Coral Reef

The first time I saw a coral reef up close was during a business trip to Miami Beach, circa 1988.  After presenting my paper at a conference, Stephanie and I drove down to the Florida Keys.  On Key Largo is John Pennekamp State Park, which is significant exactly because it has sections of tropical coral and associated fish life.  On a whim, we signed up for a snorkeling trip, which involved taking a boat several miles offshore to a shallow stretch of coral.  The reef site is subtropical, just two degrees above the Tropic of Cancer, but close enough to the equator to host barracuda, parrotfish, and Nemo-like clownfish. One good sign: The dive guys found a wetsuit that could accommodate Stephanie's girth, which was augmented by in-utero Amy who was exploring her own aquatic environment at the time.  The thing to note about this snorkeling trip it that it had absolutely no precedent in our experience. The beauty of the tropical reef was fully breathtaking, displaying an intensity of color and a variety of pulsating life that neither of us had ever experienced.  Since this snorkeling trip, all members of our family have learned to scuba dive in Fiji, which boasts world class tropical reefs.  I have often wondered what percentage of the human population has been given a glimpse of the incredible beauty of a coral reef.  I have to believe it's far less than one percent.  The estimate is vaguely sad.  This grand earth offers beauty in many forms, but few compare to the splendorous life that teems around tropical coral.