Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 14:56:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: Walt Jaap STP <JAAP_W@epic7.dep.state.fl.us>
To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: More FLORIDA KEYS Bleaching

NOTES ON BLEACHING,  Tortugas area: 24 N  81 to 82 W.

We dove 30 to 90 ft, 5 sites, Dry Tortugas National Park and on 
the Tortugas Banks, 8, 9 Sept.  The incidence of bleaching (complete 
loss of color, total colony or partial) was moderate at most sites.  
Approximately 15 to 25 percent of the colonies were affected.  Water 
temperature (diving computer data) was 86 to 87 F. Most Colpophyllia 
natans were exhibiting lightened color, but few were displaying bleached 
condition.  On the Tortugas Banks (70 to 90 ft), the bleaching was less 
intense.

We walked along the moat wall of Ft. Jefferson and saw many corals were 
very bleached.  water depth is approximately 10 ft.  Palythoa, Millepora, 
and Scleractinia all exhibited intense bleaching.

Walt Jaap, FMRI