Sustaining our Seas

Emerging from the depths of the Western part of the Caribbean Sea is the land of soft, fresh breezes: the Cayman Islands. At the summit of an ancient limestone mountain peak, our abundant marine world is what it is today largely in part due to our exceptionally deep waters, geological makeup, and regional position. That limestone was forged by millennia of water, heat from the volcanic vents of the Cayman Trench, and our unique marine biodiversity coexisting. To add to the wonder of our sub-sea foundation, we would be remiss not to highlight that it is an epic, vast, ancient skeleton of countless animals – corals – which provides a base for living corals to thrive, a habitat for keystone species like our national symbol the turtle, and resilience to protect what we hold dear. Those who value Cayman should know how fortunate we are to be a hotspot for biodiversity and recognize our innate responsibility to reciprocally protect the habitats and food sources of our culturally iconic plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world.

One reason our beauteous isles are so biodiverse is thanks to our vibrant, but delicate coral reefs, which serve as habitats and nurseries for a vast array of marine species such as the Nassau Grouper and sand producers like parrotfish. By regulating sediment flow, coral reefs help maintain our trademark waters of palest emerald that is essential for marine plants like seagrass to photosynthesize and be a component of the marine food web that sustains our beloved turtles. Reefs also provide our coastal community with essential services and support tourism through their natural beauty. Along with mangroves and seagrasses, our strong reefs act as natural barriers, reducing wave energy and protecting Cayman’s shores from erosion and storm damage. Disruptions to this natural state, such as from pollution or destruction due to human activities or climate change, have been shown to have devastating cascading effects on us…remember that Nor’wester in February? 

We, the co-authors of this article, have spent countless hours in the sea, particularly exploring and learning about Cayman’s beloved coral reefs through snorkeling in the George Town Harbour and freediving among the caves of our very own Blue Hope Spot, Eden Rock. It is here where our knowledge of the coral reefs blossomed further, as we observed majestic eagle rays sift through the sandy seabed and chromatic Caribbean reef squid dance among sea fans. While observing, we can’t help but think that our ancestors also took immense pride in connecting with the sea, for social and/or economic benefit. We also admire that, over time, our ancestors learned that the dynamic currents that flow through the George Town Harbour directly contribute to the pristine white sand that Seven Mile Beach is known for.

Fond memories spent underwater, along the shoreline, in the mangroves exploring or fishnin’, and learning about our maritime heritage from retired seafarers and catboat builders all shaped our understanding of the importance of preserving our marine environment – ensuring these islands which were founded upon the seas are honored, our natural world is respected, and our kin can prosper from its conservation. Mesmerizing schools of tropical fish, vibrant corals, rare sights like octopi and seahorses, and apex predators like barracudas and sharks deepened our respect for the ocean. Seeing firsthand these sacred sites and species slowly dwindle, but revive during a lull in vessels regularly navigating the George Town Harbour, solidified our intrinsic responsibility to steward the seas and reefs which are already fragile due to manmade impacts, and to inspire others to do the same.

Void of life and dull – adjectives to describe a desert, not the underwater oasis that the George Town Harbour area boasts. Nature gives us everything we need and asks for only one thing in return – that we do our part to ensure it remains a healthy and safe place for vibrant biodiversity, and thus ourselves, to flourish. To do otherwise, unsustainably developing or exacerbating the manmade climate crisis, would truly land us in hot water. Genuine patriotism looks like safeguarding the reefs, mangroves, and marine resources that we love and rely on as Island people, not exploiting them. Our elders raised us to be humble, cautioned us to hear so we don’t feel, and instilled in us that we need more sense than dollars. Protecting the George Town Harbour respects that heritage, which was shaped over time knowing that resourcefulness is vital to our cultural identity and socioeconomic health.

In heeding ancestral guidance relied on in decades past, today, we see that not fixing what isn’t broken has had secondary benefits such as ease of travel through town due to the seasonal, reasonable flows of visitors arriving by tender. Consider the alternative, consider that nature’s biggest lesson is that balance is critical, and consider that perhaps the best ships to call to our port are those of leadership, partnership, guardianship, mentorship, sportsmanship, and fellowship. In closing, dear reader, we ask: how could our hearts not enshrine these verdant islands set in the blue Caribbean Sea? How could we not feel beckoned to harmoniously steward the glorious marine tapestry of our homeland fair Cayman Isle as our ancestors did? How could we not protect our paradise so that we and future generations can behold the creative glory reflected everywhere?

By: Connor Childs & Em DeCou, Sustainable Cayman Ambassadors