - ensures that these beautiful examples of underwater life stay that way for the next generation of divers to enjoy. Coral reefs are living, breathing animals. Because they have a hard limestone shell, many people think that they are just big, brightly coloured underwater rocks. The thin film of living tissue that makes up the outer layer of a reef is especially susceptible to damage caused by divers touching and bumping the reef. " It takes hundreds of years for the reef to form," says Ian (Woody) Woodcock, dive instructor/guide at Xanadu Undersea Adventures. "Apart from it being very fragile, the reef has a mucous membrane or a coating over it. If you touch the reef, a week later you could end up with a white handprint where the coral has started to die off," he says. Poorly placed boat anchors can also cause severe damage, and can even break off pieces of coral that have taken many years to grow. " UNEXSO has for years been putting down and replacing mooring bouys," says Niall Christoffersen, diving operations supervisor at UNEXSO. "There are about 50 sites on the south shore of Grand Bahama. Having the bouys there means you do not need to drop the anchor of your boat which could destroy parts of the reef," he says. UNEXSO has also helped to create artificial reefs by carefully preparing and sinking old ships, according to Christoffersen. Two of the largest are Theo's Wreck at 230 ft long and the Sea Star II at 180 ft long. Both are popular dive sites. Deeper reefs are healthier " The more colourful corals are found in the top 30 feet of water, because that's where sunlight penetrates," says Woodcock. "The healthier corals tend to be a little deeper. The larger formations are also deeper because they don't get affected when we have a big storm." " The dive sites to the east of the island are very healthy and pretty," says Christoffersen. His favourite reef is Plate Reef, at a depth of 80 ft. There you will see plate corals and a lot of marine life around the small blue hole entrance, he says. The most common types of coral seen at Grand Bahama dive sites include hard and soft corals, encrusting fire coral, gorgonia, sea fans, sea whips, barrel sponges, vase sponges, brain coral, star coral and plate coral, says Woodcock. " The prettiest reef we go to is SPID city. There are a lot of diverse corals there. We also have some dive sites called tunnels and caves. It's a little bit deeper so the corals are very well held together," he says. With all the great dive spots around Grand Bahama, it's important to keep the coral healthy. Cuts and stings There are more reasons to avoid touching the reef. Some corals can give a nasty sting. An encounter with fire coral, for example, is a memorable experience. It lives up to its name. You can recognize fire coral because it looks like brownish-gold bare tree limbs. Sharp corals can also cut divers who bump or brush past them. The best way to avoid bumping the reef is to practice good buoyancy control. Maintaining neutral buoyancy is an essential skill that will keep divers from using the reef to steady themselves or to push themselves off the bottom. As with most things in life, practice makes perfect. Although divers learn buoyancy control during the initial certification course, it's a good idea to practice some more in a pool or closed environment before venturing out to the reef, especially if you haven't mastered the fine tuning necessary to stay neutrally buoyant. |
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