Page 429 - The British Big Four
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Lagoon Reefs - As the name suggests, the Lagoon Reefs are formed in Eastern Blue Cut reef is the Blue Hole coral reef, considered one of the
a lagoon water area that surround the immediate vicinity of Bermuda most pristine of all Bermuda reefs. The reef is also home to Bermuda’s
and also that form the inshore water areas. The water here is relatively rare marine life, including Eagle rays, Blue Angel fish and Trumpet
calm and waves are low. However due to low wave actions, lot of silt fish. Spiny lobsters, parrotfish and grouper can also be seen. Look on
or sedimentation takes place in this water area. The Lagoon Reefs have the edges of the sand to spot Golden Crested Sea Goddesses and other
depths ranging from 10 to 20 meters. You will mostly find Soft Corals shell-less marine snails.
in Lagoon Reef area which are able to withstand the low wave actions Terrace Reef - This is the outermost reef system and comprises mainly
and also get rid of the sedimentation from their surface. Due to the silt, of hard corals like Brain and Star corals. The visibility of the reefs are
the bottom of the ocean floor here is sandy. The Lagoon Reefs have rel- excellent. Terrace Reefs encircle an entire section of the island and
atively lower visibility due to continuous sedimentation which blur the have the best visibility for diving. The reefs have a depth of 20 to 50
water area surrounding them. Corals in the Lagoon Reef area includes feet. Smuggler’s Notch is an example of a terrace reef because the se-
soft corals like the Sea Rods, Sea Fans, and also branching corals. You ries of reefs encompass the south side of Bermuda. The reef gets its
can often mistake Sea Rods as plants as they do not have hard skeleton name from the days when smugglers used its cave formations to hide
like bodies and rather soft rod like structures that sway in the wave contraband.
current. The series of coral reefs in the North Rock area are the largest Coral Reefs have been a great boon for the island. First they act as a
in Bermuda. With the shallow waters in the lagoon, these patch reefs barrier and protect the island against heavy wave actions and currents.
are viewable by snorkeling along the water’s surface. Branching and The reefs are also biological hot spots being habitat of many differ-
soft corals, like sea fans and candelabra corals, thrive in patch reefs. ent marine creatures and fish, many of which have great commercial
Expect to see Flamingo Tongues swimming by since soft corals make value. In fact a study reveals that Bermuda’s reef system is worth close
an ideal feeding ground for these fish. to one billion dollar. The Government of Bermuda has passed laws
Rim Reefs - They are so called because they form a rim around the since the 1600s and subsequently to protect the coral reefs. There are
boundary of the lagoon water area. They have an average depth of 2 now 29 protected marine areas which have now become some of the
to 10 meters. These reefs are massive in size and usually comprises of greatest dive sites in the world. But Bermuda’s coral reefs had also cre-
hard corals like the Brain Corals and the Star Corals. Rim reefs have ated serious navigational hazards for early mariners. Over 300 ships
great visibility. As the name suggests, the brain corals look like the were wrecked due to these reefs that lye within 200 square miles water
surface of human brain and the star corals have appearance like stars. area surrounding the island of Bermuda.
The largest reef of Bermuda - The North Rock is part of the Rim Reefs.
You will also find plenty of sea fans and sea rods in the rim reef area.
Boiler Reefs which are also part of the Rim Reef system can be found
at the Southern and South Eastern water areas of Bermuda. They have
round heads and reach up to the surface of the water. Near the end of
