West Coast - Fringing reef, lagoon and surging waves - flying over in a microlight - photo © Bernard Duyck / june 2017
Fringing reefs are rare in La Réunion, discontinuous, flat, narrow, up to 500 meters wide and larger, and associated with depressions of low-depth reefs.
Their minor development around this Island (unlike Mauritius), is due to the presence of platforms likely to be colonized.
Most of the coral constructions are located west of the island on the leeward coast, away from the mouths of the large gullies, in an area where volcanism is no longer functional.
The small lagoons constitute a natural aquarium, where shrimp, clownfish, sea turtles, grouper and barracudas rub shoulders. Wrecks were cast in the 1980s, to promote the development of underwater life and became diving spots.
Marine turtles are protected in La Réunion, where nesting beaches have been reconstituted - photo © Bernard Duyck / June 2017
The marine erosion of the reefs formed a few kilometers of sandy beach, bordered by coconut palms or filaos.
Blond beach of the Hermitage - uncommon during the southern winter - photo © Bernard Duyck / juin 2017
Sources:
- Kélonia - marine turtles observatory - St Leu - link
- St Gilles-les-Bains - Aquarium of Reunion Island.
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