The color of the ocean often appears turquoise in the Caribbean because of the clear waters and the shallow coral reefs. Southern California ocean color is derived from the kelp beds, which are numerous in our area. They are a dark to medium green, sometimes olive color.

The stunning turquoise color of the Caribbean Sea is a result of three main factors: water clarity, depth, and the white sandy floor. The Caribbean is relatively "nutrient-poor," meaning it has very little plankton or suspended sediment to cloud the water. In deep ocean water, sunlight is absorbed, and only the blue part of the spectrum is scattered back, making the water look dark blue. However, in the shallow Caribbean, the sunlight hits the bottom and reflects back up. Because the seafloor is composed of white calcium carbonate sand (the remains of corals and shells), it acts like a giant mirror. As the sunlight passes through the clear, shallow water, the water molecules absorb the red, orange, and yellow wavelengths, leaving only the shorter blue and green wavelengths to be reflected back to our eyes. This mixture of reflected blue light and the yellowish-white sand underneath creates that iconic "electric" turquoise or aquamarine tint. The presence of healthy coral reefs also helps break up the waves, keeping the water calm and preventing sand from being stirred up, which maintains the pristine transparency of the water.