[Coral-List] Ivan reef damage-Grenadines

[diannewilson]

Storm Ivan Reef Damage:  Mustique Island St Vincent West Indies

September 6-8, 2004 Mustique felt the edge of Hurricane Ivan.  While rains were light, winds and waves here high.  The reefs around Mustique were audited the week of September 27.  Many reefs were barely touched, however two reefs had marked damage.

To the south, fans and corals stood, while boulder corals less than a meter in diameter, were overturned.  These corals rested in less than 5 meters of water.  Corals and sea fans on the back reef were relativity undamaged.

On the south-west corner of the island,  the greatest damage was discovered as the survey group descended to 15 meters.  Sea fans and sponges uprooted by the storm rested at the fore reef over one meter deep.  The back reef, beach rock and sea fans had been battered by the storm waves.  For over 100 meters, the fans and sponges lay on corals,  It was remarkable.  Sand also covers coral at depth where sand spits had not previously existed.  The water was still somewhat turbid and an algae bloom was present, so underwater photos, are not great, but we are happy to share them.

There is some bleaching, though less than there was at this time last year.  Parrot fish populations are down, but as reported to the coral list last year, in august we had a serious parrot fish kill with over 1000 parrot fish and other grazers wash up over a four week period.

For more information, contact Julie Overing jovering at verizon.net
or Dianne Wilson
dianne at vincysurf.com