G'day Hive!
We have just got back from a little getaway to Agnes Waters/1770 in Central Queensland for New years. While we were up there we headed out to the most southern part of the Bunker Islands in the Great Barrier reef - Lady Musgrave Island for a snorkel.
And man did we have a great day on the reef!
It's always an awesome time snorkeling and exploring the Great Barrier reef. Best of all 1770 is only a 6 hour drive from Brisbane so we're lucky to have the reef so close by.
It's been a couple of years since we visited last so it's great to be back. And this time we have our little man to show him the reef.
It was his 21st month old celebration and what better way than having a swim at the reef!
We boarded the 1770reef boat from the marina at 10.30am and started our two hour journey.
The sea was a bit rough but once we got to the lagoon at Lady Musgrave we were in calm waters!
With this tour company your day trip includes: Snorkeling and a glass bottom boat to Lady Musgrave with a guided tour around the island. But I'll leave the island for another blog.
The Lady Musgrave surrounding reef is 1192ha with a large sheltered lagoon. So there is a lot of reef to explore! And we prob only saw 5% of it.
While we waited for the glass bottom boat to arrive I put up my drone to get a birds eye view of the reef.
Once we did the island tour and worked up a sweat it was time for snorkeling!!!
So once back on the boat we got our snorkel gear on and jumped straight into the water. It was a bit chilly at first but once you started moving, and the fish and coral started to appear as you swam the cold left your mind.
It's a totally different world down here. First we swam out to one of the bommies out to the right. In search of some turtles. This bommies a local cleaning station for the turtles as they carve their shell into the coral and the smaller fish pick and clean them up.
I couldn't see any turtles at this point but I did find a parrot fish swimming around eating the coral.
A huge clam was on the ocean floor.
The coral here is so vivid with colour!
All of a sudden a white tip shark swam past so we kept our distance.
Check out this amazing blue star fish!
I noticed something moving on the bottom of the ocean and to my surprise it was an octopus! I wasn't quick enough to press record on my camera but by the time I started filming the octopus made it's way to safety under a shelf and this was the best shot of him I could get.
There was a big harlequin sweet lip hanging out in-between two shelfs.
There was a big six bar angel fish beside him. They must be good mates.
A painted sweet lip was cruising past
Then I noticed this cool black fish with electric red and blue highlights swim across the coral. This is a Swarthy parrot fish.
This is a trumpet fish I bet you can guess where it got its name from.
Now talk about a rainbow of colours in this parrot fish!
There are so many different fish species down here, it's so amazing!
As we were swimming around I noticed a large shape underneath a shelf. So I dove down
and what do you know it was a turtle!!!
This guy was just chilling down there. It looked like he was taking a nap so I left him alone.
It's so cool to see these green sea turtles. Always makes for a great day!
As I swam up to another bommie I spotted another turtle.
With a closer inspection this was not just any turtle.. It was a Hawksbill sea turtle which are a critically endangered sea turtle. So it was a very special encounter!
You can tell it's a Hawksbill by the beak on him and the jaggered bottom shell.
This guy was on the move so we went on a little adventure with him as he swam around.
And finally went up for air.
Turtles can hold their breath for up to two hours when they are resting .
It was so cool swimming with this Hawksbill turtle what a way to end the year!
Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for my blog about Lady Musgrave Island.
Happy travels!