HOW TO SEE THE SEA GARDENS 



the fisher folk and spongers throughout the island. 

 For many reasons this is the better method if one 

 wishes to study the submarine flora and fauna, 

 but it is not to be recommended to anyone who is 

 afraid to get wet and untidy. If one is interested 

 one gets wet, and interest is certain. The ad- 

 vantage over other methods is that with a bucket 

 one can follow moving fish with greater ease and 

 watch particular specimens. 



The Sea Gardens are entirely natural, and, one 

 may add, entirely uncared for. Until recently it 

 was customary to engage negro divers to drag up 

 sea fans and feathers as mementoes ; this has now 

 been put a stop to by law, as the gardens became 

 noticeably impoverished; but no effort has been 

 made to replace in that spot any of the rarer speci- 

 mens, nor has there ever been a single case of 

 prosecution under this act. Still it has at least 

 had the effect of stopping organised despoilment. 



There is no law against the collection of speci- 

 mens in any other part of the sea, and there are 

 many reefs and bars which are even richer than 

 the gardens, if less interesting at first glance. 



The Sea Gardens are not unique; there are 

 similar sights at Catalina off California, and at 

 Bermuda, and in fact anywhere that coral is found 

 in shallow waters. They are, however, a good 

 example of this bottom. The current is swift 

 (4-knot) and there is shallow water at either end. 



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