Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat

My second week here on Montserrat with Coral Cay Conservation has focused on the skills development program, specifically the science training. We completed lectures on fish, invertebrates and impacts, and substrates. We’ve also been diving to identify all the different specifies under each category, as well as sitting theory tests with 90% pass rates. It’s been a heavy week of study and learning, but I’m so pleased with all the knowledge I have gained. Diving feels so much more enriching now I can identify what I’m seeing. The pictures below have been taken with my Go Pro, and reveal the marine reef world at Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat.

The elusive lion fish who have become an invasive species in the Caribbean

Soldier/Squirrel fish are characterised by their big eyes and a really tall second dorsal fin.

 

The blue tang is a type of surgeon fish but characterised by the electric blue colour on the edge of their dorsal and anal fins, and a yellow scapel on their cordal peduncle.

 

A single grunt, characterised by a smiley mouth and a pelvic fin that is right angle in shape.

File fish are diamond shaped and have a file above its head that is sometimes upright.

A sea fan that has been diseased with aspergillosis, charactersised by the purple blotches.

A gorgonian with two flamingo tongues on its branches.

Sponges are benthic feeding animals with large openings at the top.

There have been so many other amazing things sighted here on Lime Kiln’s reef including barracuda, trumpet fish, squid, an octopus, lobsters, shrimps, pencil and long spined sea urchins. The marine world continues to be amazing and must be protected and preserved above profit and money.
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