Another major highlight along Ribbon No. 10 Reef is the internationally recognised dive site called Cod Hole. The site is located at the northern tip of the reef and is home to a group of potato cod, also known as potato grouper. The cod got its name from the large potato-shaped markings on its body. Between its thick pouty lips and sad-looking eyes, it’s no wonder it has such a brooding appearance.
Like the minke whales, the potato cods are very friendly and curious. They are used to divers visiting, especially when they bring treats. Growing to 8ft (2.5m) and weighing as much as 220lb (100kg), they are pretty photogenic. They don't shy away from being photographed with divers.
Let’s go diving with a local cod and hang out with a school of sweetlips. There are close to a hundred of them swimming in tight formations. One of the reasons for that is to confuse predators, making it difficult to be singled out and preyed upon. Sweetlips have great colouring with their white body, black stripes, yellow fins, tail, and lips.
As I explored the seafloor, I discovered a black sea cucumber, named thus because it resembles a cucumber. Members of the Echinoderm family that include starfish and sea urchins, sea cucumbers are soft and almost slimy in appearance. They have rows of tiny tube feet that help them with locomotion, and around their mouth, they have a bunch of tentacles they use to capture their prey. These funny little creatures breathe through their rear because that's where their lungs open to extract oxygen from water. When they want to protect themselves, they expel a sticky, thread-like substance to ensnare their predators. Although not dangerous to humans, they can irritate the skin if handled without gloves.
If you're up for a little look 'n find, see if you can spot a Bicolor Chromis, a small black fish with a distinctive white tail swimming below and to the left of the cod.
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Ribbon No. 10 Reef is the last of the Ribbon Reefs and the longest. The Vertical Gardens are between reefs No. 9 and No. 10, with steep walls separated by a gently sloping bay. Strong currents can interfere with diving, but the marine and coral life here is plentiful. Amongst the coral are several giant clams in blue, green, and even frilly ones with angelfish, pink anemonefish and the strange looking but vibrantly coloured nudibranchs (type of sea slugs) flitting about. Sometimes white tip sharks cruise on by looking for their next dinner.
About a third of the way up from the Vertical Gardens, I had the most delightful encounter with a group of three minke whales. The whale in the middle was small compared to the rest and might very well be a calf. Minkes are inquisitive whales and love swimming close to divers and checking them out. They are beautiful creatures with an upside-down smile and are easily recognised by their black-to-grey tops, white belly, and white stripes on their flippers.
Minkes were elusive creatures discovered only in the 1980s. Initially, they were mistaken for being orcas until further investigation identified them as a brand-new species. While they are the smallest species of the baleen whales, they can reach 26ft (8m) in length and weigh a hefty six tonnes. Minkes are filter feeders that usually feed in sub-Antarctic waters or open oceans when migrating to tropical waters. They have never been seen to feed in the Great Barrier Reef.
Swimming with minkes is an exceptional encounter that is limited to only about six weeks a year when they are passing through on their migratory journey. A marine biologist once described the experience as "people watching," not "whale watching," because it is up to the minkes to decide whether they want to swim with divers or not. As they gracefully glide nearby, I count myself lucky to have this interaction with them. What a special treat!
Can you find the minkes? Look west of Ribbon No. 10 Reef's southern end.
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Located on the edge of the continental shelf, between Cooktown and Lizard Island, are a chain of ten individual reefs, referred to as Ribbon Reefs. They don't have fancy names; they are simply numbered from one to ten. The reefs are long and narrow, no wider than 1480ft (450m), separated by sandy gullies. The depths range from 16-98ft (5-30m), except on the side facing the Coral Sea trench, where they drop up to 3300ft (1000m), making for some exciting wall diving.
Several dive sites can be found along this 62-mile (100-km) stretch of ribbon reef, each offering its own unique experience. For instance, Reef No. 3 is known for Steve's Bommie, a submerged coral column towering over the reef platform. Reef stonefish are sometimes camouflaged between the corals. Fatal to humans, they are dangerous animals not to be trifled with.
Another fabulous bommie is at Reef No. 10, called the Lighthouse because it resembles one. Sea turtles use the bommie as a cleaning station, and schools of yellow-lined snappers and barracuda swim in abundance. Lionfish, olive sea snakes, and butterfly fish may make an appearance. Just keep a wide berth from the cool-looking but venomous lionfish, as they cause significant pain to humans.
Between Reef No. 4 & 5 are the Clam Gardens, home to giant clams. These massive two-part shell mollusks with a wavy colourful opening can live up to a hundred years and weigh as much as 440lb (200kg).
I chose to explore the north part of Reef No. 5 where visibility was clear and the coral colourful. Cruising by was a group of bumphead parrotfish. These odd-looking fish have a huge bump on their forehead and a beak-like mouth. They love eating algae which they source by biting chunks of coral. When the crushed coral digests, it gets excreted as sand. One parrotfish can produce up to 200lbs (90kg) of sand per year. Since they travel in large numbers chomping on coral all day long, imagine how much sand they make.
Can you spot the school of bumphead parrotfish or the black surgeonfish? Closer to the surface and harder to find are a handful of blackback and saddle butterflyfish.
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Another spectacular diving and snorkelling site is Agincourt Reefs, a collection of smaller reefs filled with colourful corals. Although they might appear like underwater rock gardens, these corals are actually living organisms. They are groups of tiny animals called polyps, the diligent workers that build our reefs. They have a sac-like body, a base that holds them in place, and a mouth at the top ringed with tentacles. On the edge of the tentacles are stinging cells that help capture their food in the form of zooplankton.
Inside a coral's tentacles are microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that absorb sunlight and convert it to food and energy, just like plants do. In return, the coral provides the zooxanthellae with a safe place to live. For this relationship to work, coral must live in shallow, warm waters giving the algae access to light to produce the food. The corals have transparent polyps, but the pigment that determines their bright colours is produced by zooxanthellae.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 600 species of coral, a combination of both hard and soft. The hard corals are the reef-builders. They secrete calcium carbonate beneath their bodies that convert into rigid, rock-like structures. As the calcium carbonate builds up, the reef grows. One hard coral genus responsible for building many large reef structures is the Acropora. Recognisable species within the genus include plate coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral. Other recognisable species are brain corals, mushroom corals and tube corals. Their common names are often representative of their shape, making them easier to identify.
The soft corals, however, cannot produce calcium carbonate, so they cannot contribute to the building process. Resembling trees and plants, soft corals tend to sway with the ocean currents. Beauties in this collection include the candelabra coral, fan coral, toadstool coral, sea whip, and soft tree coral.
Every year, when the moonlight, saltiness of the water, and tide are just right, trillions of fertilised eggs are released into the ocean. After dividing into larvae, they float around for days or weeks before attaching themselves to a hard surface. As they grow into polyps, they reproduce and multiply until a coral colony forms.
Come dive with me, and let's see how many types of corals we can discover.
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I'm zigzagging across the Great Barrier Reef, first out on the shelf at Myrmidon, then back in the inner reef at Fraser Island, and now back on the shelf at Norman Reef. It is a small reef, but it is well-known as one of the best diving sites in the region.
Not wasting any time, I got in the water and started exploring. The visibility was excellent, letting in plenty of light on the corals. Large spreads of green lettuce coral were next to the fast-growing staghorn coral. There were helmet-shaped porites and plate corals that looked like dinner plates. Have you ever seen brain coral? They look just like brains! Many varieties are present, making identification a challenge.
Well, no matter because the green sea turtle gliding above the colourful coral garden was a fabulous distraction. It is one of seven species found on earth, of which six live within the Great Barrier Reef. The green turtle is a solitary creature, except for mating season, and is the most common turtle species seen on the Barrier Reef. While most turtles are omnivorous, green turtles are herbivorous as adults, eating algae and seagrass. Females may travel thousands of miles between feeding and hatching grounds. They often return to the beach where they were hatched to lay their own eggs, anywhere between 100-200 per hatch. The gender of the hatchlings is dependent on the temperature of the eggs. Those buried in deeper sand where it's cooler will hatch boys, whereas eggs laid in warmer or shallower sand will hatch girls.
Green sea turtles grow to about 5ft (1.5m) long, and their carapace turns completely brown at maturity with various patterns. Naming them "green" is not about their colour; it refers to the green fat that lies beneath their shell, resulting from their vegetarian diet.
Turtles are ancient creatures who lived with dinosaurs. The closest ancestor to modern sea turtles is Desmatochelys padillai. They lived during the Cretaceous period, around 120 million years ago, when reptiles ruled the ocean and were at the top of the food chain. It is hard to imagine sea turtles as apex predators, given that they are on the endangered species list these days. But there they were, hunting in the wild oceans alongside plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs.
I am glad today's sea turtles are docile reptiles. It allows me to observe them without worrying about being the next meal.
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Fitzroy Island is a continental island that was connected to the mainland until sea levels rose at the end of the last Ice Age. It is covered in lush tropical rainforests, granite outcrops, mangroves, and coral beaches.
The island can be explored on four walking tracks. They range from a short 25-minute hike on a rocky track through rainforests to a longer walk to the summit offering views of Green Island, the ocean, and migrating humpback whales in winter.
A variety of reptiles make Fitzroy Island their home. Due to the island's isolation, reptiles such as the yellow-spotted monitor are the apex predators, hunting for small mammals, birds, eggs, and lizards. Another common reptile on the island is the major skink, often found sunning on large boulders or scurrying across logs. Less appealing is knowing that there are several species of snakes, such as carpet python, spotted python, slaty-grey snake, and a couple of species of tree snake. The upside to this knowledge is that they are not dangerous to humans, but I would still give them a wide berth.
Many types of birds can be spotted on the island. There’s the solitary emerald dove rummaging on the forest floor or the snow-white pied imperial pigeon migrating from New Guinea to nest. An osprey may glide gracefully in the sky when it suddenly swoops into the ocean to catch fish in its sharp talons. But what would be even better is catching a glimpse of a Ulysses butterfly with its striking electric blue wings.
A visit to the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre is a lovely end to exploring the island. There, injured or sick turtles are cared for and helped to recover before being released back into the ocean.
The Centre also supports the Reef Restoration Project, which focuses on creating offshore coral nurseries on the island. Small amounts of healthy coral are collected and placed in the nursery, where they can grow and multiply faster than on the reef. The propagating process is very similar to taking cuttings from healthy plants and growing new plants. The Restoration Project has successfully planted more than 300 coral trees onto the reef. A fantastic effort considering they began in 2017 with only six coral trees.
Eager to get underwater again, I look forward to my next stop on Norman Reef.
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Patience is necessary when cruising for several hours across the Barrier Reef to reach the edge of the continental shelf. Sitting on the edge of the shelf is Myrmidon Reef.
The reef is within the Marine Park Green Zone, so no fishing is permitted in this area, making it an environment rich in marine life and a great diving experience. All sorts of fish can be found here: black and white snapper, shark mackerel, turrum trevally, and blue-spotted coral trout.
Much as I appreciate all types of marine life, the highlight at Myrmidon was the pod of bottlenose dolphins I encountered on the north side of the reef. These incredibly intelligent mammals are very social and playful and seem to have a permanent smile. Breathing through a blowhole at the top of the head, these gorgeous sleek, streamlined mammals can slice through the water at speeds of up to 14mi/h (23km/h). When they rest, they keep one eye open just in case a predator has something unsavoury in mind.
Dolphins are great communicators. They use a combination of echolocation, vocalization, and physical touch to get their message across. Gentle fin touching signifies affection, whereas a hard bump and aggressive charge typically says "back off." When they use echolocation, dolphins emit a sound wave that bounces off objects or other animals, revealing what is around them and how far and large it is. During a conversation, dolphins use different vocal pitches to recognise each other.
The best part about dolphins is that they like humans, and they've been known to rescue injured divers by pushing them to the surface. A great rescue story took place off the coast of New Zealand in 2004 when a small group of swimmers was suddenly encircled by a pod of dolphins. At first, the group thought it was nice to be so close and personal, but it didn't take long to realise something was amiss. Cruising toward them was a great white shark. The dolphins slapped their tails and created plenty of fuss until the shark turned away and left.
That's one great story I can get behind, but for now, I'm going to enjoy swimming with the dolphins and see how many there are. My total count came to 19; how many can you find? Check the underwater photography on Myrmidon.
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Sitting in 100ft (30m) of water about half an hour from Alva Beach near Ayr is the century-old shipwreck, SS Yongala. A passenger steamer en route from Melbourne to Cairns, SS Yongala steamed into a cyclone and sank about 40 nautical miles south of Townsville. All on board perished, their remains still inside the wreck, making the SS Yongala an official gravesite. Since the mid-1990s, divers were banned from penetrating the shipwreck to protect its remains.
When Yongala didn't arrive by the end of March 1911, a search and rescue operation was activated to no avail. Debris was found along the mainland's coast, and the only body discovered was of the racehorse, Moonshine. As the Great War loomed, followed by the Second World War, the wreck of SS Yongala disappeared into obscurity. Sometime in 1943, a minesweeper snagged onto the wreck while checking for mines. Assuming it was just a shoal, no further investigation was undertaken.
Then in 1958, a couple of local skin divers came across the shipwreck and instantly recognised it as the SS Yongala. The ship was listing to starboard, and the bow was pointing north. Most of the wood had already disappeared, leaving only part of the deck and the iron hull but what remained was in remarkably good shape.
As the only underwater structure for miles, the SS Yongala became a haven to marine life, converting the wreck into an artificial reef encasing the hull in colourful soft corals.
Decked in diving gear, I jumped from the back of the boat and pulled myself down one of the mooring lines to the top of the wreck about 52ft (16m) below the surface. Visibility was excellent, and I was ready to explore.
Thousands of glass fish were around the wreck where Dendronephthya, a gorgeous pink soft coral, dominated the ship's topside. Among them were knotted fan corals, giant clams, and fiery-red sea whip. A little further, I watched a battery of barracudas on a mission and moray eels squirming out from their hiding place, searching for their food. Eels are fascinating creatures. Due to poor eyesight, they use their strong sense of smell to find their prey. They ambush them with sharp, piercing teeth that curve backward towards their throat, preventing the prey from escaping. If that wasn't enough, eels have a secondary set of jaws within their throat which lunge forward, grab hold of the prey, and pull it down, swallowing it whole.
Since the wreck is also a cleaning station, many megafauna regularly visit. Some of the more common guests are hawksbill turtles, marble rays, guitarfish, humphead wrasse, giant groupers, sea snakes, and on rare occasions, whale sharks and humpback whales.
The SS Yongala's journey ended tragically, but today it is one of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef. It is so full of marine life that it is difficult to know where to look. Come for a look; what do you see?
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Whitehaven Beach is truly white and definitely a haven. The first thing I wanted to do when the catamaran arrived was jump in the aquamarine water. The water was so clear I could see the bottom for miles, and as soon as I touched the beach with my feet, I could hear the sand squeaking between my toes.
The sand was remarkably cool to the touch, somewhat unusual given the high temperatures. It is likely to do with its composition. Unlike any other beaches in the Whitsundays, where the sand is coarser, Whitehaven has fine white sand that is 98% silica. Geologists believe that the sand drifted along the Queensland coast, just like the sand on Fraser Island, millions of years ago. As the sea levels rose and fell, over time, the freshwater washed away any impurities leaving behind this perfectly soft sandy beach for us to enjoy.
At the north end of Whitehaven Beach was the entrance to Hill Inlet, composed of huge swirls of sand and pale blue-green water. Best seen from Hill Inlet Lookout, it was a short hike through dense rainforest. The views from the top were exquisite, with three viewing platforms providing different vantage points. Keeping my eyes peeled, I searched for the chance to see stingrays gliding in the clear waters below.
Not satisfied with just one lookout, I walked the length of the beach, about 4mi (7km) to the southern end. Once there, I hiked up to the South Whitehaven Lookout for views of the nearby Teague and Haslewood Islands.
Hanging out at Whitehaven Beach was heavenly. I enjoyed frolicking in its waters and checking out the tiny fish going about their business.
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Hamilton Island is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands. Imagine swaying palm trees, white sandy beaches, and easily accessible coral reefs. The Traditional Owners of the Whitsundays were the Ngaro people. In the mid-1800s, Europeans settled in the region as sugarcane farmers, graziers, and loggers. By the late 20th century Hamilton Island was turned into a tourist destination. Privately owned, only a third of the island is developed. The rest remains in its pristine, natural condition.
Like my walk on Great Keppel Island, I chose to hike the many trails on Hamilton Island. Starting at the Scenic Trail Entrance near Catseye Beach, the first trail was to Resort Lookout. It is the second highest point on the island, with views over the resort, the marina, the airport, Dent Island and Henning Island.
Heading east towards Saddle Junction, I took a slight detour for a quick pit stop at Flat Top Hill Lookout, with views both north and south of the island. Back on the track at Saddle Junction, I took a southwest turn to reach the secluded Coral Cove beach with views toward Lindeman Island. I found an oversized swing chair in the sand here, a perfect place to sit and swing while enjoying the crystal-clear waters.
Back on the trail, I hiked through the junction again, taking an easterly turn to tackle the many stairs that led up to Passage Peak. It is the highest point on the island, with incredible 360-degree views of the Whitsunday Islands.
From Passage Peak, I travelled south through the dense bush that opened to rocky cliffs. Right at the trail's end was the scenic spot, South East Head, with an enormous wooden chair that just called for me to sit and take in the ocean views.
With my hiking complete, it was time to cool off at Catseye Beach. I plan to snorkel toward the reef, searching for turtles. I am told they love eating the seagrass here, so my chances of seeing one are very good.
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The Great Barrier Reef has a story millions of years in the making. In ancient times the Reef was a coastal plain attached to the Australian mainland covered in eucalyptus and paperbark forests. Mainland animals roamed the area, and the Traditional Owners hunted for food. The plains had many large limestone hills, part of older reefs that had died out through previous mass extinction events.
Around 20,000 years ago, the earth's climate started to heat up, and the ice around the poles began to melt. Over time, the sea levels rose and eventually flooded this low-lying coast, shifting the mainland coastline to its current position. Coral reefs grew on the continental shelf's rocky edge, creating a natural barrier. The hills covered most of the way by water formed the numerous islands found today. Around the islands' coasts, fringing reefs developed. Shallow lagoons separate the fringing reefs from the islands. Fringing reefs are not limited to islands as they also grow along continental coasts. One such example is the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, which at 160mi (260km), is the longest fringing reef in the world.
The large body of water between the mainland and the continental shelf is a lagoon that varies widely in size, depth, and types of coral that live there. There are different zones of coral reefs depending on their location. The zone nearest to the mainland is a reef flat, where corals may be exposed due to shifting tides. Exposure to air for too long stresses the corals, impeding their ability to grow properly. However, marine life is abundant, with clams, oysters, crabs, and lobsters dominating. The next zone slopes upwards, called the reef crest. It is the highest point of the reef. When exposed at low tide, the reef receives the full brunt of the waves. Only robust corals can survive here, such as the coralline algae. This pinkish-encrusting seaweed grows in thin layers over stones and coral rubble. They act like a binding agent, stabilising the reef structure, reducing erosion, and providing shelter for reef dwellers. Past the reef crest is the last zone, the fore reef or outer reef. Warmed by ocean currents and sheltered from winds and wave actions, the fore reef is where most corals and the widest variety of them grow. Divers have a high chance of swimming with sharks and barracuda in this area.
The Great Barrier Reef is an incredibly complex ecosystem, and the above description of its composition barely scratches the surface. Still, I hope it provides an insight into this magnificent natural feature.
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Pick a beach, any beach. There is no shortage of beaches on Great Keppel Island. As the largest of the 18 islands in the Keppel Group, it is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches and the bluest and most transparent waters.
The island's indigenous name is Woppaburra, meaning 'People belonging to the island.' Its traditional owners are the Woppaburra people, who inhabited the island until colonial settlers forcibly relocated them to the mainland in the early 20th century. Nearly 120 years later, the Woppaburra people were recognised as native titleholders of Great Keppel Island.
The Woppaburra people are from a wider Whale Dreaming Indigenous Community to whom the Mugga Mugga (humpback whale) is a sacred spiritual totem. They believe it is their responsibility to protect the whales and the environment they live in. As such, in 2007, they joined forces with environmentalists and governments by writing an open letter asking Japan to cease killing 50 humpback whales for "scientific purposes." The letter described in detail the spiritual significance of the humpback whale to their culture and the importance to "respect and honour all living things, in the circle of life." Following significant global pressure, Japan cancelled its plans.
Protecting the whales has had a positive impact as their population has grown. It is estimated that 15,000 whales migrate north each year to breed, nearly double when compared to the 8,000 in 2006.
Great Keppel Island has many water-based activities, from snorkelling to diving, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding to swimming in pristine waters. However, I chose to strap on my runners and head out on the island’s most challenging trail crossing it from west to east. The hike started as a leisurely walk on a flat trail when I reached the First Lookout with a few narrow views to the west.
Continuing, I kept an eye out for blue-tongue lizards and goannas basking in the sun. The trail passed the historical Leeke Homestead. It was built in the 1920s for Lizzie Leeke and her then-husband, who took over a grazing lease to raise sheep. When her husband left, she stayed until the mid-1940s, when she sold the property. Today, it is listed on Queensland's Heritage Register.
As I trekked through the bush and slowly climbed up the hill, the trail plateaued on a ridge. Heading to Bald Rock Point, the last section was devoid of vegetation. Feeling the blustering wind, I picked up the pace to reach the small lighthouse at the end of the point. Here I enjoyed views of the nearby islands, and I could just make out some of the Capricorn Group islands far off in the distance.
After a rest and a snack, I’ll start my journey back to the resort for a relaxing swim.
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