red mangrove
wiggins bay, fl
october 1, 2005
"it is a peculiar part of the good
photographer's adventure to know where luck is most likely
to lie in the stream, to hook it, and to bring it in
without unfair play and without too much subduing it."
--james agee
it has been a month since i've dipped
my kayak paddle in the water. work has been heavy on
my shoulders, but the office is beginning to resemble
a vast gallery and that is a very good thing.
despite the lingering fish kill and
red tide, it felt good to glide down the mangrove channels
against the tide on the way to the gulf of mexico. today,
the red mangroves, their prop roots resembling dainty
petticoats, were a lush green from recent rains and.
the blend of red roots, green leaves, chocolate water
and blue, blue sky was a feast for a lover of deep, saturated
colors. i am always grateful for mangroves, who stand
like tall, watchful friends as i paddle by.
mangroves are aquatic woody shrubs that
support extensive coastal food webs, provide shoreline
stability and erosion prevention, and provide storm protection.
mangrove forests literally live in two worlds at once,
acting as the interface between land and sea. they act
as buffers and catch sediment and alluvial materials,
thus stabilizing land elevation by promoting sediment
buildup in tidal areas. vital coral reefs and sea grass
beds are also protected from damaging siltation due to
the filtering effects of mangrove forests.
red mangroves grow seaward with high
arched prop roots extending out in tiers that turn downward
from the trunk, giving the illusion of trees on 'stilts'.
the prop roots may send up new trunks wherever they touch
ground. in the network of these roots, soil and debris
are trapped creating new land. oysters attach themselves
to these roots where they are covered during high tide
and at night, raccoons raid these oyster beds. fiddler
crabs burrow in the mud beneath the roots and use the
roots as an intricate highway system.
the underwater roots of red mangroves
serve as nurseries for newborn fish. birds that nest
in the mangrove's branches feed on them. small baitfish
feed on the algae attached to the roots. later, larger
gamefish like the redfish, snook and trout feed on the
baitfish.
tarpon are known to frequent an area
with mangroves looking for dinner. fishermen know that
an area with mangroves that borders on deeper water will
yield a catch if they can cast close enough to the roots.
nikon 12-24 @ 12mm,
1/250, f/14
