Stingray City: Underwater Free-for-All?

Stingray City, it's called, this sandbar in the Cayman Islands that lures one million human visitors each year to feed and touch a congregation of southern stingrays.

The rays have received handouts since the 1930s, when fishers first cleaned their catches there. Tourist operations began in 1986 on the sandbar, allowing people to stand in the shallows to interact with the rays. For those looking to make eye contact, snorkeling and scuba diving are on the menu.

Hanging by a Thread On Rocky Shores

Imagine trying to pitch a tent in a stiff coastal wind.  You just have it secured, when a gale lifts the tent—stakes and all—and carries it away.

That's exactly what is happening to species that are ubiquitous along the rocky shores of both the US West and East Coasts: blue mussels.

Where's the Sunscreen? Look on a Coral Reef

Where's the sunscreen? In summer, the question echoes up and down coasts, from rocky shores to sandy beaches to coral reefs.

For an answer, the best bet might be: on a coral reef.

Dybas, C.L. 2013. Ripple marks—The story behind the story. Oceanography 26(2):14–17, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2013.23.

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