GREAT BARRIER REEF

Kangaroo Explorer & Joey

In 1997 I went to Australia and although I only snorkled on the Great Barrier Reef the trip turned out to be the precursor to my diving holidays and probably the main reason I finally learnt to dive.

After flying to Cairns, via Kuala Lumpur, I went on a 4-wheel drive vehicle up north to Cape York, over to Thursday Island and thence by the Kangaroo Explorer down the reef back to Cairns. This is a trip that is only possible in the dry season as parts of the route are impassable in the wet.

The pictures were taken with a waterproof throw-away camera and later digitised.

Since my Scouting days I have always enjoyed camping and to do so through the north of Queensland, cooking on open fires along the way and finally to pitch my tent on the shores of the Coral Sea was my idea of the trip of a lifetime. There have been other 'trips of a lifetime' since them of course but that is another matter.

In camp on the shore of the Coral Sea.

The first stop after leaving Thursday Island was Forbes Island, off Gallon Reef. Here we stopped for a barbeque. It was billed as a highlight but having just cooked on open fires for the last week, it was not although it was pleasant enough.

The pictures were taken in the bay.

Our next stop was at a small unnamed sand cay which is no more than a sand bank with some grass. It is populated by hundreds of birds and is designated a bird sanctuary.

We took a trip in the glass bottomed tender Joey and once again snorkled in the shallows.

The next group of pictures are of Lizard Island and the shallows around it. This island has a rather upmarket resort and a small research station. We had another barbeque on the beach here and tackled the rather difficult ascent to 'Cook's Look' where Captain Cook was supposed to have looked for a way through the reef.

The shallows in the bay are known as the Clam Garden after the number of giant clams.

Next stop was Cod hole and Pixie Wall. Cod Hole is a clear area in the reef and is home to some enormous Potato Cod. The captain and the only diver aboard donned their gear and went in to feed these magnificent animals. I think this was when I first wished that I could dive.

Pixie Wall was incredible and I have never seen so many corals crowded into one place and all looking good. Of course this was in 1997 before the two bleaching incidents caused by El Nino so I don't know what it is like now. Having said that the reefs well away from the crowds from Cairns always were in much better condition than the well frequented ones and the best way to see them is from a liveaboard.

Approaching Cairns just after dawn.

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