The beautiful Kenyan Coastal Reef – sadly disappearing!
KWS – Kenyan Wildlife Services has set up laws along the Kenyan coast that shells, starfish – actually all marine life are strictly not to be removed from the coral reefs and gardens…. Gardens… a word of the past!

Gone are the days when one would fill their lungs with the salty warm tropical air and attempt to dive a few meters to get close to the colourful shawls of fish rushing from one coral garden to the next using the ocean currents to maneuver whilst the sun’s rays glimmer off their metallic bodies and shiny scales.

I recall snorkeling, or perhaps better explained, lying motionless in the ocean, face down and geared with a simply mask and snorkel. The only movements was of my head and eyes darting from one spectacular display of colours to the next, not needing to search much to enjoy a spectrum of tropical warm saltwater marine life.

Last December and this January – I felt embarrassed after explaining to my son and daughter what beauty the Kenyan coastal gardens had to offer.
Why embarrassed? – After various attempts of taking the kids out for some snorkeling, I felt that I had fooled them as it seemed my stories were lies.

Could it be that the tsunami helped devastate the gardens and disappearance of the numerous corals and fish? Perhaps again an expert can expand on this question.
I would be relieved if that was the answer. At least I can put it down to natural disasters hoping that nature would soon bounce back and show its true phenomenal colours.

Sadly some areas and coral gardens have been turned into semi deserts and at times a complete bland grey and dull green colour with little marine life.

Some blame it on the star fish!! Personally I blame it on the absolutely naïve, disrespectful stupidity that some locals but most of all tourists do.

I saw tourists and “fishermen” wearing their rubber shoes going off onto the reefs during low tide and removing any shells they could find. Do the hotels not see this and explain to their gets the ethics of the ocean? Do the hotels not understand that part of this ecosystem is what brings people to such wonderful countries!
Does KWS close their eyes to the beach boys selling cowrie shells amongst others on the beach – spread on native rugs?
KWS have rangers walking the beaches; – why do my eyes see things their trained paid eyes do not? Yet when guests go out to sea they are ready pounce and take entrance fee for the marine parks!
Why do street stands and shops in Mombasa sell numerous types of sea shells?
Again I have been personally disappointed with the lack of education or sense that is being used by the educated tourists and some locals who for money are willing to damage their own land!

Lucky there is still a lot to be seen when scuba diving as over the reef a boat is needed and a good healthy pair of lungs to get past 5 to 6 meters if free diving.
I say – come back Jaws but is a smaller version to scare away those ignorant reef wreckers!!!

Sorry about such negative reports but when you are still young and have seen what has happened to our childhood play ground in only 20 years (when I left the coast for the 1st time to study abroad) – what will happen in the next 20 years… it is very worrying and sad!

Cody, where were you on the coast? Mombasa?

I usually go to a beach resort in Malindi and the same thing happens - tourists are taken by beach boys out on the coral reef at low tide and encouraged to pick up shells! Beach boys are out in the open selling lots of sea creatures (alive and dead) and shells. I seem to be the only one telling this they shouldn't be doing this. Where are the KWS rangers? Can't these "beach boys" be directed in a more positive direction to earn money?

Even on KWS's website for Marine Parks and Reserves it states under: "What to take with You" -
"wear sandals or flip flops to protect your feet from the coral reef"?????

Are they kidding? What's protecting the coral reef from your feet!!!???

Kat - I could not agree with you more. Over the years I have seen an incredible decline in the reef. I am a keen diver and also at deeper depths the situation is changing slowly - for the worse.
KWS is not doing a great job to look after their Marine Life; maybe because they do not see what is going on? They stick to dry land and never go out to the reef.

I spent more time this time round on the south coast around Chale Island etc.
I know the Kilifi and Watamu areas very well and also Bamburi, Mtwapa, Vuma etc etc which is where I grew up.

I live in Italy so Malindi is not an area I go to very often (for those that do not know Malaindi is 2nd Italy....) and quite strange that Berlusconi has not become PM there as well

If Berlusconi is not PM there, that means that the young women in the area are safe!

Cody/Jan:

Malindi doesn't need Berlusconi, they already have at least a few members of the:
(M)others (A)nd (F)athers (I)talian (A)ssociation who seem quite capable of running things.

And where else in Kenya can I get a decent Mozzarella Pizza like mother used to make!
Probably why I feel so at home there!

But, seriously, the KWS seems unlikely to be able to do anything about the reef problems....I also still see the fisherman using the very destructive "seine" nets which have been outlawed for some time.

Mafia in Malindi - I did not know my family expanded out there too??? I am half Sicilian..

KWS can do something but they do not have the means or facilities. They are dressed up with long slacks etc - more for the dry bush rather than the wt Ocean. If they would give them gear to and walk into the reefs andmaybe just the odd small boat; it will make a world of a difference. Where they sit on the beach - people coming back from the reefs have shells in bags etc. which they cannot see!