In late 2003, after having crisscrossed the Pacific and Indian Oceans for four years, the Crossing sailed into the emerald waters of the Caribbean presenting Reef Check scientists with a unique opportunity. Although much smaller and shallower than its sister seas, the Caribbean is dotted with thousands of keys and islands that no scientist has ever laid eyes on. The Bahamas alone features over 700 islands, each with its own unique coral reefs. The immense scientific value of the Crossing is that the Indies Trader delivers us to remote reefs where we use the Reef Check monitoring protocol - a standard method - to check coral reef health. This allows comparisons among reefs from other parts of the Caribbean and the world.

Equally important, the Crossing provides an opportunity for us to learn about the problems facing island people and their reefs and to give them some tools for solving those problems. This mixture of science, surf and conversation education has served as a common meeting ground - and a lingua franca for those who care about the ocean.

Caribbean coral reefs have suffered more than most. In the 1970s, for example, Jamaica was world famous for the high percentage of living coral - some 70 percent - covering its reefs. 

Fishermen were forced to switch to targeting the next fish down the food chain - herbivores - those that eat plants. At the same time, lush tropical rainforest was being chopped down to make way for agriculture and housing. During tropical downpours, more sewage and fertilizer was delivered to the sea by streams and rivers. So at a time when the growth of reef algae was being stimulated by plant food, the fish that normally eat algae were being over fished. To compound the problem, the population of long-spined black sea urchins that help fish keep algae under control, were decimated by a disease that swept through the Caribbean. Not surprisingly, the algae simply continued to grow, right over the corals, killing most.

We completed over 10 Reef Check surveys during my expedition, and I had a lifetime worth of memorable experiences.  While the Caribbean is often singled out as an ecosystem in trouble as a result of overfishing and high incidence of coral diseases, the areas we visited appeared to be in better shape than many others.  Sure, lobsters were scarce, and diseases such as white band and yellow band disease were apparent occasionally, but overall, the reefs and the protections that have been provided for some of the areas appear to be working well.  Future Reef Checks will help to discern whether that trend continues.