Corals are colonies of very small animals which may take hundreds of
years to form the structures visible today.
Simply touching corals to see what they feel like can cause the death of an entire
colony. Oils from your skin can disturb the delicate mucous membranes which protect the
animals from disease. If feeding coral is startled, it retracts for protection and in
doing so is unable to feed.
Don't walk
upon or stand on coral, as this can kill the living coral
polyps that are the builders of the reef structure. Consider a
flotation device (placed under chest) if you're not the best of
swimmers and never stand on coral to adjust mask. Swim well and clear
of the reef and kick to keep head out without the possibility of
kicking the reef, or search for a sandy or coral free shallow place to
stand. Don't touch, pickup or hold reef inhabitants, and never pull
octopus from their habitats.
Using fewer household chemicals, especially on your lawn and
garden, can help prevent marine pollution. It is also benficial to support reef-friendly
businesses, such as snorkel or dive operations that take steps to avoid damage to the
reefs.
Anchoring:
Use a sand type anchor placed well away from any reef formation in sea grass or sand
bottom and up wind (or tide) from where you want to dive, then allow the boat to drift
into position near the reef. Always check that the anchor is well secured in the sand
before diving on the reef.
Even experienced divers have at some time in their life accidentally bumped or broken
coral, so the inexperienced should be particularly careful
Look, but PLEASE don't touch!
A careless
mistake could wipe out a whole community. Coral reefs are the essential breath for a vast
and still unknown marine life. The zoothanthellae which live in the coral, provides the
essential oxygen for the coral to live and proliferate. Without the algae, the reef would
not grow and without the coral a score of marine organisms would not exist. When coral
reefs are foolishly destroyed by the use of chlorine bleach or other deadly chemicals for
fishing practices, this kills the algae and corals. When you destroy the coral, you
strangle the marine life of its breath and deprive our future children of nourishment from
the sea.
Wild Side Specialty Tours, LLC
on the island of Oahu:
84-664 Upena St
Waianae HI 96792
TEL (808) 306-7273
FAX (808) 668-4075
email: reservations@sailhawaii.com
