The Florida Keys have some fun dive sites, and I am lucky to have visited a lot of them! The first few photos are from my internship at Mote Marine Laboratory, helping to assemble some coral nursery trees for restoration. The other photos are from some fun dives. I also did an internship at Reef Environmental Education Foundation, which really helped me develop good diving skills and learn how to identify fish species.
Hanging corals on their new tree! (Photo by Dr. Hanna Koch)
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Myself and Sam Cook getting corals ready. (Photo by Dr. Hanna Koch)
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Reef shark!
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This shark was the highlight of my dive that day
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Stony coral tissue loss disease actively spreading on this brain coral. A really sad sight, but unfortunately this disease has spread throughout the Florida Keys. Learn more about the disease by clicking on the photo.
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Another coral almost completely dead from stony coral tissue loss disease.
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Throughout the Keys, there are tagged coral colonies that are being monitored. The tag has information on it for scuba divers and snorkelers on how to submit photos of these corals! It is a great way for citizen science engagement and community monitoring - I believe AGRRA is the monitoring organization.
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This coral was treated for stony coral tissue loss disease - you can tell by the white, thin paste that was applied to the diseased line. Scientists have found that applying this paste with an antibiotic helps some of these corals by stopping the spread of the disease.
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Fun diving with Dr. Grace Klinges
Blue parrotfish - did you know parrotfish chomp on corals in order to eat the algae? Then they digest the coral skeleton and poop out sand!
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A black grouper
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Acropora palmata outplants
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Sarah Hamlyn monitoring coral outplants
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Photo by Melissa Heres - fun dive with Rainbow Reef in Key Largo!
Fun dive with JD Reinbott in Looe Key!
A giant Orbicella faveolata. I was shocked!!
JD posing with Acropora palmata
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Dendrogyra cylindrus!!!! Super rare coral in the Keys at this point. It was so exciting to see a healthy colony!
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Close-up on some Orbicella faveolata
Montastrea cavernosa
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Orbicella faveolata with a neon goby hanging out!
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Scrawled filefish zooming by
A very friendly nurse shark
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The nurse shark going for JD's fin!
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Photo by JD Reinbott
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Photo by JD Reinbott
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The big kahuna
Acropora palmata and Colpophyllia natans growing together
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Acropora palmata
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A giant tarpon that spooked me
A smooth trunkfish! My favorite fish, so cute
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Rainbow parrotfish
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Acropora palmata outplants from Coral Restoration Foundation
Scrawled cowfish
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Foureye butterflyfish - they always hang out in pairs!
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JD with some healthy Acropora palmata
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JD with the sad state of the reef landscape - this is a lot of what you see nowadays.
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Close-up of some fluffy Dendrogyra cylindrus
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Barracuda
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Stony coral tissue loss disease progression - I believe that nail was placed there to mark the line of the disease.
Photo by Carlos Estape - REEF interns on our first fish ID dive!
From left to right: Ali Treen, Ellie Place, me, Christy Ascione, Annie Innes-Gold, Sophie Costa
Photo by Allison Estape
Photo by Allison Estape - myself and Christy looking for some fish
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Photo by Carlos Estape
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Annie Innes-Gold and I on a clean-up dive against debris with Key Dives shop!
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Got to try a double-hose regulator with the History of Diving Museum at Jules' Underwater Lodge!
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