Science and Nature on BBC.

Walter Ty has done it again...thanks so much... Maybe the visibility was not so great for seeing all the other marine life...but then the coral spawning is something not to be missed...natures gift to man and a reminder that we have to take care of our environment...ironically the month of April is supposed to be the green month...I guess Palau has both, above it is green and below during the spawning it is all pink.
What a contrast!

The annual mass spawning of corals on the Palau archipelago in the western Pacific has occurred right on cue. With Sunday night's full moon, coral polyps let forth a huge swathe of sperm and egg, to seed the next generation.

The event was short-lived - only about 30 minutes - but so vast in its scale that it turned the sea water pink. Scientists from Palau, Australia and the UK are studying the practicality of collecting coral larvae to help restore damaged reefs elsewhere.

See what a mass spawning at Palau looks like (Reefvid.org)
As we got into the boat for our trip to Luke's reef, I admit I was not really expecting to see the mass spawning on the exact night of the full Moon. All the visiting scientists here thought it was more likely the reproductive extravaganza would happen the next evening or the following one - based on what had happened the last two years. The only person who seemed sure it would happen on cue was Steven Victor, the Palauan director of the Palau International Coral Reef Center. Local knowledge was spot on, as it turned out.
Almost as soon as the boat engine switched off, we got a sense that something might be brewing... you have to see and read the whole story...and images

@ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358423.stm

I picked this story up thanks to an alert from Gunther Deichmann, professional photographer and Apple certified trainer for Aperture who manages the Philippines-Micronesia Alliance website at www.alliancediving.com His good friend Mr Walter Ty, watchdog for information about amazing natural wonders, scored again! Thanks Walter and Gunther!

Catching corals' spectacular moment
Courtesy of BBC
By Andrew Luck-Baker
BBC Radio 4, Palau

The coral reefs in the tropical Western Pacific are at the brink of one of the most spectacular and significant nights in their annual life cycle. By the light of April's full moon on Sunday or, quite likely a night or two after, corals will be mating en masse.

Along the length of the island archipelago that makes up the Republic of Palau, millions of coral colonies will simultaneously release billion upon billion of eggs and sperm into the dark waters. An hour or so after sunset, each spawning coral will discharge showers of sex cells, packaged in orange and pink blobs. They will rise to the surface in such huge numbers that they may form oily slicks metres long. If the sea conditions are right, spawn slicks can coalesce to be large enough to be visible from space.

For the complete story and photos please go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7357121.stm