SCUBA on the Great Barrier Reef- Flynn Reef and South Milln Reef

Ready to board the dive boat!
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An early departure in the grey mist of the morning did not give us the picturesque views we were hoping for, but it was what was underwater that we were anticipating!

Although the crew passed out ginger tablets, many found their way to the back of the boat to "feed the fish."

Although our day started as rainy and grey, the ocean below was teaming with life and color!

Arriving at Moore Reef, the divemaster prepped us with information about bottom times, topography of the site, hand signals and what we can expect to see.

All geared up!
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Our first dive was down approx 60 ft for 60 minutes. Prior to entering the water, our divemaster was excited to have spotted a "sea snake."  While they are highly poisonous and even deadly, she told us they were merely inquisitive and would probably not harm us! I was glad we didn't see it once we were in the water.

The first look under the water's surface is breathtaking! FIsh are everywhere and the corals are beautiful. I remember to breathe and it takes me some time to  to operate the buoyancy compensator for neutral buoyancy. This definitely relates to a lab I do at school where the students must get 3 film canisters to different densities...1 must float, 1 must sink, and 1 must be neutrally buoyant.

The turtle and me!
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As soon as we reach depth, we spot a sea turtle and the videographer takes my picture while he snacks at the reef.  Way cool!!!!!!  He lets me pet his shell is doesn't seem to mind my intrusion.

I try to make note of the fish I see so I can catalog them later! Ha! What a huge undertaking that would be...there are so many here!!!! Every time I think I've memorized colors and patterns, another fish swims by that is equally gorgeous and I forget what the first one looked like.  I guess I'll have to wait for the pictures and compare them to the poster I bought.

Just the turtle!
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We go to a shallower depth for the 2nd dive and I somehow manage to forget my underwater camera topside. Oh well! I just enjoyed looking at everything. On this dive, we see many nudibranches and several very large sea cucumbers! Later on board the boat, I overhear the divemaster jokingly telling someone that it was "whale poop."

The reef is just teaming with life! I wish I could burn an entire tank of air on only one section of the reef and see if I can do a sampling of how many ecosystems,food chains and food webs can be found in just one small area. The intricacies and delicate balance that makes it all work is just astounding to me.

I found Nemo!
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When you take my small little area of study and then expand it to the size and grandeur of the entire Great Barrier Reef, it becomes easy to see why this tremendous resource needs protection.  There must be untold numbers of species still undetermined due to the shear magnitude of this wonder. How many of those species might hold answers to human diseases?  I take a moment and am grateful that I've had this opportunity to see something so wondrous before it becomes destroyed by man.

Is EVERYTHING in Australia poisonous?? This is the feared Lionfish!
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We are very cautious to not touch any living corals as we move through the reef.