SEVENSEAS Marine Conservation & Travel Issue 22, March 2017 | Page 51

Milln and Flynn reefs have excellent visibility and no current. You can expect to see fish big and small, everywhere. With that said, the coral is definitely the main attraction. There are big boulders of coral that the Australians call “Baummies“ have both soft and hard coral growing on them. There are also gardens of staghorn coral where you can find the groupers hanging around.

The Great Barrier Reef is mostly shallow diving. The majority of the dives you do will be between 14-18 meters deep with visibility 20+ meters. Because of this, the outer reef is perfect for snorkelers too. Snorkelers will see just as much as the divers from the surface looking down or free diving below. Guests will get to witness turtles and all the fish and coral. You don’t need to go deep to see amazing sea life.

When to go The Great Barrier Reef is open all year round, but there are better months to visit. Summer in Australia is December through February and is when the humidity is high and when the rainy season is. Winter is June through August and is considered the best time of year to go. The water temperatures range from 24-32C depending what time of year you go. The water will be at its coldest May through August and at it’s warmest January through April.

Protecting the reef The Great Barrier Reef became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. You can do your part in protecting the reef when you visit by not taking anything from the ocean. This means not touching sand, corals or shells. Also, don’t touch any of the fish or turtles. Humans have bacteria on their hands and when they touch the marine life the bacteria from their hands destroys the protective layer on the marine life. It should also go without saying that trash should not be thrown into the water either.

Take only photos, leave only bubbles, kill only time.

March 2017 - Festure Destination

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