The muted yet enterprising world of the coral reef
has beckoned to longtime Key West residents Joel
Biddle and Tom Jackson for more than 18 years,
finally culminating in a captivating, if
bittersweet, travelogue of their favorite underwater
haunts throughout the Florida Keys and the
Caribbean.
The pair recently completed an hour-long
documentary showing the beautiful operation of one
of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
"Waters of Wonder," filmed by Jackson and written
by Biddle, introduces viewers to the coral itself,
and to the thousands of marine species that reside
in, around and near it.
Crystal-clear images show elkhorn coral while
clouds of silverside fish swarm around it in unison.
"We used to see that all the time," said Biddle,
who composed all the music for the production.
"That's the tragedy of it."
Biddle and Jackson acknowledge the degradation of
the reef around the Florida Keys in "Waters of
Wonder," but do not dwell on it. Instead, they focus
on what remains, and why it should be respected and
protected.
"It really makes you love the stuff that's down
there," Jackson said, still entranced by certain
images after spending years breathing underwater.
And Biddle, former education director of Reef
Relief, never tires of the reef and its residents.
He has spoken with countless Monroe County students
about the ecosystem surrounding their island home,
and, with Jackson, produced a fish identification
book for divers.
"'Waters of Wonder' fills a need that we both
have to share the beauty of coral reefs we have
experienced during our lifetimes," Biddle said.
The film does not preach about conservation, but
viewers may be lured to action by the images, sounds
and even the occasional silence punctuated only by
Jackson's rhythmic breathing as he focuses the
camera.
"You don't see 99 percent of the shots I've
taken," he said, gesturing to just one of several
bookshelves filled with video footage that line his
home office. "And you couldn't hire a film crew for
a documentary on coral reefs that would be able to
get 18 years worth of footage. Great care has been
taken to portray what can only be described as a
magical world."
To reach as large an audience as possible, Biddle
and Jackson have designed interactive menus for the
"Waters of Wonder" DVD that include a
question-and-answer session at the end for teachers,
along with a creature identification version for
divers.
The film will be shown in a series of spring
events throughout Key West, with the premiere on
Tuesday at the Tropic Cinema. "Waters of Wonder"
will become part of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage
Museum's free lecture series, and will be shown May
1 at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center at Truman
Waterfront.
mbolen@keysnews.com
