THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, with more than 2900 individual reefs and including 900 islands stretching more than 1400 miles.  

• Is said to be the largest single structure made by living organisms, and is known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
• There are 400 species of coral growing.
• Is 12 times larger than the state of Hawaii, just smaller than Montana and the size of 70 million football fields.
• Located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland.
• But, ah, the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985.  And the 2020 bleaching even will even more reduce this wonder.  Why?  Global warming.

• 
  But recovery is possible.
• Reefs can increase in diameter by up to 2 inches per year, and vertically almost 10 inches/year.
• But only down to a depth of 500 feet (needs sunlight), and not above sea level.
• 
  A bleached reef is not dead, and can recover.
• Corals only spawn once/year, in the October/November period, and unfolds over a few days.
• While some say it is 20 million years old, the foundation began forming half a million years ago, the current platform only began growing about 20,000 years ago, and the current living reef structure is only 7,000 years old.  Sea level rise and fall have also affected the system.

• 
  You can watch the Google Underwater Street View in 3D of the Great Barrier Reef.
• Six species of sea turtles come to breed.
• 10% of the world's fish species live here.

• 
  A good reason why Great Britain gained control over Australia is that in 1768 Louis de Bougainville first founded this reef, but just sailed through.  However, James Cook ran aground, and thus somehow claimed the area.
• Draws 2 million visitors/year.

So many ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef.  Scuba dive, glass-bottom boat, sky dive...or just remain on the plane, as we did.

First, lunch, and I had two of them.

The second order was a fabulous English Fish and Chips serving, with Newcastle Beer.  When we returned to our room, there was a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from the company as further appeasement for the screwed up immigration procedure we suffered in Sydney.

Then a tender to Airlie Beach.

Our plane.  Everyone has a window view, although if you have bad knees, it can be somewhat uncomfortable.

The first photos are not yet to the Great Barrier Reef, which took another half an hour to reach.  Tour boats take 3 to 4 hours to get there.  The ride cost us $299 each.

Then, the Great Barrier Reef.

Flew over the Seabourn Odyssey.

Back on the ship, another night of frivolity.

A sail away gathering.

Then on to dinner at the Thomas Keller's Grill.  A Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand,

Than a Herzog Lineage from Paso Robles.  First time I saw this on board.  A Cabernet Sauvignon.

Two soups and salads.  They had no wasabi for the sashimi, so we brought a dish from our room.  We had stored it from the only time it was available a few days ago.  Thomas Keller?  No wasabi?  For sashimi.  Unforgivable.  At least they had shoyu.  Kurobata pork chop was the the highlight dinner item.  Very simple.

While I rode some on buses and a plane, not much walking today,

Tomorrow, on to Townsville, a place I visited a quarter century ago for an ocean conference.

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