Rimba Reef 2026

There are no natural living coral reefs in the Rocky Mountains.
There was a green cold swimming pool at my grandparents.
There were swimming lessons at the local blue warm swimming pool.

Scuba certification?
Winter closed water certification, thankfully in an indoor Rocky Mountain swimming pool.
Winter open water certification, thankfully in the hot springs of Homestead Crater.

Still no coral.

Then all the coral all at once: Thailand, Enoshima, Okinawa, Guam, Palau, Micronesia…

Visibility is bad,
It’s expensive,
I’ve been spoiled,

Drop the BCD and tank,
Keep some of the weights,
Trade depth for the breadth,

There’s always coral.

Giant Clam (genus Tridacna)

Four meters down. More than half a meter across.

Inside billions of microscopic photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae create 90% of the nutrients directly from sunlight to feed this clam.

As I place my hand above the clam to show its true scale, pinhole-like light sensors called ocelli see the change in light. 

In an instant, the clams excurrent siphon shoots out a jet of water.

Both a handshake, and a polite request; to leave. 

At about 25 years old, this Giant Clam has about another 75 years. 

Hope to have another handshake in 50ish years time.

Rimba Reef

 

Leaving the Known

 

Floating Dock

 

Whale Watching