Friday, June 13, 2008

Mermaids and Reefs

This little sketch was done in my sketchbook this morning before heading to the boat for our snorkeling adventure. Had I done this piece after the adventure I might have used quite a bit more green. The same green I was as the catamaran bounced all over in the rough waters. Just trying to swim from the boat to the reef was a big energy drain as we were tossed around by the waves. Shortly after that, I did not feel so good. But that is not that important, the important thing was the reef. We were told that it was the third largest in the world and that it is dying. After seeing it myself, I would have to agree. It was not very colorful and there was not a lot of activity where we were. I have snorkeled in Jamaica and seen some beautiful coral, this sadly looked nothing like that. Pollution and visitors are two big problems. Even in our group, some people were careless and kicked the coral, bumped into it and one person stood on it. Not good. It all seemed pretty sad. If you are interested in the ocean and it's survival, check out rozsavage.com. Roz Savage is rowing a boat across the Pacific by herself. She already rowed the Atlantic. There are interesting blogs from her on a daily basis and she also does an interview with tech guy, Leo Leporte. Roz doesn't hammer you with a message, it's actually a very gentle note really. It's a fascinating adventure she is on. You might find it interesting.

Oh, and I did not get sick.:)

3 comments:

Gary M. Peiffer said...

Love the Key West Mermaid! Again, I like what you have done with your signature and the curvature of the artwork.

Hey, where are you staying during your visit?

Gary

Royce Thrower said...

Sad news about the reef.

Gene Gonzales said...

Gary - Thanks! We stayed on Roosevelt at a Travel Lodge. We were last minute travelers . :)

Royce - Indeed. We were told the reef is not dying as quick as it was. In the last 10 years the decay has slowed. But according to our guides, it will probably be gone in 10-15 years. It can't repair itself fast enough.