Save The Reefs From Sunscreen....

[Landau]

My back tends to fry while snorkeling without sunscreen.. My "reef safe sunscreen" is a long sleeve shirt. It is a skin tight, thin nylon designed for running and works great. Also dries quicky.

 

[letterboy]

Actually, the ingredients in most sunscreens are quite deadly to corals. I happen to be privy to all of the testing Mote has done on many of the sunscreens out there. 2 types of tests are performed, one for mortality to live corals and another that tests sunscreen on any changes to the viability of coral gametes. Of course, coral spawns once or twice a year for 3 or 4 days, so a sunscreen that isn't toxic to gametes is a good thing, and very effective for 8 days a year. The second test is the toxicity to live coral that is already colonized. Sunscreen that contains oxybenzone, for example, can lead directly to coral bleaching and then disease. The 2 tricks are, don't let the sunscreen wash off, and don't touch the reef. Most waterproof sunscreens don't wash off, and we are trained from wee ocean divers not to touch the reef. After all, it's icky.

There are some sunscreens out there that pass both the coral gamete mortality test as well as the coral mortality test. But any good waterproof sunscreen should be good for being healthy for the reef. I know personally of one such test that tested the viability of sunscreen on coral gametes. One of the reef safe sunscreens had no impact on gamete mortality at all. One killed the gametes like it was it's job, and the control for the test was No-Ad, the industrial waterproof sunscreen you buy in bulk at Walgreens and Costco. The No-ad fared far better in the test than did one of the so called reef safe products.

Not to be "that guy" but what amount causes harm?

Are we talking a tablespoon dissolved in 10ft of water or a tablespoon applied directly to a concentrated area of coral?

 

[Rilelen]

Very interesting. As someone who's super fair and burns when just thinking about the sun, I have no choice but to use sunscreen on my face etc that can't be covered up easily (hats, staying in the shade etc doesn't keep me from burning if I'm out all day). As long as I'm using it, I'd definitely prefer to be using sunscreen products that aren't contributing to a problem.

 

[Bob DBF]

I'm really conflicted about this. I choose boats with covers over them and I wear a hat diving. I never wear sunscreen into the ocean.

I've hated sunscreen since I was a kid, so I don't wear it. Hat, T shirt or light long sleeve shirt, if I was in the warm weather diving areas I might go for a skin to cover up, as well as staying under cover.

Bob

 

[Ayisha]

I normally don't wear sunscreen before diving either. I usually plan my dives for the morning when the sun isn't as scorching and usually find shade when not in the water. Boats with covered areas are a plus, not only for sun, but also rain.

I guess we have to also think about sun screen use as well as shampoos, insect repellents, etc. when we are on a liveaboard. I realized that when I was on a floating barge in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba last September. I put on sunscreen when we went to a deserted island AFTER the diving was done for the day, but it would have been washed off in the shower that evening, into the mangroves. I didn't use sunscreen after that, and used as little shampoo as possible. Next time I would make sure that what I have is eco friendly.

I have olive skin, so burning isn't normally a factor for me, but if it were, a hat and rash guard would go a long way to reducing how much sunscreen is used. I only wear sunscreen if I'm going to be out for excessive periods on a really hot day, but YMMV.

 

[Doc]

If Perfesser Mariah Mermaid's statement at 0:49 doesn't convince you, just keep staring at her Queen Conchs. Another (good) reason to go to DEMA. You can't beat that for entertainment.

That there's some real science stuff for sure. I'm sensing the University of the Googles, the Jenny McCarthy School 'o Doctorin'.

I'm with you, NetDoc, I'll be standing under the shade on a dive boat.

She or that company owes you a beer.

 

[tarponchik]

Most of the sunscreen comes not from the divers who put on wet suits or Lycra but from folks on the beaches and recreational boats. Divers make no difference.

Divers, however, pee into water and this contaminates Ocean with Caffeine, Prozac, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and who knows what else.

 

[Altamira]

Does anyone have a strong recommendation for one of these reef friendly sunscreens that also does not leave your face looking like a street mime or stain clothes?

 

[The Chairman]

I believe that Stream to Sea has the best scientific backing of any of them out there. I've actually used their products without tearing up.

 

[Altamira]

Thanks NetDoc. I'll check out that brand, and hope that I don't wind up "tearing up" if it ruins my wife swimsuit. Maybe I'll smear it on mine first to see what happens before I urge my wife to use the new product. To modify a well known phrase, hell hath no fury like a woman whose clothes are ruined by some product her husband convinced her to use.