‘Out on a swim’ is a coral reef blog that tells the stories of the characters who live under the waves and what has caught my eye when ‘out on a swim’ in the lagoons of Norfolk Island. It is also a record of the difficulties Norfolk Island’s reef faces, like many others around the world, as a result of the poor water quality that has been allowed to flow onto it.
This page shows the most recent blog posts. For the complete catalogue, visit the ‘Out on a swim index’ page.
This blog is rated in the Top 20 Coral Reef Blogs in the world.
Remnant reef overgrown with algae, 31 January 2022, Emily Bay, Norfolk Island
As Costa Georgiadis says, nature tells the truth, and we must only look at our reef on Norfolk Island to know its truth. We, as custodians, have not been caring enough for it and now that carelessness is coming home to roost.
Read MoreStylocheilus striatus – commonly called the lined sea hare, blue ring sea hare or furry sea hare
Stylocheilus striatus – commonly called the lined sea hare, blue ring sea hare or furry sea hare – have appeared in numbers at one end of the shallows of Emily Bay. These little sea hares are great to have around as they consume the toxic blue-green alga that fish and other herbivores don’t or can’t eat or tolerate.
Read More#LittleFig, my puppa, following me in for a swim at Cemetery Bay, the island’s dog beach.
Here’s a quick round up of what has been happening on Norfolk Island’s reef in the last couple of weeks. There is always so much going on. Read on to find out about the mating habits of flatworms, and see a busy bluestreak cleaner wrasse hard at work cleaning his wide variety of customers.
Read MoreA school of sand mullet, Myxus elongatus
This week’s observations while out on a swim, included some very active and inquisitive green moon wrasse. One, in particular, followed me for a good half an hour as I made my way around the reef off the Salt House. Find out more about what was happening beneath the waves on Norfolk Island this week.
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