Spectacular night dives are nothing new to the Florida Keys, however dives on or around August 26th or September 24th, 2018 will have something extra special.
Those dates are full moons, and it is the time of the year to witness coral mass spawning in the region.
Although the exact reasons that trigger corals to spawn are not exactly understood, there is strong evidence to indicate that there is a connection to lunar cycles, tide, water temperature and 24-hour light cycles. Theevent is monitored by scientists every year, with a reasonable degree of accuracy of prediction when the next event will be.
Coral spawning takes place as a mass event when corals time the release of there sperm and eggs at the same time. After fertilization, the larvae float on the surface for several days before sinking to the bottom and starting to form new polyps and ultimately corals.
Check out the video below of coral spawning on the keys in 2015.
