Ramada Reef

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Ramada Reef

A shallow reef featuring the kind of complex reef structure that lobsters love to hide in. A very large coral head at one end of this reef is home to a variety of organisms including urchins and blennies, while to one side of the reef, a large seagrass meadow can be seen which is often visited by a juvenile green turtle.

Points of Special Interest

1. Elkhorn coral colonies - This site is the perfect location to observe the impressive elkhorn coral, which has become rare throughout the Caribbean as a result of pollution, global warming, disease and storm damage. This coral provides an excellent habitat for many other organisms

2. Giant amemone - Small invertebrates, such as shrimps and crabs, often hide among its stinging tentacles for protection

3. Caribbean spiny lobster caves - The Caribbean spiny lobster lacks the large claws typical of northern lobsters

4. Sand tilefish burrows - Sand tilefish rarely stray far from their shelter, a carefully constructed burrow in the sand

5. West Indian sea eggs - The sea egg is often found near Caribbean seagrass beds, where it feeds on algae. Sea eggs are considered a delicacy in the region and are seasonally harvested for food

6. Seagrass meadow - Seagrass meadows, such as this one made up of turtle grass, provide important nursery habitat for the young of many coral reef organisms

7. Green turtle zone - Green sea turtles are omnivores when they are young, feeding on a range of species from algae to sponges to crabs. Adults, however, feed exclusively on seagrass, which is abundant at Ramada

8. Schooling grunts - French grunts and bluestriped grunts, among others, often school together for protection from larger predatory organisms