This post is a bit of a back track as it is about a trip to the reef that occurred on Feb. 7 2012.
As part of the Australearn Bridging Cultures Program myself and the other Australearn students went snorkeling and had the option of scuba-diving on the Great Barrier Reef with a company known as Passions of Paradise. We had access to two sites on the reef one was a shelf reef and the other was at a cay that is, except for a few meters of beach, entirely in reserve as a bird sanctuary.
The Facts:
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest system of reefs in the world. It contains islands, cays, tidal flats, and of course vast expanses of coral reefs. It is a living thing that can be seen from space. When it comes to biodiversity reefs are the aquatic equivalent to the terrestrial rain forests.
The Experience:
The ride out was a little choppier then many of us were used to. People, articles of clothing, and packs placed in the bow quickly became wet when the waves splashed through the netting.
The first reef we visited was a shelf reef and was not the most spectacular for snorkeling though the diving (so I heard) had some pretty good locations. There were plenty of parrot-fish in many different species and lots of little wrasses. Then there was the jellyfish. There was one visible from the side of the boat, and it was not one of the deadly Box or Iurkandji varieties, but a harmless moon jelly instead. Still we all suited up in blue stinger suits and entered the water as a collection of ungainly flippered smurfs.
The second site was much, much better and would be on par with some of the reefs around Lizard Island (for the MSTC people out there!). That is to say as soon as you enter the water and hang above the precious corals you are assaulted by color, movement, and the sounds of the reef. We were anchored off Michealmas Cay (a coral island that is above the waterline and is collecting sand ect) which not only had splendid reefs but the cay itself is a migratory bird sanctuary. There were nesting turns and noddies and even some Blue-footed Boobies on the island. A few of us took the glass bottomed boat in to the beach and then swam from the beach back out towards the main boat.
After we had gotten our fill of the birds (though really we just wanted to watch them forever) we zig-zagged out over the coral. There were varieties of soft and hard corals that I couldn’t even begin to put a name to; and sponges, sea-anemones, and giant clams. Fish of every shape, size, and demeanor were everywhere! Butterfly fishes, damsels, tiny wrasses, and giant parrotfish all going about their business in their popping, clicking world.
All completely unconcerned buy the strange, alien, and awkward creatures that had descended into their midst.
This next bit is cliche but entirely true. When the wildness, beauty, and wonder of this small reef is contained in only a few acres its breathtaking, but when you realize it is repeated, with variations on the theme, for thousands of miles of ocean this place becomes nothing less then a miracle. It is little doubt that the Great Barrier Reef is truly “Great” and has a well deserved place on the list of World Heritage Sites and as one of the world’s 7 Wonders.
P.S. I did not take an underwater camera on this trip and so pictures are pending.
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