Is there anywhere left in the Caribbean with healthy reefs in 2024?

[rongoodman]

I was at Turks and Caicos last month and didn't see any real problems, but it might have been because I didn't know what to look for.

 

[Kimela]

I am in Cozumel at the moment and it looks markedly worse than 2023 and 2022. Fish count is way down and reefs are covered with sand, although I suspect that is due to the recent hurricane that skirted the island. Macro here continues to be excellent…I just wish I could spot the little buggers LOL

I also wonder if the hurricane might be responsible for the sand cover. Over the last few years we’ve been there roughly every two months, so I wonder if there are bigger changes that I’m just not noticing? Sort of like not seeing our kids grow in the same way people who only see them once or twice a year notice ‘how tall’ they’ve gotten.

Have you been out to Tikila and gone north up to the reef restoration area? Along there is where I found what I think - and what others have said too - was a patch of sheep eggs. I also spotted, for the first time, an elysia pappilosa. I’m forever amazed that I keep finding things I’ve never seen. Cozumel isn’t perfect, but it’s still a lot of fun for the money. (The first is the elysia, the second is the patch of eggs on a mermaid tail leaf and the third is a close up of the patch of eggs.) The trick of finding the small stuff (IMO), if there is a trick, is going slowly. And unfortunately we’re usually rushed by our group when diving from a boat because they have a schedule to keep. A trip to Tikila means you could slow down and look for things that ‘don’t belong’ or look for things that are moving when they shouldn’t or not moving when they should (at least that’s how I think of it). So much fun!