By Jennifer Marohasy
Everyone claims to be interested in the Great Barrier Reef, but very few take the time to actually visit it. Reports of mass coral bleaching this past summer have mostly come from aerial surveys flying at 150 meters by plane and helicopter. I have repeatedly argued that you cannot see much from that distance.
The Institute of Public Affairs there’s a new program aimed at getting young people out to see the Great Barrier Reef – it’s not from the plane that we’re going in and under the water. The program will start next week and I’m happy to be one of the instructors.
The expedition will begin in Cairns with a visit to Moore Reef. We’ll then head down to the coast – by non-boating bus that includes some farm visits along the way – ending in Townsville. From there head south to Ayr and out to Stanley Reef.
Stanley Reef was mentioned back in March, by the Climate Council, as one of the worst bleached reefs – along with John Brewer Reef, it was mentioned as central at the heart of an unprecedented mass coral bleaching.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) ‘Snapshot of the reef: Summer 2021-22’ Stanley Reef has been severely bleached with over 90% of its coral bleached by March 2022.
I’m going to visit Stanley Reef next week.
Will corals identified in two surveys as bleached now die?
Will bleached coral now be covered with dark green algae?
When we are really interested in something, we should want to know everything about it. We should be prepared to show up when things are going well, when they are going badly, and also when corals are at their most distressed – even dead.
It is possible that all corals have recovered.
But we wouldn’t know if we didn’t visit. To really know the health of the coral, it is necessary to go in and under the water. That’s what we’ll do next week. We will not fly over. We’ll be in the water – weather permitting.
You can watch this adventure unfold over the coming weeks on Reef Rebels Facebook page and Instagram page.
I will remember the late Rob McCullough.
No matter what happened, as captain he always made sure we were safe. Rob is also a rebel in that he disregards the consensus view that the entire Great Barrier Reef has perished because of climate change. He is interested in the evidence, and the state of each reef, which he will interpret in cycles through different stages from death to rejuvenation.
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Featured image (top) of all fishes was taken by Julia at a diving spot called Snake Pit when we dived there in January 2020.
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