| Seaweeds of Maputoland |
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Written by Eve
Sunday, 17 January 2010 17:41 |
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The few seaweeds that most divers will notice on the reefs of Sodwana are the ten to twenty relatively large, showy species. They are unusual in two respects: they are a small minority of the species present, and they escape grazing by fish and invertebrates, either by producing nasty chemicals or hard carbonate walls, or by growing fast or in places where grazers can’t reach them.
In fact Maputoland is home to at least 400 species of seaweeds, but most are very small (their lengths measured in millimeters) and grow twined together in compact carpets (“turfs”) that cover reef edges and hard surfaces like dead coral. These inconspicuous turfs are incredibly rich in species. On the Sodwana reefs, we found 104 species of small seaweed in a total of 1.56 m2 of turf – an area not much bigger than a door, containing 20% of the seaweed species found in the whole of KZN! Remarkably, this number of species per area is almost exactly that found in turfs in Hawaii. The turfs are usually being constantly grazed, which keeps them low and keeps many of the seaweeds small, like “bonsai algae”. They are in fact highly productive and grow fast, but most of their production is entering the food chain through grazers.
As with the fish and invertebrates on the Sodwana reefs, the seaweeds are mostly tropical species that reach the southernmost extent of their distribution on these reefs. Their affinities are overwhelmingly “tropical western Indian ocean”, and they are bathed in the warm Mozambique Current that flows very close to the Maputoland coast.
By Dr Robert Anderson - Rhodes University |
| Last Updated ( Monday, 18 January 2010 08:28 ) |
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| Why Sodwana Bay |
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Written by Eve
Sunday, 22 November 2009 09:32 |
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Scuba divers at Sodwana Bay have consistently been spoilt with the most awesome diving conditions you could dream of for the last few months. The winter water temperature has constantly been around 22 – 23 degrees and the vis has rarely been below 30 metres. Highlight encounters and sightings include, Grey reef sharks mating on 5 mile, the “biggest”  ever manta ray on bikini, a tiger shark hunting a turtle who then sought refuge between a group of startled divers and had the shark buzzing the turtle between them, a great white shark photographed on pinnacles and ribbon and then a whale shark with a very unusual growth on its head. A crown of thorn starfish was photographed on Roonies but it seems to have since moved on. Many whale shark sightings have been reported and plenty of images were forwarded to the EcOcean database for updating. The annual humpback have been migrating past our coast for a few months with their calves and the first raggie sightings have occured which means that soon we will be able to dive with the females on quarter mile.
Sodwana Bay is looking up and the authorities are gearing up for a major revamp of all the visitor facilities. Management and structural changes have already been implemented to cater for this and once completed Sodwana will be up there amongst the best dive/holiday destinations on the planet.
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 November 2009 12:09 ) |
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| 2010 Madagascar |
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Written by Administrator
Sunday, 15 November 2009 20:33 |
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 The Triton 2010 Madagascar trip is going ahead - The dates will be 25 May - 05 June with 11 nights accommodation plus 6 dives with weights and tanks from just R13 252.00 per person sharing at the present exchange rate of 11.20. This is really a holiday in a lifetime. You can see the photos from our last trip on our Galleries page. Contact Eve for more information.
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| Mysterious marine marvels of intertidal rockpools of Sodwana |
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Written by Administrator
Sunday, 15 November 2009 20:32 |
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Many a visitor to Sodwana has experienced the thrills of snorkelling with whale sharks, diving with dolphins and sighting manta rays on the move. But what about the fascinating world of rock pools? Few have taken the time to explore the many hidden alcoves both above and below the water surface.
After a quick first glance it may appear that there is nothing unusually special about these pools; but after a closer look, creatures such as mantis shrimps, colourful sea anemones, sea squirts and sea slugs abound. Most of these animals are brightly coloured to blend in with the brilliant orange of a sponge or the deep purple and green of iridescent seaweeds. Many of these fascinating creatures have very interesting habits. For example mantis shrimps are masters of camouflage and have extremely strong front claws, which they use to crush the shells of their prey. Another creature that you may spot is the beautiful polka-dot bubble shell, which has a shimmering blue-green fringe around its muscular foot. This creature is an opisthobranch, which looks like a sea slug except it sports a shell.
Observant explorers will most likely find a striking array of creatures that are beyond the scope of their imaginations. So go ahead and take a peek!
By Megan Laird
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 29 January 2010 15:04 ) |
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| Butterfly Story |
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Written by Administrator
Sunday, 15 November 2009 20:30 |
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BUTTERFLY STORY
New Dive Site: We went for a dive on Skipper's Reef The divers descended on a shoal of 27 racoon butterflyfish - such a big aggregation is an unusual sight, surely related to the fact that there was no camera amongst the group. 18 species of butterflyfish were seen on this dive each with its distinctive colour pattern in black, yellow and white. butterflyfish feed on a variety of reef creatures including seaweed, coral polyps, small invertebrates and fish eggs. Some types feed only on coral polyps such as the beautiful maypole butterflyfish and the purple or redfin butterflyfish. Many petrol the reef in pairs and stay together for many years if not life. Butterflyfish are considered inducator species - a clear sign of a healthy reef. Our reefs are doing very well and it is a real privilage to experience this type of diversity on a single dive. The only species the divers didn't see are the Indian butterflyfish - a single pair known only from one cave in Sodwana Bay and those known from the submarine canyons. |
| Last Updated ( Friday, 20 November 2009 13:20 ) |
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