World Reef Awareness Day

World Reef Awareness Day is a call to action for consumers, businesses, and organizations to reflect on the delicate ecosystem of our ocean’s coral reefs. As many of you know, Megan and I are avid scuba divers and we've seen first hand the deterioration of the world's reefs over time in our many travels.  Some places are just being hit, others are recovering, but all of them are sustaining damage.

Coral reefs are living communities of colonial organism made of individual polyps that excrete a bone-like skeleton. This skeleton forms large rock-like structures that are homes for thousands of organisms.  We enjoy photographing and filming these reefs and it would be tragic if future generations didn't get to see what we see.

The health of a reef tells us a lot about the health of an ocean. Many fish and ocean animals rely on the protection of the healthy, living reef for spawning season. The reef provides more than protection; it also supplies a rich, thriving food chain. From plankton and algae to the largest sea creatures, the reef ecosystem is a significant life support system.

I'm not asking you to go out and hug some coral!  Just letting you know that we are all in this together as we make our journey on Planet Earth!  Here are some pretty shots of corals on our recent trip to Yap and Palau.