Date achieved:
Tuesday 29th March 2022
Where?
Lady Elliot Island, Australia
Why is this experience on the Challenge List?
The Great Barrier Reef is an Australian icon and something that everyone wants to see to revel in its Marvels. It’s a place that everyone wants to explore and I know that when I visit I want to learn and discover the diversity the reef has to offer.
Description:
My grandmother has told me stories of how when my grandfather was younger and was travelling around Australia on a road trip in the 1970’s he swam in the Great Barrier Reef and said that the colours were so vibrant and rich. The Great Barrier Reef holds a lot of memories for many people and I wanted to experience this place for myself.
In 2020, I had a holiday booked to Port Douglas to go and swim in the Great Barrier Reef, I was elated that I was finally going to get the chance to experience this magical place but then COVID happened and the holiday was cancelled. Then the following year, when COVID seemed to be disappearing the following year we decided to book another holiday to Port Douglas in July 2021 but when the time came again to leave it got cancelled the week prior to leaving. It was rescheduled for September 2021 and again it was cancelled. It wasn’t as if I wasn’t trying to achieve this goal there were just obstacles in the way of going but I was determined to go and no matter what the wait would be I knew that it would have all been worth it.
In March 2022, I set off on an adventure of a lifetime and embarked on a road trip that I didn’t entirely know the final destination but was just keen for an adventure. After spending a few nights in Noosa, someone that I met there suggested that I go and check out Lady Elliot Island but warned me it was hard to get there as you have to book well in advance. I rang the next day on Saturday and booked for Tuesday, the trip to the Great Barrier Reef was finally happening!
I stayed overnight in Hervey Bay and then had to get up early to get on the flight from Bundaberg, which was to take us to Lady Elliot Island. The interesting thing about Lady Elliot Island is that it is a hidden gem, I didn’t even know about it but I was so grateful that I found out about it! The flight from Bundaberg to lady Elliot Island took about 25 minutes, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when we circled over the Island it was truly an incredible view.
When I arrived on the Island we got a safety briefing and an overview of the tour inclusions, the walks that you can do on the island and where to get food. They were running a glass-bottom boat and snorkel tour in the reef surrounding Lady Elliot Island, shortly after arriving. On the Glass Bottom boat, we spotted so much coral and six turtles that appeared to be enormous through the glass. Then we got to go snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef, it was the moment that I had been waiting for…
VIDEO - Wide snorkel
Diving into the crystal clear blue water you will notice that the water is still warm, a perk of being in Queensland. Swimming around there is just so much to see everywhere, the coral was spectacularly beautiful there were so many different types of coral with various shapes and sizes it was like a coral forest. Whilst swimming around we spotted many types of fish and quite a few larger fish as well, the fish are able to get so large in that area of the reef because it is a protected area.
After swimming and eating the buffet lunch I went for a walk around the island and it had some birds that I had never seen before on the island, such as the white-capped noddies and the sea eagle.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely, Lady Elliot Island is at the Southernmost end of the Great Barrier Reef so it would be interesting to experience it from a different perspective and see it from the Northern side or in the middle. The Great Barrier is so big it can be seen from space, it is the largest living organism that can be seen from space.
Therefore I can go to the Great Barrier Reef again but go to another area to see how it differs from Lady Elliot Island.
Highlight:
The entire trip would have to be a highlight as it was like nothing I had ever seen before. Something that really stood out to me was flying over Lady Elliot Island because it gave me a different perspective of the reef and a deeper appreciation for its beauty.
Swimming around in that coral, seeing the different colours and types of coral that are just around in the area that surrounds Lady Elliot Island makes it seem like an underwater paradise.
VIDEO - Snorkel close up
Cost:
It cost $465 which is pretty incredible for what is included in the package. The inclusions in that price get you; return flights from either Hervey Bay or Bundaberg (your choice) to Lady Elliot Island with a little scenic loop around the island, hire of the wetsuit, fins, reef shoes, snorkel gear, glass-bottom boat and snorkel tour, locker hire, use of their facilities throughout the day and they even include a buffet lunch.
Further information:
I had some tech issues with my GoPro and didn’t shut the case properly for the battery to be protected so it didn’t turn on in the water. Keep in mind to always check your gear before entering the water.
For this trip you need to wear coral/reef shoes so if you have a pair bring them along otherwise you can buy some on the island or borrow some from the service desk.
I would highly recommend booking in advance to go to Lady Elliot Island, then you can get the date that you want. When I arrived and found out what they offered on the island I wanted to stay the night but it wasn’t available at the time, I would recommend doing this if you can it would definitely be worth it.
Keep in mind there is NO RECEPTION on the island, you can purchase wifi from the service desk or you could have a day of a digital detox, it’s up to you.
Find out more information about the Great Barrier Reef here.
The Great Barrier Reef needs help and anyone can help through so many different avenues, such as; citizen science projects, reducing the amount of litter you produce, recycling properly, byo utensils to cafes/restaurants, supporting eco cruises when visiting the reefs, wearing reef friendly sunscreen. Remember every bit can make a difference so how can you get involved and do your part to help the reef?