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Your SMMA Connection, Volume 3,
Issue 1, March 2000
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Snorkel Trails and Reef
Balls
by Michael Allard
With St. Lucia’s growing water-based
tourism, there comes a greater demand for use of the water-based
resources. Prominent among the demand for resource use is the demand by
snorkellers using reefs. In the aftermath of Lenny, areas used by
snorkellers, i.e., near the surface, were affected most. And although, our
snorkel areas are still beautiful, the increased demand will place too
much pressure on the few areas currently in use.
However, there is a way to alleviate pressure from
the natural reef sites while increasing the number of snorkelling areas.
This involves the creation of artificial reef systems. The most popular
and successful artificial reefs, outside the use of sunken ships, are made
from Reef Balls. Reef Balls are patented and specifically design for the
type of reef life onewishes to attract. They come in various sizes
depending on their purpose.
The Reef Balls are cast around a very durable
Polyform inflatable bladder. This allows for the concrete balls (which are
actually flat shaped on the bottom for stability) to be towed behind a
boat to the site and then gently lowered onto the chosen reef area. Once
on the sea floor, the bladders are removed to be used again. The balls are
designed so that more than half their weight rests in the bottom within a
foot of the sea floor. They are cleverly designed to use the force of the
moving seawater, as we experienced with Lenny in large measure, to induce
vortexes that reduce the lifting forces thereby keeping them in
place.
Also, the Reef Balls can be cast in such a way as
to increase their normal weight by double, greatly increasing their
stability in high energy zones. These zones close to shore typically are
most attractive to snorkellers.
Therefore, Reef Balls could be used to create
snorkel trails in areas where we currently have sand and no reef. These
trails will attract fish and other marine life of interest to snorkellers.
By creating trails in areas currently not used by those involved in
water-based tourism, we can alleviate the pressure on the natural resource
while building up resources for the future benefit of our tourism
economy.
Perhaps working hand in hand with the Department of Fisheries,
local water-based businesses and heritage groups can design a snorkel
trail system along the west coast to enhance our wonderful, but limited
reef system.
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