Discover the World Down Under, The Great Barrier Reef
Days after we booked our flight to Sydney, Jamie insisted we begin watching documentaries on the Great Barrier Reef. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and she will be damned if she didn’t see it! I had no objections, but the documentaries filled me with dread. Some claimed 90% of the Great Barrier Reef is already dead, and suddenly I became worried that all we would see is bleached coral — dead coral, that is. Worried in the same way that you see a beautiful animal carcass on the side of the road: that the human impact destroys all that is beautiful and innocent in this world. I knew that if we swam the Great Barrier Reef, we may be swimming over skeletons. But it is an important anatomy lesson to learn.
We’ve learned that through global warming, the oceans have been soaking up the heat to help regulate it for us, which has caused the water temperature to raise. Since the Coral Reefs are animals, and in raising water temperatures, they cannot sustain in such a feverish state.
Where then, can we find live, healthy coral? Is it at all possible? The answer to that is a refreshing, reinvigorating YES. A yes that brings you faith in the natural world, and reconnects you to the fragile and beauty of our planet that is literally begging for protection.
Lady Elliot Island
Through extensive research, we decided to see the Great Barrier Reef, we can have unlimited access to it — uncrowded and unpolluted — by staying on an island in its Southern region. This island is a coral cay, which means it is not a land mass, but instead an island made up of crushed coral, water, and bird poop. An Eco Resort occupies this small island, providing plane transport to and from mainland Australia, a restaurant, a dive shop, and hotel accommodations. As an eco-resort, it has very minimal impact on the reef that surrounds it. It produces its own electricity and cleans its own water. It is surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef, and is a sanctuary for birds. From the beaches of the island, one is able to swim out and venture into the kingdom beneath.
The island itself is also a major island for sea turtles to lay eggs and for those eggs to hatch. Right outside our beach house were sticks that indicated egg nests. Birds were everywhere, and since they are responsible for laying the foundations of this island, they reigned supreme. It was like being in Hitchcock’s movie, quite literally. Birds flew at my head so many times I ducked, but none had true ill intent. You would walk under trees and see the multitude of eyes and sharp beaks following you. The White Capped Noddy bird is most common, and not at all afraid of humans. You may graze one against your shoulder if you aren’t too careful. I took a liking to them right away, even with their sinisterly sharp beaks, which made it difficult when I would see them in trouble. There is one small grouping of trees on the island, and an invasive plant with sticky branches has created havoc for these birds. We would walk through the trees to get to snorkeling sites, and see a bird stuck in a mess of branches it cannot escape. For many, it is a death sentence. For others, they walk their wings to the water in hopes of gaining freedom. For me, I spent an entire afternoon trying to free these birds, but it left me feeling more helpless than ever. My heart goes out to them. It is so difficult to see the brutal nature of living and dying within the natural, uncivilized world. How do we comfort an animal that knows it will die? How do we comfort ourselves?
We first saw the island from the air. We took a seaplane from Brisbane and flew low over the Gold Coast. Our pilot talked about the land beneath us, and the original names the Aboriginal people gave it. It is incredible to be in a country that does not try to hide its past. Aboriginal culture is brought to the forefront of most events and conversations, and the country tries to extend reparations (in contrast to many places in America that are stepping away from teaching our history of slavery). Lady Eliot Island came into view an hour from the coast, and we saw the dark rim of the Great Barrier Reef surrounding it. When we landed on its small air strip, we were met with a distinct smell of bird poop and salty moisture in the air. Within 30minutes we left our luggage and slapped on our bathing suits. Nothing would keep us from the Reef at our fingertips.
The Lagoon
On the Southeast side of Lady Eliot Island you needed to watch the tide carefully. It can be too shallow to safely clear the tops of the corals, and when high tide rolls in, you are still uncertain if your body will clear the network of corals. However, the Lagoon becomes an incredibly immersive place to see the details of the reef, and to get uncomfortably close with the creatures. The first day at the Lagoon, Jamie braved swimming in it while I chickened out. Sea Cucumbers are the thick black slug like creatures on the sea floor, and I cringed at possibly touching one on accident. My anxiety also ran high thinking that my belly wouldn’t clear the coral in certain areas, and I hate the thought of touching or damaging them. Jamie braved it safely, for herself and the coral, which gave me confidence to do it myself.
The details of the coral were so excitingly close. Since the Coral Reef is an animal, you can see the hundreds upon thousands of polyps that when night comes, blossoms into a mouth like tentacular system to eat and nourish itself. These coral critters pattern themselves like the stems and branches of trees, or the folds of a human brain, or in flat beds or bulbous towers. Clams sit amongst them with thick lips of purple or greens that close tight if you swim too close. Green Sea turtles are everywhere, and the one loggerhead sea turtle I saw floated like a gigantic air balloon over the shallow coral. Reef sharks had no spacial awareness, and would swim in regions much to close to us and to the other animals.
The Coral Gardens and Lighthouse Point
Depending on the current, you snorkeled of the Western side of Lady Eliot Island at one end or the other. We mainly snorkeled at the Lighthouse point, and drifted to Coral Gardens if it was a Northern current, or vice versa for a Southern current. You entered the waters with water shoes to avoid walking on poisonous reef stonefish or cone shells that deliver paralysing venom, and you go along boat entry points to minimize impact of the reef. But once you are out in the water, you are transported to The Drop off just like it is shown in Finding Nemo. The reef was a true underwater kingdom, and you soon are filled with disbelief at the size that the reef must be. To the limit of our eyes reach, it was endless. And colorful. And so, so alive. Like the Disney adaptation, you sometimes witness traffic jams of schools of fish, the clown fish brushing in and out of anemones, the wide glide of the Manta Rays, and the endless patches of jellies.
Bommies and the deep blue
When we swam into the deeper waters, that is where the bommies (a term to describe an isolated pinnacle of reef that rises significantly from the bottom often to just under the surface) are and the Mantas swim to clean themselves. Eagle Rays were everywhere, and just when you were distracted with the underwater show, you would find yourself in a patch of jellies that seemed endless. The sting of these jelly fish were not severe enough for you to be in pain for hours afterwards, but they were painful enough to make you curse underwater. They left their mark too — Jamie and I were covered with bumps from jelly stings for at least a month after snorkeling the reef!
Nothing can diminish our experience in The Great Barrier Reef, not even the Leper-like bumps we dealt with for a month. It was like leaving a gilded palace, struck with a sense of smallness and insignificance that could only be humbling. The majesty of the reef connected you with something greater than yourself — with the forestry of the water, and an absolute life force for our planet. Never can we look at water again and view it as vast and open and bare.
