One thing Coral Reefs cannot stand, is some idiot walking on them. This has been something that was once accepted, but is now highly discouraged. If you go SCUBA diving, you are expected to remain neutrally buoyant, and if you are caught touching a reef - well, that's the end of your very expensive vacation.
The Dive Master will terminate your dive, and you are done. This is no secret, in fact most of your orientation will be about how long the damage done by humans can take to recover -
so, perhaps this surge in reef growth, may have something to do with the years of Conservative effort by SCUBA divers - everywhere - who take the effort to look, appreciate and not destroy the reef?
Just an observation. I am just PADI open water; but remember the old photos of people standing on coral; and how that destroys the coral
Now people do everything they can to take photos next to the reef, and not touch them. It takes years to recover; but if everyone does this, and 40 years pass; I would hope we would see what we are seeing now
What made a bigger difference was the coral import ban. Your right a careless diver can do damage to a reef that would take decades to regrow. But when coral was sold on open markets, many dive bums made a living destroying the reefs.
Still in the early 90s I knew of people smuggling black coral in stateside, the money was crazy good and sailors financed a leg of their trip with the coral.
I've listened to many of old timers talk of times when it was abundant and easy to harvest 60s-80s.
One thing Coral Reefs cannot stand, is some idiot walking on them. This has been something that was once accepted, but is now highly discouraged. If you go SCUBA diving, you are expected to remain neutrally buoyant, and if you are caught touching a reef - well, that's the end of your very expensive vacation.
The Dive Master will terminate your dive, and you are done. This is no secret, in fact most of your orientation will be about how long the damage done by humans can take to recover -
so, perhaps this surge in reef growth, may have something to do with the years of Conservative effort by SCUBA divers - everywhere - who take the effort to look, appreciate and not destroy the reef?
Just a thought
Sounds like you've been blowing bubbles.
I'm double certified NAUI and PADI, diver down...
How does that go,
Take pictures,
Leave bubbles.
Just an observation. I am just PADI open water; but remember the old photos of people standing on coral; and how that destroys the coral
Now people do everything they can to take photos next to the reef, and not touch them. It takes years to recover; but if everyone does this, and 40 years pass; I would hope we would see what we are seeing now
What made a bigger difference was the coral import ban. Your right a careless diver can do damage to a reef that would take decades to regrow. But when coral was sold on open markets, many dive bums made a living destroying the reefs.
Still in the early 90s I knew of people smuggling black coral in stateside, the money was crazy good and sailors financed a leg of their trip with the coral.
I've listened to many of old timers talk of times when it was abundant and easy to harvest 60s-80s.
Either that or due to Covid, no disturbances for a while.