TIPS - Things You Should Know Before Going Into The Sea

Updated October 12, 2002 by T. Schall

There are many fascinating animals living in the coastal waters of the Caribbean. Snorkelling or scuba diving is a great way to see some of these animals up close. To insure your safety and the safety of these mysterious inhabitants, while swimming in THEIR environment, remember these tips!

• Enter and exit the sea in sandy areas to avoid damaging corals which often thrive in shallow water near the shoreline. This will also help you to avoid injuries from the sharp spines of rock urchins, which are burrowed inside of rocks, and the mildly venomous spines of the long-spined sea urchins. 

• Corals are living animals that often look like plants and rocks. They are important to a healthy reef environment. Help to preserve corals by not touching or bumping them with your fins, feet, or loose dive equipment. Do not remove coral of any kind from the sea, including sea fans. They are becoming a threatened species in the Caribbean and are now protected in the Virgin Islands.

•  Sea turtles are globally endangered and shouldn't be touched or harassed in any way. 

If you would like to see sea turtles up close in the Caribbean, contact the EarthWatch program. Here on St. Croix, call (340)690-9452. Through this and similar sea turtle research programs, you can volunteer to spend an evening helping park rangers and scientists record information about these animals when they come up onto the shore at night during nesting season. 

•  Barracuda and moray eels are quite common, and are sometimes curious, but generally pose no threat if left alone. Do not harrass them.

•  Sharks have become scarce in recent years and generally avoid people. If you are lucky enough to see one of these animals in the water, it is generally best to stay calm, observe it, and move slowly until it departs the area.   

•  Sea snakes do not occur here, but harmless snake eels are often mistaken for them.

•  Scorpionfish, which also prefer rocky bottoms, have a painful venom in their spines, and contact with them should be avoided. The scorpionfish is excellent at camoflaging itself and is usually very difficult to spot.

•  Some beautiful large snails are locally endangered, such as the helmet and triton trumpet. Please leave them in the sea.  

Most important of all, practice common sense and enjoy exploring all of the beauty and wonder of our amazing coral reefs!

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