Florida Key Water Sizzles at Record-Breaking Temperatures Killing Coral

***On July 24, 2023, the record-breaking water temperature in Manatee Bay was 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit resulting in high coral mortality.***

Greetings! The entire globe is sizzling. But adding more fuel to the fire is record-breaking water temperatures in Manatee Bay, Florida.

Earlier this week, a “buoy in Manatee Bay recorded a temperature of more than 100 degrees [Fahrenheit] for two straight days.” As the waters warm from climate change, corals expel the beautifully colored algae inside them. This results in “coral bleaching,” leaving behind a white skeleton.

The buoy in the Upper Keys recorded “an astonishing temperature of 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit on July 24.” The world record was previously set at 99.68 degrees Fahrenheit in the Persian Gulf. And these new Manatee Bay readings need to go through special review processes before they can actually become official.

Now – to put this all into perspective, the average water temperature range for a hot tub is around 100-104 degrees Fahrenheit!

The world record of 99.68 degrees was set in Kuwait bay. And the Persian Gulf is “recognized as one of the hottest bodies of water globally.”

“Several other buoys recorded water temperatures in the upper 90s during the same period. Johnson Key recorded a temperature of 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The water is so hot in South Florida and around the Florida Keys due to a number of likely factors. The overall weather pattern has been atypical for Florida with light winds preventing the upwelling of deeper, cooler water to the surface. It has been an extremely hot and sunny summer allowing the ocean to heat up quickly. Until recently, there has also been a lack of Saharan dust [originating from Africa] across the Atlantic. The aerosols in the dust help to reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere. These record warm water temperatures in the Florida Keys and around South Florida have been threatening Florida’s coral reef for weeks.”

Here’s an Excellent Way to Talk to Kids with “Soft Facts” about Climate Change

One awesome tool for talking to kids about climate change is to read my fourth installment in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® Children’s Educational Picture Book series. It’s titled, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. It contains “soft facts” about climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans.

*Kobee Manatee Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard* – (Lexile Measure:790L)

When you read this award-winning educational picture book to children, it’s a fun and fictional adventure loaded with weaved in “soft facts” on climate change and plastic pollution. This quickly helps children learn about this serious subject in a fun and entertaining way. Here’s a brief synopsis …

Kobee Manatee, the protagonist and his seafaring pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab swim from the Cayman Islands to Belize. Kobee wants to help his cousin Quinn clean up plastic litter at her new, all-veggie underwater bistro called Quinn’s Seagrass Café.

On their Caribbean journey they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, several other unforeseen problems occur with a distressed loggerhead turtle, a giant Portuguese man-of-war, and a venomous scorpionfish. They’re all amazed when they discover the extraordinary Great Blue Hole. Then their adventure takes another crazy turn when Pablo plunges into its huge abyss!

Each page includes in-depth, scientific details on climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans with Dr. Tracy Fanara, NOAA Research Scientist (aka Inspector Planet). Tracy can be seen on The Weather Channel as a visiting expert and she’s also seen on their “Weird Earth” segments.

We have Fantastic Reviews on this New Release!

“I read the book to my 6-year-old this morning while he was having his breakfast before school and he loved it! We talked about the characters, what it meant for the pollution to be in the oceans for all the sea creatures, and how fun the story was. Thank you so much for writing such a great story for kids that is not only entertaining, but has a message!” – Jessica Vilchis, Co-Host KNBC California Live

“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.” —Readers’ Favorite

For young readers who enjoy imaginative tales surrounding affable and heroic sea creatures, as well as parents and/or teachers looking for a way to introduce youngsters to the importance of marine conservation, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard offers a perfect blend. Highly recommended! – Chanticleer Book Reviews

Keep watching for more of my updates on climate change!

If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC). They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.

Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …

www.savethemanatee.org

Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …

www.wildtracks.org

~ Robert Scott Thayer

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