There is a rather frustrating lack of detailed (location by location
)descriptions concerning significant reef damage due to the massive
coral bleachings that have occuredwide in especially in 1998 and 2000,
and most probably later this year of 20004.  Since this board is an
ideal place for divers and concerned observers to search, I'd like to
welcome anyone to post their firsthand observations in this thread to
help others who may be planning a future dive trip.

As many of you know, in 1998, the ocean surface temps reaching an all
time high, causing corals to bleach (many to the point of death),
throughout vast portions of the pacific and Indian oceans.  In 1999, I
went diving in the Phillipines to one of the most remote reefs in the
world...called Tubataha, located in the middle of the Sulu sea.  At
one time, Cousteau had called this reef the most spectacular tropical
dive site in the world.  While most of the reefs in the Phillipines
have been badly damaged by dynamite fishing and pollution, this remote
vestige had escaped that fate.  However, in 1999, after spending
several thousands of dollars for the trip, I found the entire, and I
do mean entire reef complex completely dead, a coral graveyard covered
in algae or just plain bleached stark white (freshly bleached...and
dying).  The water was unbelievably warm....bathtub temps in the
shallows (my thermo is not accurate enough for scientific data).  I
was very surprised by the fact that the other ten divers on the boat
were entirely unconcerned or bothered by the undersea nastiness as
they were completely satisfied with the multiple shark/turtle sitings.
Strangely enough, Bohol island reefs, neer the industrial area of
mainland Cebu and under serious exploitation pressure were actualy in
much more viable condition.

From other divers I've learned that most hard corals in the Maldives,
Seychelles, and Indonesia have been severely, horribly damaged.  I
cannot find reliable info on Papua New Guinea, Barrier reef/coral sea,
Solomon Islands, Palua/Micronesia, Vanuatu, and especially Fiji (which
is astounding considering the multitudes that flock to this mecca
every year).  I have heard several vague accounts of hard coral
bleaching in Somo Somo straits off Taveuini, and one very believable
description of bleaching in Bega lagoon.  Fiji divers please share
site specific info...ie-depth, inside lagoon or outside, are any
nearby areas spared bleaching (and theories why these nearbye areas
remained unscathed...ie upwelling currents ect...

Although I'm just a lowly biologist/diver, I think at this point I can
reliably say that most reefs in the world will bleach past the point
of no-return in the very near future.  The consistent recent warming
of Ocean surface temps (see NOAH website) is a trend that is extremely
unlikely to reverse in the coming years, and the coral simply cant
take it.  I don't think there are too many researchers around who have
not reached simmilar conclusions.  If anyone reading this hasn't yet
had the opportunit to sea the few remaining semi-pristine reefs left
in the pacific, I would reccomend you consider taking a trip out there
while there is still time...not to sound alarmist, but realistically
those who love South pacific reefs the way I do, do indeed have reason
to be be alarmed.