Snorkeling in a Coral Reef

I recently returned to CentreVal Bio after a cross-country trip where I visited many ecosystems and communities in Madagascar. While staying at a beautiful beachside hotel in Ifaty, I had the opportunity to snorkel in the Mozambique Channel (located between mainland Africa and Madagascar) three times.

Swimming among schools of fish made me smile as wide as I could with my snorkel on. It was truly mesmerizing to drift alongside such magnificent creatures in their beautiful habitats.

Though coral reefs provide shelter for many aquatic animals, they are colonies of animals themselves. Coral shares a mutually beneficial relationship with the algae living in its tissues, but this relationship is severely threatened by coral bleaching.

What is Coral Bleaching?

Coral bleaching results from rising water temperatures and causes the coral to abandon its algae, leaving it with little chance of survival. Coral reefs are extremely slow-forming and slow-growing, and increasing global temperatures are a threat to their very existence. Luckily, coral farmers work hard to preserve these habitats, and fake reefs exist to supplement the loss of so many animals’ homes.

Despite the inordinate amount of water I swallowed, I enjoyed every second I spent swimming through the coral reefs beside Madagascar. Nothing compares to the weightlessness of gliding through the water with fins on your feet, breathing and seeing clearly. My snorkeling sessions were sandwiched between relaxing boat rides that really helped the experience sink in.