Yesterday we took a trip out to the reef near Puerto Morelos from the Ocean Coral & Turquesa Hotel. At only 500 metres from the beach it’s a short boat ride away and the bonus is it’s a National Marine Reserve. The hotel charge US$45 per person for a 1 hour trip. Only a very small part of this pays to use the reef. To say this is excessive IMO would be the understatement of the year. In comparison hotels in Mauritius, like the Sands Resort, offered a similar trip for free. You could go every day if you wished as well.
The wind was up and the water a little choppy, which could account for the cloudiness of the sea. Conditions overhead – cloudy. The part of the reef we saw certainly wasn’t bursting with life. Sadly the colours of the coral appeared washed out if not completely bleached. However, we did find some fish. I’m pretty sure Sergeant Majors are ubiquitous in tropical waters. If they are edible there are certainly enough fish in the sea to feed a lot of people!
Other fauna we saw included Purple sea fans, Atlantic Blue Tang, Yellow Grunt and a giant Barracuda.
The highlight of the trip though had to be a solitary Green sea turtle making his way towards the sea grass, perhaps looking for his lunch.
I’d love a second chance to see if clearer water off Puerto Morelos shows the reef and it’s inhabitants in a clearer light. I’ll certainly be looking to see if a cheaper option is available first!
