USVI-On-Line

Don't pick up that pretty piece of yellow coral sitting on the bottom of your 20 foot free dive......Funny, it didn't hurt until I triumphantly held it up for all to see. Felt like a 100 bee stings...fire coral! I was not a good steward of the environment, I have it on a necklace. Stuck it in my backpack and bleached it when I came home! I know, I'm bad but I suffered for that piece of art!

Shame on you. You're lucky you weren't caught taking it back on the plane. There's a big fine for taking coral.

Thanks, Diana, for the reprimand. I knew I'd have at least one person chastise me for bringing it back. I'm sure I'm the only person whose ever taken back a rock, shell, bottle of sand to remember their time on island. Like I said, I knew it was wrong, just trying to say what not to pick up while snorkeling. By the way, I don't feel ashamed as I enjoy wearing it very much. You have a great day

If you are proud enough to post about it and wear it I guess you will be happy with the criticism and Karma.

That reminds me of when I brought back a big ziplock bag full of white Trunk Bay sand so I could stick my feet in it at home to remind me of my trip!

When I got home, I noticed the bag was opened and then sealed up with packing tape with a friendly sticker saying that it had been inspected. They must have thought it was some other white powdery stuff!

Just a question - is fire coral a real coral? If I don't remember wrong, it's some kind of fake coral.

But I'm not sure, so shoot me if I'm wrong .

I have touched it several times (not by purpose) mostly on mooring lines when diving, and it hurts.

Maggy

If I am correct, fire coral is not really coral but akin to an anemone. It stings like a jelly fish, very painful. My thought, at the time, was that it was a broken piece on the bottom of the ocean floor and I didn't think I was endangering the reef by taking it with me. I am very aware of living coral and not stepping or gliding too closely while snorkeling. At the time that I brought it home I considered it to be a small rememberance from STJ. I didn't think it was wrong and I didn't hide it, it was in an open outside mesh compartment of my backpack. I am not "proud" of the fact that I brought it home now that I know I shouldn't have. At the time, I was told that if I wasn't on a National Park beach it was not an issue. I simply thought it was pretty. I do enjoy wearing it. I hope that everyone can look at the first part of my e-mail and know that my main intention was to warn people not to pick it up even if it is broken off as the sting is terrible.

Leaving in two days to do some snorkeling for the first time in more than 20 years. So, can you tell me what fire coral looks like? I know not to touch any coral really, but want to be especially careful about the stuff that hurts!

The piece I picked up was bright, lemon yellow. Very pretty!

Illyse wrote:Leaving in two days to do some snorkeling for the first time in more than 20 years. So, can you tell me what fire coral looks like? I know not to touch any coral really, but want to be especially careful about the stuff that hurts!

Taken at Blue Cobblestone:






Taken at Haulover North:





They sting like jellies. Avoid making contact with them.
Have fun snorkeling!

I really wasn't scolding. I just had to say "shame on you" because someone was going to say it anyway. I should have put a <wink> in there after the "shame". If it was broken off anyway what's the harm. I'm such a chicken I would be afraid to 'smuggle' it through security at the airport. I'm sure it's beautiful and also very special to you because it's a reminder of our special place. That's how I feel about my STJ hook bracelet.

Pickle, Your underwater pictures are amazing. We just returned this week but our under water camera broke on the second day. We loved Blue Cobblestone and Haulover and Brown Bay. Did you get any pictures at Brown Bay?

cindygad wrote:Pickle, Your underwater pictures are amazing. We just returned this week but our under water camera broke on the second day. We loved Blue Cobblestone and Haulover and Brown Bay. Did you get any pictures at Brown Bay?

We have never been to Brown Bay. It is on the list for our upcoming trip.

Blue Cobblestone is one of our favorite spots to snorkel. We like Haulover North too. Fire corals are especially evident at those places. They are strikingly beautiful to look at (and they do strike).

So sorry about your camera. That sucks.

Brown Bay was a surprise for us. Lots of color in coral around the point to the east.It was one of our favorite snorkels.

Well, I will say "shame on you " without a wink.
Yes, it is coral--hydrocoral, as opposed to stony coral, but not fake in any way. The fine would have been just as real. The coral, although broken off, could have re-attached if it had an object to attach to.
Having to deal on a daily basis with thoughtless destruction of my home, I do react strongly. It might seem like a a little thing to you, but not to me. Maybe we St. Johnians need to start a curse rumor, like the belief the Hawaiians got going about tourists incurring baaad luck if they take home lava rocks...