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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Diving in the Great Barrier Reefs of Belize

The sheer enormity of the Belize barrier reef, spanning over 900 kilometers (50 miles) of coastline from Cancun to the Yucatan Peninsula, qualifies it as one of the planet's most remarkable natural attractions. World-renowned for the ancient Mayan pyramids that crouch deep with its steamy tropical jungles, Belize's bounty of marine life has also been a steady draw for tourists and vacationers, who gape in amazement at the mirror-like waters and the dazzling colors worn by a host of unusual and splendid sea creatures.

A diving or snorkeling trip to explore the barrier reef, if only for one day, is a must on any travel itinerary that includes a stop in Belize. Over 500 species of fish swim in the currents of ocean water so sparkling you may forget you're underwater. One thing you won't want to forget is an underwater camera - beg, borrow, or steal (OK, not that last one), as you'll want a visual record of the multicolored panorama that stretches out before you, whichever direction you turn. The ocean life is so abundant that even the shortest dips in the warm tropical ocean are sure to yield an unforgettable glimpse at nature's beauty.

Among the most commonly-glimpsed of the Belize barrier reef's aquatic stars are brilliantly-colored damsel fish. Normally growing no longer than six inches, fitting snugly into the average adult's palm, they come painted in a variety of vibrant patterns, including the smart stripes worn by the sergeant major damselfish.

36 species of colorful soft coral lend an almost otherwordly assortment of bright hues to the undersea panorama, which is speckled abundantly with brightly-painted tropical fish, like the palm-sized damselfish. A complete food chain, from the hundreds of invertebrate species that dwell in cracks and caves along the reef, to predatory fish and even the occasional cetacean, like dolphins and porpoises, inhabits the warm shallow waters near the reef.

Undersea Life: Unusual and Unlimited

One of the most easily-recognized denizens of the reef's blossoming ecosystem is the sea star, or starfish. These often-colorful creatures can sport anywhere from five to fifty arms, and, though they might appear motionless, use a multitude of tiny, tube-like appendages under their bodies to locomote about the ocean floor. Feeding mostly on mollusks, like snails, oysters, and clams, starfish use their arms to pry open the protective shells of their prey, and some species make use of specially adapted, pointed tube-feet to glide across the sandy bottom if the need for a quick escape arises. Though they have no true eyes, photosensitive patches, as well as sensitivity to touch, temperature, and water-borne chemicals allow the starfish to probe their environment, in search of prey or a good hiding spot from ocean carnivores that would make a meal - or a quick snack - of something like them.

The remarkable diversity of the reef's ecology is, astoundingly, a product of only ten percent of the species suspected to inhabit, as large swaths of the area have never been fully explored nor documented by science. Just a short dip will find you sharing the water with sea turtles, stingrays, marine mammals - even sharks, though typically not of the threatening variety. The nearly invisible clarity of the water will enable you to capture your chance encounters vividly and, no doubt, revisit your time in the waters off Belize barrier reef time and again. Who knows? With so much of the area unexplored and untouched by man, maybe you'll be the first to see something truly unique swimming up from the ocean depths. There's only one way to find out!

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