I’ve observed/documented the coral reefs and fish communities along La Ventana Bay shoreline since 2016, logging 1021 snorkels, sharing videos to inform, pay tribute and express gratitude. Many feel similarly about the coral reefs, hoping they will remain healthy and continue to support marine life.
My latest video, “A Coral Bleaching Event- One year later,” shares the extent of coral bleaching recovery in La Ventana Bay since the bleaching event of 2023. Watch, “A Coral Bleaching Report” video to learn about the degree of bleaching that occurred that summer.
What caused coral to bleach? Water temperatures peaked above the bleaching threshold for two-straight months. While the coral recovered, for the most part, our precious reefs are still at risk; facing all the stressors that unprotected coral reefs face around the world, especially those adjacent to rapidly developing communities.
The coral reefs in La Ventana Bay are one of the furthest north reefs in North America and are very unique due to this range among other important reasons to ensure the protection of these reefs.

Coral provides habitat for 25% of the world’s fish, supports a level of biodiversity comparable to the Amazon Rainforest. I set a camera near coral, not a wide-angle but one with a very narrow field of view, in ten minutes 25 fish species were recorded. We are gifted to be able to witness such diverse communities of marine life, and the coral is essential to that. As they say, lose the coral, lose the biodiversity, the same with clear cutting rainforests.Visit Observing Baja Coral Reef Fish to learn more about the fish and coral reef habitat in La Ventana Bay. To track water temperature fluctuations, visit Aqualink.
This spring, I plan to lead a few coral reef tours. If interested, let me know, and I’ll alert you of the dates. Thanks. William Ihne, Naturalist, videographer, writer, producer Contact: desertplayer@hotmail.com