Roatan reef bleaching/ health?
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ADSLubec
Registered
Just got back from 2 week stay and I have to say I'm the most pessimistic about the reef than I've ever been. From other posts here I wasn't expecting (though looking at posted vids I guess I should have been) to see so much bleaching! Our first dive (at Camp Bay) both my wife and I were appalled by the large bleached coral heads all around us. Other years (we've been going over spring break for many years) there had been bleaching but recovery was more progressed when we visited. DMs told me it was better than a few months ago but it was sad to see. The scariest part to me was the water temp. Normally (to me: not sure how acurate my memory is) it would be around 79-80 in March but this year it was consistently 81-82. With the coral still stressed I'm really concerned with these temps; how high will it get come Sept/Oct?
That said the diving was still decent. seemingly any place with good current flows (Morat wall, Texas, West End Wall for example) seemed in good shape. and there are still a few brain coral here and there; hoping there may be some resistance to Stoney coral Disease. I was surprised to get many opportunities to spear Lionfish, even on well travelled sections of the reef. Maybe hunting pressure is down? Seemed to be many more largish grouper as well as schools of Jacks.
Less green turtles and eagle ray sightings for me and no Hawksbill this year.
I missed seeing a hammerhead by one day, DM Anthony in Camp Bay reportedly had a sighting the day after we left.
All in all a good stay but I'm already worried about what I'll find next year...
That said the diving was still decent. seemingly any place with good current flows (Morat wall, Texas, West End Wall for example) seemed in good shape. and there are still a few brain coral here and there; hoping there may be some resistance to Stoney coral Disease. I was surprised to get many opportunities to spear Lionfish, even on well travelled sections of the reef. Maybe hunting pressure is down? Seemed to be many more largish grouper as well as schools of Jacks.
Less green turtles and eagle ray sightings for me and no Hawksbill this year.
I missed seeing a hammerhead by one day, DM Anthony in Camp Bay reportedly had a sighting the day after we left.
All in all a good stay but I'm already worried about what I'll find next year...
scrane
Contributor
I prefer the West End, Roatan experience, but for diving Cozumel is much better.
Same here. Spent a week at Coco View in January 2023 and the reefs looked good with lots of marine life. Just returned from a week on the Roatan Aggressor (fun boat; loved the crew) and was shocked by the condition of the hard corals. Was hard pressed to find any healthy hard corals. Looked like not only bleaching, but SCTLD as well. Hoping it won't reach the Pacific. Only 2 dives at Cayos which looked much much better. Unfortunately, diving there is often called off due to rough seas.
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When I was in Roatan a couple years ago, I heard someone talking about the great color on the reef we had just visited. I pulled out one of the reef life reference books the operator had on hand and showed them the life they were raving about. It was a variety of leafy green algae.
People who have been diving around the world for more than a quarter century can remember the way it used to be everywhere. I don't believe there is a reef anywhere in the world that has not suffered greatly in the last two decades. We have a new normal today, but don't get used to it.
www.noaa.gov
People who have been diving around the world for more than a quarter century can remember the way it used to be everywhere. I don't believe there is a reef anywhere in the world that has not suffered greatly in the last two decades. We have a new normal today, but don't get used to it.
NOAA confirms 4th global coral bleaching event
The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to NOAA scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years. Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been — and...
How did your trip go? We've been to Bananarama many times and just returned a couple days ago from smoky season
. It's not for everyone (versus more dive centric sites like AKR or Cocoview), but we really like the vibe there. We travel light and spots like Infinity have no real appeal to us. And at $50 + tax / night in low seasons it's is a good value. A lot of us are on the same visit cycle in May and/or Sept/early Oct. So it's always a bit of a reunion. Lots of six pack or less diving which is great. But everyone has their preference and different sets of expectations... So again, just curious.
We just returned from 5 weeks in Utila.
After 2 summers in a row of record breaking water temps (90f) and likely another this year, the bleaching in shallow water (anything above 35') was extensive. All the pillar coral was dead and almost all brain corals were dead or mostly dead, soft corals seemed completely unaffected.
Below 40' very little bleaching was evident and for the most part the coral was in pristine condition. Oddly enough, we saw dolphins (bottle nose, spinners and rough tooth) almost every day and sharks seem to be making a comeback, we saw nurse sharks on most north side dives but also had reef and lemon shark sightings ... on a day we didn't dive our boat also saw a hammerhead. In addition, our neighbors had installed underwater lights at the end of their dock and there were multiple sharks (nurse and lemon) in the water on each night that we took a walk down there.
After 2 summers in a row of record breaking water temps (90f) and likely another this year, the bleaching in shallow water (anything above 35') was extensive. All the pillar coral was dead and almost all brain corals were dead or mostly dead, soft corals seemed completely unaffected.
Below 40' very little bleaching was evident and for the most part the coral was in pristine condition. Oddly enough, we saw dolphins (bottle nose, spinners and rough tooth) almost every day and sharks seem to be making a comeback, we saw nurse sharks on most north side dives but also had reef and lemon shark sightings ... on a day we didn't dive our boat also saw a hammerhead. In addition, our neighbors had installed underwater lights at the end of their dock and there were multiple sharks (nurse and lemon) in the water on each night that we took a walk down there.
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Hi,
I have a similar question. I dove Roatan on three separate trips 30 years ago and have wonderful memories of stunning corals and sea life. I too am hoping to return with my 15 year old son, who has been snorkeling since he was 4 and has 20 or so dives. We've dived Bonaire and Cozumel but are thinking about someplace different for March 2025.
I recall that on one trip I stayed in a tiny guest house in Punta Gorda (run by a local named Ben) and only dove the north side. We were the only non-locals for miles and it was magical. The diving was pristine and beautiful, with spectacular coral formations unlike any I've seen, but I don't recall exactly the depth of the dives on that side nor whether it would be appropriate for my son who is an OWD. Unfortunately, I lost my (paper) dive log in one of many moves.
We're debating staying again on the North side (maybe Marble Hill?) or Reef House (South side).
Can anyone chime in on whether the east side has experienced as much bleaching as is being described here and whether the north or south would be
a) in better condition?
b) equally suitable for an OWD?
Also, does anyone know if there is a good guide to the various sites (with descriptions, depths, etc) on Roatan that goes beyond the West side?
Thanks!
I have a similar question. I dove Roatan on three separate trips 30 years ago and have wonderful memories of stunning corals and sea life. I too am hoping to return with my 15 year old son, who has been snorkeling since he was 4 and has 20 or so dives. We've dived Bonaire and Cozumel but are thinking about someplace different for March 2025.
I recall that on one trip I stayed in a tiny guest house in Punta Gorda (run by a local named Ben) and only dove the north side. We were the only non-locals for miles and it was magical. The diving was pristine and beautiful, with spectacular coral formations unlike any I've seen, but I don't recall exactly the depth of the dives on that side nor whether it would be appropriate for my son who is an OWD. Unfortunately, I lost my (paper) dive log in one of many moves.
We're debating staying again on the North side (maybe Marble Hill?) or Reef House (South side).
Can anyone chime in on whether the east side has experienced as much bleaching as is being described here and whether the north or south would be
a) in better condition?
b) equally suitable for an OWD?
Also, does anyone know if there is a good guide to the various sites (with descriptions, depths, etc) on Roatan that goes beyond the West side?
Thanks!
GuinnessDrnkr
Registered
Just got back from a 2 week trip at CoCo view. Reef health is definitely declining and that's being generous.
I was there last October at the tail end of the bleaching they were experiencing. This visit allowed me to see the impact of the die off. It's bad.
First day in, the water temperature was 91F at the surface and 88F at 70feet. The coldest it ever got was 86F in an upwell we stumbled into on one of the dives. The swim back on the chain was just uncomfortably hot even in just a skin.
Visibility was horrendous the first week. They had some funky currents that stirred everything up and then it went flat. So all the particulate matter was just hanging in the water. Near white out conditions at the wreck and 20ft on a good day at dive sites. The low visibility managed to hide some of the death and destruction present.
Second week, visibility improved due to a lot of storms overnight. One dive at Mary's Point was crystal blue, and you could see from one end of the swim through to the other. Sadly, the improved visibility really showed the extent of the damage. Algae overgrowth on majority of the coral down to about 40 feet. I didn't see any lettuce coral that was alive, Any brain coral I saw was struggling and I didn't see a single "full" head.
Only saw two small pieces of staghorn coral that were on their way out. The only Elkhorn I saw was dead.
Table corals seem to have fared a bit better, Some big healthy ones at 60 feet on Newman's Wall.
Vase sponges are doing ok but always seem to be the last thing to go, and there were still a bunch that were stressed or already on their way out. Each dive was spent dusting a few as we swam past given the amount of crap in the water that had settled on them.
Wildlife was present, but seemed to be reduced compared to my trip last year. Some of that could have been due to the low viz but it was still sad to see.
I always enjoy my time at CoCo View, and this trip was sobering. It really hammered home my opinion that we're well past the tipping point in terms of reef health.
I was there last October at the tail end of the bleaching they were experiencing. This visit allowed me to see the impact of the die off. It's bad.
First day in, the water temperature was 91F at the surface and 88F at 70feet. The coldest it ever got was 86F in an upwell we stumbled into on one of the dives. The swim back on the chain was just uncomfortably hot even in just a skin.
Visibility was horrendous the first week. They had some funky currents that stirred everything up and then it went flat. So all the particulate matter was just hanging in the water. Near white out conditions at the wreck and 20ft on a good day at dive sites. The low visibility managed to hide some of the death and destruction present.
Second week, visibility improved due to a lot of storms overnight. One dive at Mary's Point was crystal blue, and you could see from one end of the swim through to the other. Sadly, the improved visibility really showed the extent of the damage. Algae overgrowth on majority of the coral down to about 40 feet. I didn't see any lettuce coral that was alive, Any brain coral I saw was struggling and I didn't see a single "full" head.
Only saw two small pieces of staghorn coral that were on their way out. The only Elkhorn I saw was dead.
Table corals seem to have fared a bit better, Some big healthy ones at 60 feet on Newman's Wall.
Vase sponges are doing ok but always seem to be the last thing to go, and there were still a bunch that were stressed or already on their way out. Each dive was spent dusting a few as we swam past given the amount of crap in the water that had settled on them.
Wildlife was present, but seemed to be reduced compared to my trip last year. Some of that could have been due to the low viz but it was still sad to see.
I always enjoy my time at CoCo View, and this trip was sobering. It really hammered home my opinion that we're well past the tipping point in terms of reef health.
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