Queensland getaway

As you know, due to Covid, I have been unable to return to the United States. So I had to find something to do for a break. Aussies call what we call "vacation" "holiday." So for my "holiday, I decided to do something on my bucket list and vsiit the Great Barrier Reef.

It lies in Queensland, a state just north of the state of New South Wales where I minister, the state of beautiful Sydney. Queensland's closer to the equator (remember this continent lies below the equator) and so the weather here is more akin to Florida: warm and humid all year round, especially during summer (December, January, February). This year has been particularly wet.

In the area where I’m currently visiting it's tropical. Port Douglas has a saying: "where the rainforest meets the reef." On the plane in, kid of about nine years old in a seat across the ailse said to his brother, "This looks like Cuba!" And I thought to myself, "What does this little child know of Cuba? What kind of parents does he have and what is their business that they know Cuba?" But then I remembered we’re in Australia. And people here go on holiday to just about everywhere in the world without thinking about it, like Americans travel to Florida for our vacation!

Coming off the plane I imagine it did look liek Cuba (I don't remember it, but have seen photos of the center of the isle and it's great big green mountains. It's a 50 minute drive from Cairns (pronounced "cans" like tin cans as Aussies love to eat their "r's") to Port Douglas. For me the landscape reminded me of Hawaii. Very lush and tropical with big green mountains that go right into the ocean. You can see some of that in these pictures I’ve taken in the gallery immediately below. This could almost be Hawaii.

The last picture below is of the resort where I am staying that has a stream running through the middle of it full of tropical plants and flowers.

The following day, I got on this huge boat to take me out to the Great Barrier Reef. From the pier, the day started cloudy and gray; I was worried that we’d have terrible weather for the rest. In my mind was this ideal and I fretted I’d be greatly disappointed. (Surprised?) Boy was I wrong!

Our boat was a catamaran. It took about 90 minutes to get to permanent dock that would be our home for the rest of the day. That sat over the part of the reef where we could snorkel, called Agincourt Reef. The third image below is of our boats "pontoons" (not sure what to call them). I thought the patterns made by the spray looked nice as it shot off the tip.

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR from now on) is huge: according tot he internet, it's the largest coral system in the world composed of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,429 miles) and approximately 344,400 square kilometres (21,975 Square miles)! the biologist on board shared that it can be seen from space! It also has the largest diversity of coral and fish worldwide.

As we got to the floating dock, the sky became clearer and Bluer. And the water was perfect. Clear and calm, ideal for seeing through the ocean.

So I splurged. I decided to do this 10 minute helicopter ride over the great barrier reef. The guy going around the boat said “This is the only way to see this right!” And I am gullible and thought this is probably the only time I’m going to be here, and I want to see it right and I’ve never been on a helicopter before and always wanted to be on one, so I better do this.

And the ride was lovely! For those who don’t like flying because of the turbulence, I recommend taking a helicopter. It was so smooth and gentle. I’d go on it all the time if I could. I think even my younger brother (who loathes flying) would enjoy the ride. And as you can see, from the air the water’s blue is iridescent!

After the short helicopter ride, I was able to go on a semi submersible boat with a glass bottom. The images of the reef aren't quite what one would expect, with colors being pretty dull. The biologist from the boat explained that because so little of the sun's light actually gets down that deep becuase of the water, the actual colors fo the reef look muted. He said that you'd need a powerful light for the photos to capture the actual colors. I wasn't sure what he meant so I asked him later, "So if I took a piece fo the coral and brought it to the surface it might change colors and look more vibrant?" he said "right!"

The fish in the first few shots just sort of hung out by the windows and seemed to be eating the algae off the glass!

Then, finally I got into the water. It was very pleasant. Warmer than my body temperature!

They gave me a snorkel, lycra suit (to prevent sun burn and jellyfish stings) and flippers. I also rented an underwater camera, from which I was able to take these pictures. I took some 300 shots (I just aimed and shot and wasn't rteally sure I caught anything. The coral is all over. As I shared above, it looked pale. Not a lot of color. Some intense indigo corals stood out, and others were pale. I wish I could see this as it really looks—I guess that will be in Heaven!

According to the biologist, each coral is really a colony of animals all living together, reaching for the best place to get sunlight. The fish swim among it and help it grow by cleaning it, from what I understood. You can see the tiny "pods" in some of these photos on the tips of the stag horn corals.

The other thing is that at first you really don't see a lot of fish. Then as you look some more, you see fish everywhere! I followed a couple of very bright and colorful fish called "parrot fish" trying to get the perfect shot! But there were also yellow ones and blue ones. Tiny tetra like schools swimming around. So many everywhere. (See gallery below.)

Below you will also see the dead carcass of a giant clam (it looks just like what you image) and the last shot is a very colorful "burrowing clam." According tot he biologist, those tiny dots around the "mouth of the clam are actually photo receptors! In other words, it's eyes! Now, it doesn't see like we do, but it will close up if a shadow falls over it! So cool!

To see the next photo in the "slideshow," click on the arrow on the right.