reef sharks, dolphins, turtles, marlin, large schools, rare ... sea dragons, sea stars, over 200 algae species, fish ...
travel
Ocean Rafting
Linda Moon
Tourism Whitsundays
snorkelling australia
More top snorkelling spots down under
Ocean Rafting
Clockwise from left: Ocean Rafting snorkelling adventure; coral of the Whitsundays, The Great Barrier Reef; Greenpatch at Jervis Bay; wrasse are gentle giants.
Underwater treasures Forget the Maldives — some of the world’s best snorkelling spots are right here in Australia’s watery backyard. Words LINDA MOON
R
ocked by waves, I’m peering through a partly fogged snorkel mask at an eastern blue groper. The magnificent topaz fish is browsing the sea floor with its peglike teeth and seems oblivious of the snorkellers in the narrow embayment. Here at Clovelly Beach, one of the most popular snorkelling spots in Sydney, the creatures have become accustomed to people. Naturally inquisitive and tame, gropers are particularly vulnerable to spearfishing; however, the blue groper, which can grow to a metre in length, is
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banned from commercial sale and has been protected from spearfishing since 1969. As I venture farther around the rocky mouth of the inlet, an octopus peers back at me with eerily intelligent eyes then slithers away. It’s an unnerving yet rewarding encounter with a creature deemed one of the most intelligent on the planet. With one of the biggest coastlines and some of the most varied oceanic ecosystems on Earth, Australia has much to offer the underwater adventurer. A quarter of the nation’s fish species
are found nowhere else, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures. The world’s largest and most diverse areas of seagrasses and the largest coral reefs exist here. Enabling us to enjoy marine creatures of all shapes and colours as they go about their daily lives, snorkelling gives us access to underwater kingdoms as foreign and wondrous as Mars. It costs little more than the price of some rudimentary gear, a trip to the ocean and time and patience. More satisfying, humane and thrilling than an aquarium, it offers the added bonus of healthy
exercise and spending time in some of Australia’s most beautiful and unique natural settings. However, this beautiful yet fragile world is vulnerable to human and environmental destruction, including overfishing, climate change, pollution, cyclones and more. Our oceans’ precarious position is highlighted by such research as an Australian Marine Conservation Society study that found marine sanctuaries have five times more fish biomass than nearby “fished” areas. Thus, marine sanctuaries are not only important to conservation but fabulous places to snorkel.
Jervis Bay, NSW Long Reef Marine Park, three hours’ drive (180km) south of Sydney, is considered one of Australia’s best locations for snorkelling outside the Great Barrier Reef. Protected since 1998 and spanning 100km of coastline from Kinghorn Point south to Sussex Inlet,
the reserve is home to more than 210 reef fish species, rays, sharks, marine mammals, coral, sponges and more. Treading water among buffeting waves, I’m floating in frigid surf a few metres from the shore, near the rocks at the Murrays Beach boat ramp. It’s rumoured to be one of the best spots for offshore snorkelling in Jervis Bay. Clustered around the rocks is an ecosystem of life. A black monster the size of a Volkswagen emerges from the gloom. It turns out to be only a giant manta ray and sweeps by with the majesty of a dragon. The reef mantas, which are smaller than their oceanic counterparts, reach an average wingspan of 3.5 metres. Continuing along the rocky clefts, I encounter schools of fish and a gigantic but gentleeyed green wrasse. A short drive away at Hyams Beach, I warm up on powdery sand reputed to be among the whitest in the world before hitting the water again. I swim over the
New South Wales Lord Howe Island has some of the best snorkelling in Australia. 350km from Sydney harbour, it’s the world’s southernmost coral reef and the site of NSW’s only fringing coral reef lagoon. See: Coral, over 500 species of fish, reef sharks, dolphins, turtles, marlin, large schools, rare and unique species such as Spanish dancers, doubleheaded wrasse, Galapagos whalers. About 2.5km off of Byron Bay’s shore at Julian Rocks Marine Reserve, the remnants of a volcanic eruption more than 20 million years ago has created a sedimentary rock platform that is the site of a thriving marine reserve. See: Coral, sponges, turtles, rays, wobbegong sharks, grey nurse sharks, 500 species of fish including cuttlefish, leaf scorpion fish, pineapple fish and white anemone fish. Western Australia Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef at WA’s mid-north coast is one of the best snorkelling spots in Australia and the site of the nation’s largest fringing reef. Swim straight off the beach to see the critters. See: Coral, whale sharks, dugongs, rays, over 520 species of reef fish, turtles and more. Tasmania At the 731-hectare Ninepin Point Marine Nature Reserve, near the mouth of the Huon River, cooler marine temperatures, tannin-rich water and lower light infiltration create a unique reef experience. See: Sponge gardens, kelp forests (declining because of warming seas), sea dragons, sea stars, over 200 algae species, fish including wrasse, feather stars, lace bryozoans, tangerinecoloured sea tulips, sea whips.
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warns. “It’s a living animal.” Touching the fish can also weaken their natural protective barriers. Slipping into the ocean, we swim towards the blue-green water above the fringing reef. Like an underwater garden, the sun-washed oasis of coral stretches beneath us in myriad dazzling hues and textures. Reef fish, including blue damselfish, flick through the coral like colourful birds and butterflies. The fingers of soft corals and anemones flutter in the blue tide. Giant clams yawn shut. They are light sensitive, Dani explains: “You close off light when you swim over them.” Our next stop is Mantaray Bay on the opposite side of Hook Island. Within minutes of Dani sprinkling food, we’re mobbed by schools of yellowtail fusilier, rainbow-coloured parrotfish and two huge Maori wrasse. Afterwards, there’s a tumultuous and thrilling ride through God’s Washing Machine: a section of water where three currents merge. At lunchtime we arrive, as if in a dream, at Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island. Stretching for 7km, the sparkling, 98 per cent silica white sand melds with impossibly blue water beneath the infinite sky. It’s an idyllic, almost mirage-like spot to warm up in the sun with a buffet lunch.
How to protect sea creatures
Clockwise from left: pink anemone fish, Dampier archipelago; Hardy Reef, Whitsundays; Dampier Archipelago, WA, from Heli-Tour; The Great Barrier Reef.
Tourism Whitsundays
Linda Moon
Pilbara Dive and Tours
If you see illegal or suspect fishing activities, or damage to fish habitats, report it via: your nearest Fisheries Office the Fishers Watch Phoneline: 1800 043 536 the online report form: service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/ report-illegal-fishing
Dampier, WA
sand towards the rocky reef and a blue starfish glistens from the sea floor. Striped pipefishes (related to seahorses) wriggle like zebra worms through the ocean’s current. A small Port Jackson shark lies unmoving on the bottom. An ancient form of shark pre-dating the dinosaur, the nocturnal creature appears to be sleeping. I swim farther into a deep-blue chasm and am surrounded by a school of squid; mesmerised, I watch as they change colour. Cuttlefish, relatives of the squid, are also common in the area. A school of fish glide by in unison, like a beautiful, fluttering silver shawl. The park’s mix of ecosystems (including seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, estuaries, rocky reefs and open ocean) provides habitats to many threatened and protected species including pipefish, seahorses, grey nurse sharks, eastern blue devilfish, elegant wrasse, black rock cod and more. Humpback and southern right whales pass the park during their annual 114 | wellbeing.com.au
Top tours for beginners New South Wales Ecotreasures. Short guided snorkelling tours for beginners (including children) in Sydney at Manly and the Basin campground estuary (Pittwater). ecotreasures.com.au/tours/manlysnorkeling-tour Queensland Ocean Rafting. Supervised snorkelling tours from Airlie Beach and Daintree National Park (Cape Tribulation). oceanrafting.com.au Western Australia Discovery Cruising. Day cruises of the Dampier Archipelago and snorkelling, departing from Dampier. discoverycruising.com.au
migration. A resident pod of dolphins and fur seals regularly delights visitors. Above the water, there are friendly kangaroos and parrots and stunning beaches, coastal creeks and rocky
shorelines to enjoy in the Aboriginalowned and -operated Booderee National Park.
Great Barrier Reef, Qld Of course, Australia’s best snorkelling lies north, in the Great Barrier Reef. It’s not called “great” for nothing; the GBR is the world’s largest coral reef and is situated within one of Australia’s most opulent settings. Visible from space and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, it covers 2300km of the Queensland coast (from Bundaberg to Cape York) and consists of about 3000 individual reefs and coral cays. The reef hosts over 1600 species of tropical fish, 600 types of coral (the world’s largest collection), giant clams, sharks, rays, whales, dolphins, crocodiles and more. My ride out to it departs Airlie Beach with boatsman Tim at the helm and marine biologist Dani on board, speeding across the blue vista of the Coral Sea with a boatload of others. Pulsing with music, the windswept, high-speed,
adrenalin-charged Ocean Rafting Tour is undertaken on a 12-metre semi-rigid inflatable vessel with the aim of getting visitors to the reef quickly. It’s one of many options, including Reefworld’s floating pontoon, from which to explore. With the reef comprising only 7 per cent of the World Heritage-listed 344,400km2 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and stingers in summer, it’s wise to be guided by insider knowledge. “Last week I was mobbed out here by two teenage humpbacks,” Tim tells, pointing to the passage between Airlie Beach and Hayman Island. According to Dani, six out of seven of the world’s turtle species are seen here. Because of human activity, nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as endangered. The boat peters to a stop at Hook Island. Jutting from the sea like a beached, emerald whale, the isle lies 29km offshore and is a prime spot for coral. We’re instructed not to tread on the reef or to touch anything. “Flippers are the biggest killer of coral reefs,” Dani
About 1540km north of Perth, the old pearling port town of Dampier is the gateway for snorkelling and diving tours within the Dampier Archipelago. Such remoteness has favoured the region’s sea creatures. Covering 42 islands and islets within a 45km radius of Dampier, the archipelago is considered the richest area of marine biodiversity within Western Australia and remains uninhabited and wild. The Indian Ocean sparkles beyond Dampier’s signature palms as we board the Blue Marlin, with skipper Brad and Natalie of Pilbara Dive and Tours, for a tour of the islands and a snorkelling adventure. According to Natalie, the islands range from 25 to 90 minutes away from the shore and most are surrounded by fringing reef similar to that around the Great Barrier Reef. The area is home to 650 species of fish, eels, rays, turtles, dugongs, dolphins, white- and black-tipped reef sharks, corals, seagrass beds, sponges, anemones and more. Humpback whales from Antarctica stop to have their calves in the area’s warmer waters. It’s also an important location for turtle
Snorkelling safely Although renowned as a safe sport, snorkelling does have some risks. On average, 11 people die from snorkelling annually (mostly from cardiac causes and drowning related to inexperience), according to a study published in The Medical Journal of Australia in 2012. Experts recommend the following safety tips: Never snorkel alone. Use a wetsuit to protect against stingers and for extra thermal warmth and protection. Use a safety vest. Keep a distance from marine life. Know your limits. Heed warnings and take precautions regarding potential dangers such as crocodiles, stonefish, seasonal cyclones and tides.
breeding, including the flatback, green and hawksbill turtle, Natalie says. The largest hawksbill breeding colony in the Indo-Pacific region is found here. Our snorkel is conducted in the tranquil bay of Angel Island, one of several National Heritage Listed islands within the archipelago. A dramatic coastline coloured metallic red by its iron deposits and topped with gold spinifex-clad hills wraps the indigo bay. Combined with the sky’s eternal blue, the vivid colours are a striking feature of the region’s landscapes. The island is untouched by a single manmade structure and there is only one other small boat here in the bay, adding to the sense of adventure. Jumping into the placid water, I glide through a maze of pink jellyfish. Using the underwater camera Natalie has provided, I snap pictures of my finds. At 22°C (the minimum sea temperature in the region), the water is deliciously warm. In summer, sea temperatures reach 30° and the air temperature 40° and above, Natalie says. There’s a rocky reef further out, abloom with hard and soft corals and favoured by reef fish including dainty blue damselfish and clownfish. A spotted stingray lies camouflaged in the sand. After my snorkel, I rest blissfully on the crescent of white sand encircling the bay. Remarkably, it’s unblemished by a single footprint. Linda Moon is a freelance health, travel and lifestyle writer and a qualified naturopath based in Katoomba, NSW.
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