For many families, the highlight of a scuba diving tour is getting the chance to explore a coral reef. These unique ecosystems are home to a wide variety of unique life forms you won’t find anywhere else. Here’s a closer look at these amazing underwater sights.

Top 3 Facts About the Reefs You Can Explore While Scuba Diving

1. Reefs Aren’t Plants

While scuba diving in a coral reef, you might think you’re surrounded by plant life. In reality, coral is an animal, closely related to anemones and jellyfish. Interestingly, coral gets most of its food from a symbiotic relationship with the algae that live within its digestive cells. Because it is an animal, dead coral leaves behind a hardened “skeleton.”

2. Reefs Are Making a Difference in Medicine

The plants and animals found in coral reefs have helped lead to many scientific discoveries, particularly in medicine. The NOAA reports that coral reef wildlife provides much-needed resources for developing medicines that address everything from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer. This is because a single reef can house thousands of different species, each with the potential for different medicinal applications.

3. Reefs Come in Many Different Types   

Though reefs have a tendency to form in areas with stronger currents, not all coral reefs are created equal! Barrier reefs protect shallow water near a shoreline from the stronger waves of the open ocean. Fringing reefs are similar to barrier reefs but tend to be located closer to shore.  Atolls often form from the remains of sunken islands and encircle small lagoons. In some cases, they are mistaken for actual islands!

If you want to go on a scuba diving adventure on your next trip to Hawaii, make Banzai Divers your first call! Serving all of Oahu, HI, including Honolulu, their expert team offers scuba tours for divers ages 10 and up, as well as scuba certification courses to ensure fun and safe adventures. To learn more about the incredible trips this dive shop offers, visit them online or call (808) 462-8290.