Coral Bleaching/death diver observations needed.

There is a rather frustrating lack of detailed (location by location
)descriptions concerning significant reef damage due to the massive
coral bleachings that have occuredwide in especially in 1998 and 2000,
and most probably later this year of 20004. Since this board is an
ideal place for divers and concerned observers to search, I'd like to
welcome anyone to post their firsthand observations in this thread to
help others who may be planning a future dive trip.

As many of you know, in 1998, the ocean surface temps reaching an all
time high, causing corals to bleach (many to the point of death),
throughout vast portions of the pacific and Indian oceans. In 1999, I
went diving in the Phillipines to one of the most remote reefs in the
world...called Tubataha, located in the middle of the Sulu sea. At
one time, Cousteau had called this reef the most spectacular tropical
dive site in the world. While most of the reefs in the Phillipines
have been badly damaged by dynamite fishing and pollution, this remote
vestige had escaped that fate. However, in 1999, after spending
several thousands of dollars for the trip, I found the entire, and I
do mean entire reef complex completely dead, a coral graveyard covered
in algae or just plain bleached stark white (freshly bleached...and
dying). The water was unbelievably warm....bathtub temps in the
shallows (my thermo is not accurate enough for scientific data). I
was very surprised by the fact that the other ten divers on the boat
were entirely unconcerned or bothered by the undersea nastiness as
they were completely satisfied with the multiple shark/turtle sitings.
Strangely enough, Bohol island reefs, neer the industrial area of
mainland Cebu and under serious exploitation pressure were actualy in
much more viable condition.

From other divers I've learned that most hard corals in the Maldives,
Seychelles, and Indonesia have been severely, horribly damaged. I
cannot find reliable info on Papua New Guinea, Barrier reef/coral sea,
Solomon Islands, Palua/Micronesia, Vanuatu, and especially Fiji (which
is astounding considering the multitudes that flock to this mecca
every year). I have heard several vague accounts of hard coral
bleaching in Somo Somo straits off Taveuini, and one very believable
description of bleaching in Bega lagoon. Fiji divers please share
site specific info...ie-depth, inside lagoon or outside, are any
nearby areas spared bleaching (and theories why these nearbye areas
remained unscathed...ie upwelling currents ect...

Although I'm just a lowly biologist/diver, I think at this point I can
reliably say that most reefs in the world will bleach past the point
of no-return in the very near future. The consistent recent warming
of Ocean surface temps (see NOAH website) is a trend that is extremely
unlikely to reverse in the coming years, and the coral simply cant
take it. I don't think there are too many researchers around who have
not reached simmilar conclusions. If anyone reading this hasn't yet
had the opportunit to sea the few remaining semi-pristine reefs left
in the pacific, I would reccomend you consider taking a trip out there
while there is still time...not to sound alarmist, but realistically
those who love South pacific reefs the way I do, do indeed have reason
to be be alarmed.

Joe,

Relax. I dove in the bathwaters of Okinawa in 98 also. Nice and comfy, but
kind of weird with all the algae hanging on the coral. Lots of bleaching
and lots of hard coral died off, kinda tragic. Pristine sites were
slaughtered. However, within 4 years they were making a slow comeback.
Some spots (down south and up north) were relatively unscathed and the soft
corals were unfazed. The soft coral gardens off Sunabe rival anything else
in the world. Shells are spectacular.

Fortunately, nobody has a clue about Okinawa except those who've dove there,
due to expense and the fact that tourism is set up for Japanese mainlanders
(mega yen). Fortunately means less pressure. I've taken pictures of more
different species of Lionfish & anemone fish than exist most anywhere else
in the world. I'm now in North Dakota and the highlight of my dive year was
Bonne Terre. Sigh...
Bottom line, let nature take its course, go where the clumsy fins and
careless anchors are not and you'll be OK.

PS--those poor folk in the PI who lob bombs to kill tropicals for food do
more damage to the reef than La Nina did, right?

Okidiver
"Just dive, baby"

"joe" <speak2joe@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f55a8fb3.0406141134.66e140e4@posting.google.c om...
> There is a rather frustrating lack of detailed (location by location
> )descriptions concerning significant reef damage due to the massive
> coral bleachings that have occuredwide in especially in 1998 and 2000,
> and most probably later this year of 20004. Since this board is an
> ideal place for divers and concerned observers to search, I'd like to
> welcome anyone to post their firsthand observations in this thread to
> help others who may be planning a future dive trip.
>
> As many of you know, in 1998, the ocean surface temps reaching an all
> time high, causing corals to bleach (many to the point of death),
> throughout vast portions of the pacific and Indian oceans. In 1999, I
> went diving in the Phillipines to one of the most remote reefs in the
> world...called Tubataha, located in the middle of the Sulu sea. At
> one time, Cousteau had called this reef the most spectacular tropical
> dive site in the world. While most of the reefs in the Phillipines
> have been badly damaged by dynamite fishing and pollution, this remote
> vestige had escaped that fate. However, in 1999, after spending
> several thousands of dollars for the trip, I found the entire, and I
> do mean entire reef complex completely dead, a coral graveyard covered
> in algae or just plain bleached stark white (freshly bleached...and
> dying). The water was unbelievably warm....bathtub temps in the
> shallows (my thermo is not accurate enough for scientific data). I
> was very surprised by the fact that the other ten divers on the boat
> were entirely unconcerned or bothered by the undersea nastiness as
> they were completely satisfied with the multiple shark/turtle sitings.
> Strangely enough, Bohol island reefs, neer the industrial area of
> mainland Cebu and under serious exploitation pressure were actualy in
> much more viable condition.
>
> From other divers I've learned that most hard corals in the Maldives,
> Seychelles, and Indonesia have been severely, horribly damaged. I
> cannot find reliable info on Papua New Guinea, Barrier reef/coral sea,
> Solomon Islands, Palua/Micronesia, Vanuatu, and especially Fiji (which
> is astounding considering the multitudes that flock to this mecca
> every year). I have heard several vague accounts of hard coral
> bleaching in Somo Somo straits off Taveuini, and one very believable
> description of bleaching in Bega lagoon. Fiji divers please share
> site specific info...ie-depth, inside lagoon or outside, are any
> nearby areas spared bleaching (and theories why these nearbye areas
> remained unscathed...ie upwelling currents ect...
>
> Although I'm just a lowly biologist/diver, I think at this point I can
> reliably say that most reefs in the world will bleach past the point
> of no-return in the very near future. The consistent recent warming
> of Ocean surface temps (see NOAH website) is a trend that is extremely
> unlikely to reverse in the coming years, and the coral simply cant
> take it. I don't think there are too many researchers around who have
> not reached simmilar conclusions. If anyone reading this hasn't yet
> had the opportunit to sea the few remaining semi-pristine reefs left
> in the pacific, I would reccomend you consider taking a trip out there
> while there is still time...not to sound alarmist, but realistically
> those who love South pacific reefs the way I do, do indeed have reason
> to be be alarmed.

Coral bleaching is a bit of a mystery to me in that I'm not sure I
could identify it when I see it. I have seen lots of damaged hard
corals around the world, but cant be sure if it is due to coral
bleaching. What is diagnostic of this condition?
As far as Fiji is concerned I was there in Oct. of 2002 and the Somo
somo
hard corals were damaged in places. Soft corals seem to be doing well
though. Diving out of SavuSavu there were amazing healthy hard
Corals.
A theory about bleaching I heard there was that High UV was
responsible for bleaching and that areas with lower visibility were
less effected. This might explain your observations in Philippines?
Gulf of Thailand had awesome hard corals when I was there in 1996.
Sipidan that same year was showing considerable damage to its hard
corals. The Caribbean has lots of damaged coral, but is this due to
hurricanes or what?
Divers should be concerned about coral bleaching, if not us then who?
We should be the front line in defending the worlds reefs. The Ocean
Conservancy is one outfit that is working hard to preserve the worlds
oceans. Nature Conservancy helped preserve Palmyra Atoll south of
Hawaii recently. Unfortunately most dive publications rarely address
these issues or advocate anything that could be labeled
environmentalist.

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/dynamic/home/home.htm

Coral Disease ID:

http://www.coral.noaa.gov/coral_dise...cterized.shtml


link to 126 page report (pdf) on bleaching:

http://www.coral.noaa.gov/cmrc/think-tank/

satillite coral Bleaching monitoring:

http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/


(T) wrote in message news:<7723b34e.0408171628.63619073@posting.google. com>...
> Coral bleaching is a bit of a mystery to me in that I'm not sure I
> could identify it when I see it. I have seen lots of damaged hard
> corals around the world, but cant be sure if it is due to coral
> bleaching. What is diagnostic of this condition?
> As far as Fiji is concerned I was there in Oct. of 2002 and the Somo
> somo
> hard corals were damaged in places. Soft corals seem to be doing well
> though. Diving out of SavuSavu there were amazing healthy hard
> Corals.
> A theory about bleaching I heard there was that High UV was
> responsible for bleaching and that areas with lower visibility were
> less effected. This might explain your observations in Philippines?
> Gulf of Thailand had awesome hard corals when I was there in 1996.
> Sipidan that same year was showing considerable damage to its hard
> corals. The Caribbean has lots of damaged coral, but is this due to
> hurricanes or what?
> Divers should be concerned about coral bleaching, if not us then who?
> We should be the front line in defending the worlds reefs. The Ocean
> Conservancy is one outfit that is working hard to preserve the worlds
> oceans. Nature Conservancy helped preserve Palmyra Atoll south of
> Hawaii recently. Unfortunately most dive publications rarely address
> these issues or advocate anything that could be labeled
> environmentalist.
>
> http://www.oceanconservancy.org/dynamic/home/home.htm

I was living on Okinawa during the La Nina of 98 which dealt some serious
death to pockets of hard coral in the western Pacific (Palau, Maldives,
Philippines and Okinawa, of course). By now you've figured out that hot
water causes it and why. The power of nature. The BS about man causing
global warming is a laugh. Been going on for centuries and will continue.
Amazingly, when I left Oki last year, some areas were making fabulous
comebacks. I was only there for eight years and I'd say development wastes
more coral than hot water ever will. My Masters, however, isn't in
oceanography, so it's just my opinion.

--
Rapid Rick
"Just dive, baby"

"And you snatch your rattling last breaths, with deep sea diver sounds, and
the flowers bloom like madness in the spring."

"T" <tjackm7@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7723b34e.0408171628.63619073@posting.google.c om...
> Coral bleaching is a bit of a mystery to me in that I'm not sure I
> could identify it when I see it. I have seen lots of damaged hard
> corals around the world, but cant be sure if it is due to coral
> bleaching. What is diagnostic of this condition?
> As far as Fiji is concerned I was there in Oct. of 2002 and the Somo
> somo
> hard corals were damaged in places. Soft corals seem to be doing well
> though. Diving out of SavuSavu there were amazing healthy hard
> Corals.
> A theory about bleaching I heard there was that High UV was
> responsible for bleaching and that areas with lower visibility were
> less effected. This might explain your observations in Philippines?
> Gulf of Thailand had awesome hard corals when I was there in 1996.
> Sipidan that same year was showing considerable damage to its hard
> corals. The Caribbean has lots of damaged coral, but is this due to
> hurricanes or what?
> Divers should be concerned about coral bleaching, if not us then who?
> We should be the front line in defending the worlds reefs. The Ocean
> Conservancy is one outfit that is working hard to preserve the worlds
> oceans. Nature Conservancy helped preserve Palmyra Atoll south of
> Hawaii recently. Unfortunately most dive publications rarely address
> these issues or advocate anything that could be labeled
> environmentalist.
>
> http://www.oceanconservancy.org/dynamic/home/home.htm

Raider Rick wrote:

[....]
> I was only there for eight years and I'd say development wastes
> more coral than hot water ever will. My Masters, however, isn't in
> oceanography, so it's just my opinion.


I have never underestimated man's ability to shit in his own helmet
faster than nature ever could.


--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Sorry for going a "bit" off topic, but I'm having some trouble getting info
about the diving in Okinawa.
I am going on a business trip to Japan and plan to have 4 days in Okinawa.
Maybe You could give me a hint to the best diving/sites on Okinawa.
I am in contact with "reefencounters.com" and my first impression is that
they are quite competent.
My certification is CMAS*** and I have 10 years experience in wreckdiving in
nordic waters 25 - 50 meters.
Tropical experiences: Red Sea, Philipines (Apo Reef), Vietnam, Mexico.
Hope You will give me a few hints.

Back to topic:
I was diving in the Philipines in 98 and saw quite unspoiled corals except
for the dynamite fishing damage.
Returning a few years later I saw how the shallow parts of the reefs were
damaged by the hot water, but beginning to grow back.

Best Regards
Jan Kisak Rasmussen
Denmark



"Raider Rick" <okidiver@ifspamyousuckcox.net> skrev i en meddelelse
news:10m1ht2bd2a9437@corp.supernews.com...
> I was living on Okinawa during the La Nina of 98 which dealt some serious
> death to pockets of hard coral in the western Pacific (Palau, Maldives,
> Philippines and Okinawa, of course). By now you've figured out that hot
> water causes it and why. The power of nature. The BS about man causing
> global warming is a laugh. Been going on for centuries and will continue.
> Amazingly, when I left Oki last year, some areas were making fabulous
> comebacks. I was only there for eight years and I'd say development
wastes
> more coral than hot water ever will. My Masters, however, isn't in
> oceanography, so it's just my opinion.
>
> --
> Rapid Rick
> "Just dive, baby"
>
> "And you snatch your rattling last breaths, with deep sea diver sounds,
and
> the flowers bloom like madness in the spring."
>
> "T" <tjackm7@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:7723b34e.0408171628.63619073@posting.google.c om...
> > Coral bleaching is a bit of a mystery to me in that I'm not sure I
> > could identify it when I see it. I have seen lots of damaged hard
> > corals around the world, but cant be sure if it is due to coral
> > bleaching. What is diagnostic of this condition?
> > As far as Fiji is concerned I was there in Oct. of 2002 and the Somo
> > somo
> > hard corals were damaged in places. Soft corals seem to be doing well
> > though. Diving out of SavuSavu there were amazing healthy hard
> > Corals.
> > A theory about bleaching I heard there was that High UV was
> > responsible for bleaching and that areas with lower visibility were
> > less effected. This might explain your observations in Philippines?
> > Gulf of Thailand had awesome hard corals when I was there in 1996.
> > Sipidan that same year was showing considerable damage to its hard
> > corals. The Caribbean has lots of damaged coral, but is this due to
> > hurricanes or what?
> > Divers should be concerned about coral bleaching, if not us then who?
> > We should be the front line in defending the worlds reefs. The Ocean
> > Conservancy is one outfit that is working hard to preserve the worlds
> > oceans. Nature Conservancy helped preserve Palmyra Atoll south of
> > Hawaii recently. Unfortunately most dive publications rarely address
> > these issues or advocate anything that could be labeled
> > environmentalist.
> >
> > http://www.oceanconservancy.org/dynamic/home/home.htm
>
>