The natural features of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, & the Lesser
Antilles are described in an easy-to-understand style. This is a series
of brief write-ups of features that would otherwise require a long
bookshelf of readings to comprehend. From a career in oceanography
involving considerable experience in the Caribbean, the author's
familiarity with the topics covered is quite evident. The readings serve
to enrich the observations & explorations of travelers &
residents in the region. Many points discussed apply equally to the
Florida Keys & the Bahamas. The opening write-up of "The Island Arc"
of the Greater & Lesser Antilles sets the stage for all that
follows. Similarly, the next section, "The Surrounding Sea", orients the
reader to the environment. As many readers may be sailing or aboard
ship, the writing moves immediately to observations to be made while
underway. The accounts that follow cover coral reefs, fisheries, the
floral landscape, discovery, conservation, law of the sea applications,
& much more. Checklists of much of the flora & fauna &
do-it-yourself challenges are suggested with pages for the reader's own
notes.