Great Barrier Reef

Today was our chance to visit the Great Barrier Reef, one of the wonders of the natural world and a world heritage site which runs for 2200 km along the Queensland coast. We had booked a trip from Port Douglas so a coach collected us from the hotel and drove us up the coast along the edge of the rain forest to take the 1.5 hour journey in a boat with about 150 other people to a pontoon moored on the outer reef (Agincourt) where we spent a number of hours looking at the reef and the fish from various angles. The variety of fish was amazing in terms of colour and size and shape – and we also spotted a turtle – and a marine biologist spoke about the challenges of maintaining the reef in its current state.

Seabirds were in close attendance as well – this Black Noddy sat on the rail as people walked straight past- and a photo I took as we arrived of seabirds on a platform next to the pontoon revealed on close examination three species that we did not see later….

As we arrived back at the hotel there was a Kookaburra to greet us, laughing as they do, and hundreds of flying foxes flew overhead. A full but very enjoyable day.