While the brave team from the "GIVE A DAMN" movie were surviving a plane crash, I was vacationing with my family in Australia.  We went to see (and snorkle) the Great Barrier Reef (while it is still around!).  So instead of posting at Conversant, I'd basically "gone fishin'" for the summer.

I had no idea how substantial a catch awaited us. This photo of me snorkeling with a Hump Head Maori Wrasse hasn’t been altered in any way. Yes, the fish really do grow that big on the Great Barrier Reef. Yes, their colors really are that vibrant. While I look like a stuffed sausage in my swimshirt, the wrasse lopes along with such presence.

According to the marine biologist on board our boat, this gentle wrasse is about 40 or 50 years old and STILL GROWING. When my kids spotted it, they choose to swim the other way! This is just one of the amazing sights we encountered Down Under. 

The Great Barrier Reef trails almost the length of Queensland, Australia’s most tropical state. It is truly a thrilling sight, whether viewing it from a plane or in the water. (Evidently, it is even quite distinctive from outer space). We traveled to the Agincourt Reef on the edge of the continental shelf. While we snorkeled just below the surface, close by, the ocean floor drops off several thousand feet. I was so proud of my kids just diving in, face first, off the Quicksilver pontoon. This is a photo of the site from the air. What an incredible location! 

We’ve snorkeled off many of the beaches in Hawaii and honestly, nothing compares to the vibrancy and diversity of the Great Barrier Reef. The colors of the coral range from deep blues to electric greens. The fish swimming amidst the coral offer a remarkable testimony to the importance of protecting our marine life. This small section the reef was teeming with unique species.  The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage marine park desperately worth protecting from the steady and devastating threat of global warming.

It was somewhat troubling to consider the effects of so many tourists scrambling to see the Outer Barrier Reef before it slowly vanishes. But I must commend Quicksilver for both the smooth ride on their catamaran and the active education that they offer visitors. They’ve been consistently commended for their sustainable tours and practices.

The journey made me more committed to responsible stewardship, minimizing my consumption, preserving a future for my grandchildren. How many dynamic secrets are still be discovered off the coast of Australia? It is like God’s aquatic sandbox, loaded with creative possibilities. What visions will the next generation catch? How big will that Hump Head Wrasse be when it really matures, fifty years from now? I desperately want to find out….