When Coral Spawns – an amazing night dive opportunity!

We have many coral reefs here in the Cayman Islands. They are a large part of the aquatic life here in our sea – providing protection and food for sea creatures, and beauty in just being themselves. 

Once a year in the month of September, the corals here in Cayman spawn. The timing of this spawn is cued by the phase of the moon and it always happens at night. The window of the spawn is only 20 to 30 minutes long. During that time, the corals here release large numbers eggs and sperm into the the water simultaneously. This blizzard release increases the chances of fertilization. Once the coral egg and sperm unite, they create an embryo which will float in the sea for days or weeks before dropping to the sea floor. If the conditions are correct, the coral will start to grow – about 4 inches a year.

Is this something you would like to see? Think about planning your next dive vacation here in Cayman. (We would love to have you stay here at Harbour Heights!) There are dive shops/boats on the island that organize trips for divers interested in seeing this spectacular event. 

Check out the video below by Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop – you get an idea of how amazing this time of year is for our coral!

Contact

Harbour Heights
1453 West Bay Road
Seven Mile Beach
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
410-720-9399 (US)
345-945-4295 (Cayman)
reservations@harbourheightscayman.com