Page 276 - The Virgin Islands

orals - Normally appearing as unique then entangle and immobilize it with mucus efore entering the water elaborate sig-
nals among the group members to bet-
C Brock formations during the day corals extruded from glands. Their prey moves in-
blossom into beautiful flower-like organisms ward along their arms to their mouth, which ter understand each other in the silence and

at night as their slender tentacles reach out is located the central disk of their body. darkness of the underwater. Be very careful

for nourishment from the sea. A macro pho- Their main predators are fish and other in- and attentive towards your diver-buddies.

tographer’s dream is capturing the ornately vertebrates such as crabs. Like most echino- Do not separate from each other. Keep close

colored outreaching coral blossoms. Ap- derms including sea stars, their limbs grow to one another. Besides, take care not to

proach them slowly and quietly as even the back when severed. aim your lantern light directly to someone’s

slightest sound will cause them to instantly C heck the equipment fully before diving eyes. It’ll strongly bother your buddy and
retract into their tubes, which protects them and take several dive lights with you. blind him for a short while. Now two words
from potential predators. Coral polyps out- concerning descending into the water and

reach to feed on worms and plankton as nor- You just can’t do without them, especially if ascending back to the surface. While de-

mally elusive fish lie dormant at night and there is no moon that night. Get a primary scending at night keep very close to your

can be more closely observed and photo- and a secondary light with you. You never buddy or buddies, if you are diving with a

graphed. Look for Basket Stars on your night know what may happen, so it’ll be safer to group. Most dive masters would advise you

dives have at least two dive lights with you. If you to descend in vertical position. You’ll eas-

R arely seen during the day Basket Stars are a professional diver and it’s not your first ily avoid obstacles in this way. Keep your
resemble a balled up wad of straw; but night dive, it’ll be great to turn off the light flashlight brightly switched on and aimed
for some time and enjoy the darkness of the downwards to see where you are diving. Be

at night they begin their majestic dance underwater world. careful not to damage the coral. The same I

with their symbiotic partner as they grow can say about ascending. Keep close to one

and sway in the currents to feed. Orienting another and keep your light upwards.

themselves perpendicular to the current,

they capture zooplankton such as chaetog-

naths with an array of microscopic barbs,