Kwajalein Atoll lagoon sandspits

Some of our favorite dive spots in the southern Kwajalein lagoon were spits of sand and rubble between east reef islands such as South Loi, North Loi, Ebwaj (Shell Is.) and Gugeegue. These areas were overlooked by most divers, and I have to admit on the surface they looked pretty dull. However, they were home to many small creatures, a delight for macro photographers. The spits are located in the gaps between islands where water used to rush from the ocean side across the reef into the lagoon carrying sand, which would settle to the bottom when the current spread out and slowed down as it reached the lagoon. During storms, rocks and rubble would also wash across the reef. Nearer the reef, the spits were composed of rocks and rubble, which turned to mostly sand as you moved into the lagoon from the edge of the reef. Some isolated small patch reefs developed on the sand on top and sometimes along the sides. Also on the sand were patches of algae, primarily Halimeda, which hid lots of small photogenic subjects. Since the building of the Ebeye to Gugeegue causeway in the early to mid 1990s, the daily flushing with fresh ocean water across the reef has stopped, leaving the rocky areas near shore somewhat siltier than they used to be, and algae growth, particularly on the spit north of South Loi, has greatly diminished. This 10-minute clip is from 3 days of diving (6 dives) in January 2016. Royalty-free music by David Hilowitz. Watch in HD.