Mad About Mangroves and Crazy Over Coral Reefs!

Me in the Mangroves!

This summer I took a vacation to the island of Antigua down in the Caribbean Sea. While most of my fellow travelers were satisfied staying at the resort or going into town simply to shop for nick nacks, I was determined to explore the entire island and discover all of its beauty. So, I started reading about various tours you could take of the island and then, I found it! I couldn't help but let my inner nerd explode when I came across a tour that included a kayak trip through the mangroves followed by a dive at one of the most vivacious coral reefs on the island! There were of course several other parts of the tour including a tour of the  inner island with stops at several historical sites, but having studied so much marine ecology in college and having never actually seen the mangroves in person, I was in shear heaven! When everyone saw how excited I was about this excursion they decided to humor me and come along; and boy did they make the right choice! While kayaking through the mangroves, we saw an 8 foot and 4 foot nurse shark and a sea turtle! Then while diving in the reef we were blown away by the variety of tropical fish, lobsters, sting rays and so much more that we saw. It was truly an experience I will never forget!

The mangroves are a marine habitat typically found in tropical environments so called the mangroves because of the unique tree/shrub like flora that it is made up of. These plants grow directly out of the muddy sea floor providing a shallow and safe place for hundreds or marine animals to nurse and feed their young. The mangroves also provide a barrier between the rough ocean tides and the shoreline, holding the sediment in place to avoid erosion and destruction. To read more about the mangrove click here...Mangroves

                                                         
 Coral Reefs are another marine habitat commonly found in tropical environments. They thrive in waters slightly deeper than the mangroves but not usually more than 200 feet. Despite its sometimes rock like appearance, coral is alive, it is an animal in the same classification as a jellyfish or its neighboring anemones. Coral has a symbiotic relationship with the algae that live inside of it and it is because of the algae's need of sunlight in order to photosynthesize that coral reefs are found in clear, shallow, salt water. Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystem providing essential spawning, nursing, breeding and feeding grounds for countless species of marine organisms. They are also home to several species of fish targeted for fishing. Unfortunately coral reefs are endangered by over fishing, global warming, and human destruction. To learn more about coral reefs click here...Coral Reefs