Saving our Seas through Coral Restoration

When you think of the Ocean, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it marine life? Is it the crystal clear water that seems to hug you as you walk from the sandy beach out to refreshing tropical waters? To me, it is all of it. I love the ocean, but I know it’s in great danger. So, I want you to ask yourself, what can you do now to protect it for many centuries to come? For me, helping our coral reef is key. Let me share with you about my work as a volunteer in a coral restoration project in Cozumel, Mexico.

By Jennifer Dyer

@solymargoddess

To me, the ocean has always been my safe place. My place of peace. When I’m scuba diving, snorkelling, mermaiding, or free diving in the ocean, my real world goes completely silent, only focusing on my breathing. It’s like, for just one moment, the ocean and I are one. Since being an ocean-loving little girl, so in awe of her vastness, depth and life-giving abilities to becoming now a Master Scuba Diver, Certified Mermaid and Free Diver, my view of the ocean has grown. 

At times, I wish I could just keep that naive perception of our oceans, but the reality is, they are in great danger.

When thinking back to what I thought of our oceans as a little girl, it was always about dolphins, whales, and the colourful fish that inhabit our seas. Now, I know as an ocean conservationist, activist and educator, the coral reefs on our planet offer respite and a home for most marine life on our planet. Shallow coral reefs support more than 7,000 species of fish, invertebrates, sea turtles, octopuses, dolphins, and other marine mammals. Deepwater reefs are less well known, but also support a wide array of sea life, and are just as important as our shallow reef systems. 

The scary, yet very real situation is this, our coral reefs keep disappearing. As they have been for many years now, we will see a more dramatic decrease in marine life that utilise the reefs as their homes. 

What are Corals? 

Corals are made up of colonies of tiny animals called polyps, which are genetically identical, grouping together in millions, forming what we know as coral. Corals feed on plankton and tiny fish that they catch with their small tentacles or stinging cells, but most of their nutrients are received by algae called “zooxanthellae” that harmoniously live inside of them. 

Interestingly enough zooxanthellae, like plants, carry out photosynthesis by absorbing carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus that corals discard, and in turn supply it with oxygen, sugars and organic molecules. For this photosynthetic activity to occur, the coral is located at a shallow depth where sunlight reaches. 

Why am I giving you a lecture on corals? Due to the increase in pollutants from cruise ships, airplanes, industrial plants, improper governmentally ran waste management systems, etc. toxins are getting into our oceans are becoming more and more dangerous for the inhabitants of our oceans, increasing the percentages of nitrogen, carbon dioxide and phosphorus, therefore our oceans are warming, and our corals are being negatively impacted. I know that’s a lot of information. It probably breaks your heart as much as it does mine. 

But, you can still be the change. 

Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project 

Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project is that change. CCRRP’s ultimate mission is to restore and protect Cozumel, Mexico’s Coral Reefs from human activity, like touching or breaking the coral during water sports activities, and climate change’s adverse effects. 

Cozumel, Mexico is a beautiful, lush, underdeveloped island found in the Caribbean Sea. Being a popular cruise ship port, thanks to the increased tourism and raving scuba diver community worldwide, its coral reefs have taken a hit. 

And, unfortunately, not everyone dives with this same mindset of sustainability and ocean conservation. That’s why, CCRRP’s vision is to change that, by leading by example, educating cruise ship tourists about our work, and ultimately teaching others about the importance of our oceans. 

Being a highly trafficked area, with many thousands of tourists who come through our waters daily, brought by cruise ships, the disheartening feeling of “Am I doing enough?”, can shadow over my heart from time to time. But, I truly know I am, and all the volunteers working for the Non-Profit owner and director, Dr. German Mandez, are too. 

And, I am also putting together a few beach clean-ups, pop-up events, and mixers in the USA and Mexico starting in the next few months. Stay tuned into my socials for specific dates, locations and times!

We, as ocean conservationists, ocean advocates and volunteers for CCRRP, are the coral reef’s last hope. By working on many designated platforms, we are taught to monitor, replant and conserve the coral reef. For example, to take epoxy with us underwater, mix it and replant broken corals onto dead coral heads on our man-made platforms, so they can continue to grow.

We can’t single-handedly save our oceans entirely, but by making a splash, a ripple is cast by that splash, making many more ripples. Meaning that our work matters. We can’t do it alone, though, and need all the help we can get!

I live both in Detroit Metro, USA and in Tulum, Mexico. When I am in Tulum I go weekly to volunteer at the Cozumel Coral Restoration Project. I love being a part of a beautiful, ocean-loving, like-minded community. These are the kind of people, who make me a better human and ocean activist. 

Visit https://www.ccrrp.mx if you wish to donate to our wonderful coral conservation fund. Or, feel free to check out my non-profit boutique @thesolymarboutique on Instagram. All the goods I sell are eco-friendly, handmade, bohemian style, made all over the world, from Belize to Cambodia to Greece to Vietnam. I have quite the collection and ship complementary in the USA and Mexico. 

Also, please feel free to reach out to me personally if you have questions about the Coral restoration project or how you can get involved and volunteer! You can do so at my personal Instagram @solymargoddess with any questions you may have! 

Remember, change starts with you, and we need your help!

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