Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Without a doubt my favorite thing to do in Australia is to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. I will never forget the first time I snapped on a pair of goggles, stuck a snorkel in my mouth and somersaulted backwards off the deck of a boat into the warm blue waters of Tropical North Queensland. As the bubbles settle and the view becomes clear, the spectacle of thousands of fish both large and small, swimming casually amongst the coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef is enough to take my breath away (useful tip for everyone - this is the point you realize you are in the water and should keep your mouth shut!).
Regaining my composure and avoiding further filling of my lungs with saltwater, the only sounds are the scraping beaks of the parrot fish eating at the coral and the sound of my own frenzied breathing. As my body accepts its new environment and relaxes to the whims of the current, a state of total relaxation takes over. Breathing slows down, muscles melt and eyes widen as a dozy green turtle floats by with a suspicious look in its eye. Never before and never since have I experienced such a feeling of tranquility and peace, it’s like the rest of the world has ceased to exist.
Venturing further from the boat as confidence rises, a small school of squid seem to be slipstreaming behind me until I turn towards them to see why I feel like I am being followed. Off to one side is a tiny anemone fish (more commonly known as Nemo, yes you too can find him!) aggressively defending its home from a nosy butterfly fish at least 10 times its size. Up ahead flashes of silver catch my eye as a large school of Trevally head purposefully to somewhere that seems important to them, while below a stingray shakes the sand from its wings and glides silently away.
Passing over the top of a massive boulder coral which is surely centuries old, I find myself on the edge of the continental shelf. The water is slightly cooler here as the edge of the reef plummets thousands of feet into the dark depths of the ocean. This is where the big guys are! The schools of small damsel fish have disappeared only to be replaced by schools of buffalo fish and the occasional odd looking sun fish. It is around this time that the Jaws theme music starts playing in my head and I’m sure every cave and crevice has a menacing creature of some sort waiting in ambush for me to pass by. With the sighting of one very large Barracuda, protruding teeth and all, I know it’s time to head back to the boat. With adrenalin surging through my body I swim faster than I though possible and acknowledge I am not quite as brave as I thought!
If the thought of being 30 kilometers from land for a day does not appeal to you, don’t forget the myriad of sand cays and islands dotted throughout the Marine Park. You have, amongst others, The Whitsundays, Heron Island, Green Island and without a doubt my favorite, Low Isles off the coast of Port Douglas. This sandy coral isle which offers fantastic snorkeling right off the beach. Unfortunately Low Isles will now forever be associated with the death of the great Australian wildlife conservationist Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, who was filming nearby when tragedy struck. However, this tragic event should not detract from the beauty of this idyllic location. The water is clear and shallow, the sand white and there is an abundance of marine life equal to anywhere in the world.
Every year I go back and the reef never fails to impress. Whether it’s migrating Humpback Whales on the cruise out or a startled reef shark trying to avoid being seen (its true, they really are more scared of us than we are of them), every day on the Great Barrier Reef is different. If this is not already on your list of things to do before you die, grab a pen and add it on now, it is an experience you will never forget.
For the record, I am a lot braver now and the first thing I do is head to the edge and look for the sharks, but I admit that familiar music creeps back into my head every time!
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July 20th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Great article! I would love to go to Australia and see the Great Barrier Reef in person. I love coral reefs and fish and have a reef aquarium in my house. But to see the real thing in person must be amazing!