Average water temperatures for Lake Champlain in the summer are typically in the low to mid 70s, but imagine if it was nearly 30 degrees warmer. That’s exactly how ocean temperatures in south Florida felt last week.

Last Monday, a buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida hit 101.1 degrees. While this number has not been confirmed yet due to it being located in shallow, murky water, other locations in south Florida experienced over 90 degrees ocean temperatures. Keep in mind the average hot tub temperature is about 100 to 102 degrees.

While ‘bleaching’ doesn’t kill the coral, the algae is its main food source which puts stress on coral and can lead to death. Coral reefs teem with life – and when they die they cannot come back, and that disrupts the entire ecosystem.