Great Barrier Reef

This adventure to Australia's Great Barrier Reef took me on a boat across the Coral Sea, into the world’s largest coral reef system, to experience a spectacular underwater environment filled with Giant Clams and other unique sea creatures.

GETTING THERE

The most popular ways to get to the reef are via the city of Cairns in northeastern Australia, or from the resort town of Airlie Beach, about 400 miles south along the coast. I've visited the reef from both!

To get to Airlie Beach, I flew into Proserpine Airport PPP from Sydney SYD. As I looked out the plane window, all I could see was Australian bush. No shoreline at all. I thought I had taken the wrong plane, but it ended up I was just a one hour drive to Airlie Beach.

AMAZING EXCURSIONS

The resort town had a tropical climate and a laid back lifestyle, with everything from budget hostels to luxury hotels. The stunning Coral Sea hugged the coastline, along with several marinas, filled with tour operators, ocean sports activities, and SuperYachts.

There were many wonderful Great Barrier Reef excursions to pick from, I selected one which had a large pontoon stationed at the reef, along with an underwater observatory and a semi-submersible sub, all of it included in the price.

It was about a 3 hour boat ride to the Outer Reef of the Great Barrier Reef, so we set off early. We went past the stunning Whitsunday Islands, cruised in the open sea for a while surrounded by nothing but deep dark blue water, then all of a sudden I noticed underwater large long sections of extremely light colored reefs. They were made up of many different hues of pale blue and aquamarine green.

We arrived at the pontoon, and I quickly set out to be among the first group of people on the submarine. We floated through schools of giant fish, some as big as bicycles! Colorful coral - purple, red, yellow, and more - were everywhere. They were different shapes and sizes, some branched out like bushes, some were shaped like balls, others looked like mushrooms. On the bottom of the sea lay some coral that was stark white. Our guide said they were damaged remnants from a tropical cyclone which made a direct hit 7 years before. He said it took about 10 years for the coral reefs in this area to recover after a big storm.

Next up, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef! At certain times of year, jellyfish swarmed the reef, but I selected a time before they arrived, so I didn't need to wear one of their 'stinger suits', which basically looked like a wetsuit. I jumped off the pontoon into the warm clear waters and snorkeled for hours. In addition to all the fabulous coral, there was exotic marine life everywhere. Bright Tangs, Angelfish, Butterfly Fish, and Parrotfish. Many of them reminded me of fish I had seen snorkeling in Hawaii, but of course the same Pacific Ocean provided a link between both places. I also saw various vibrant sea anemones, some with long tentacles, some with short ones, and dazzling large clams, about two feet long with glowing neon fringes.

My other trip to the Great Barrier Reef was from Cairns. The airport CNS has direct flights from across Asia, and connections through most big cities in Australia. Cruise ships also make stops here.

Cairns was a beautiful coastal city, with a rainforest in the hills, and the reef in the sea, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was filled with marinas, SuperYachts, restaurants, hostels, hotels, and luxury resorts. There was something for everyone!

Tourism was its big business, so there were many tours to pick from. On the reef from this location, I saw the same spectacular marine life as off Airlie Beach. But there was an added bonus - Giant Clams! I'm an avid snorkeler, and I hadn't seen anything like this anywhere before. I couldn't believe my eyes as I snorkeled close to these massive creatures, about four feet long, maybe 400 pounds, and in some cases almost 100 years old! They were multi-colored, majestic and inspiring, some with their shells open, some closed.

I have been to Australia many many times in my life, and I even lived there when I was young. It has many interesting and exciting places to visit, but the captivating natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.