How does hurricane affect reefs/life

[TravelDave]

Supposed to be going to Cayman Dive Lodge in a month. I haven't heard any news about how it fared in the storm. Even if the operation did okay, I'm wondering what the storm would do to the reefs and the marine life there.

 

[dazedone]

Supposed to be going to Cayman Dive Lodge in a month. I haven't heard any news about how it fared in the storm. Even if the operation did okay, I'm wondering what the storm would do to the reefs and the marine life there.

Hate to say it, but I would start looking for a new place to take your trip. Looks like Grand Cayman will take months to recover topside (power, water, sewage). I was supposed to be there this past week and I don't plan to try going there until next year now.

 

[archman]

We've got a recent thread on this very topic around here... somewhere. Look around, it's explains reef damage via hurricanes pretty good.

 

[DocVikingo]

CDL is closed until further notice---->

http://www.divelodge.com/status.html

As your question is about the effects of hurricanes upon marine life, rather than anything specific to the Greater Caribbean & Bahamas, I have taken the liberty of moving it to our dedicated Marine Life forum in the hopes it will receive wider response.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[TravelDave]

CDL is closed until further notice---->

http://www.divelodge.com/status.html

As your question is about the effects of hurricanes upon marine life, rather than anything specific to the Greater Caribbean & Bahamas, I have taken the liberty of moving it to our dedicated Marine Life forum in the hopes it will receive wider response.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

THANKS DOC

 

[maractwin]

My understanding is that the occasional storm is actually helpful to the reef. Kinda like forest fires. As long as it doesn't happen too often or is too severe, it helps.

Some corals reproduce by division or budding more often than by spreading gametes. Storms encourage this, and help to move the offspring further from the parents. Fast growing tall corals that are shading their neighbors get broken, giving the others a chance to grow again. Detritus that has accumulated in pockets on the reef gets blown out.

In my reef aquarium I periodically use a turkey baster to blow water at things to wash them off and get any detritus floating in the water where the filters will remove it. It's a synthetic storm...

-Mark

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

See this thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=70968

Marc

 

[tarnis]

Just curious if anyones swam out to the breakers since the storm? Dive it alot as it's only 15 feet deep/cheap dive and there is plenty to see. Been up in NY since the storm and a bit concerned about my reef

 

[jewelrox1]

dont go to cayman in a month...wait till at least january...the sewage doesnt work, my friend plastic surgury clinic is under 5 feet of water and its pretty inland. dead animals, wrecked homes and many other non appealing things,ppl r also in danger of getting some disease....forgot the name of it...starts with a C. illl be going to cayman islands in march and iim positive it will be better by then...cayman islands does need the tourism money and it will be worth it so i recommend u wait a bit to go..either way i hope u hav fun on ur dive trio wherever u choose to go
-jewel

 

[TravelDave]

dont go to cayman in a month...wait till at least january...the sewage doesnt work, my friend plastic surgury clinic is under 5 feet of water and its pretty inland. dead animals, wrecked homes and many other non appealing things,ppl r also in danger of getting some disease....forgot the name of it...starts with a C. illl be going to cayman islands in march and iim positive it will be better by then...cayman islands does need the tourism money and it will be worth it so i recommend u wait a bit to go..either way i hope u hav fun on ur dive trio wherever u choose to go
-jewel

We're doing Cozumel now.