The Great Barrier Reef
The ocean is our lungs.
Many people are surprised to discover that marine plants produce approximately 70% of the oxygen we breathe – yep, that’s over two-thirds! (We can thank rainforests for the other third – isn’t mother nature awesome?)
While we want nothing more than to share our love of the Reef with you and highlight its unparalleled beauty, we want to emphasise this:
Please treat the Reef respectfully and tread gently. Should you find yourself in the super enviable position to visit her, please do so consciously, sustainably, and (hopefully) with a greater understanding than when you first started reading this article!
What is the Great Barrier Reef?
Viewable from outer space, the Great Barrier Reef is gigantic to say the least!¹ Filled to the brim with dreamy ecosystems and biodiversity², it was heritage listed on 30 October 1981 and was recognised as a “critical global resource”.³ In other words, the Reef is a great big home to thousands of really beautiful plant and animal species! To pop it into perspective for you, the World Wildlife Organisation has reported that the Great Barrier Reef houses over 1500 species of fish, 6 out of 7 species of threatened sea turtles, and over 30 different species of marine mammals including the beloved dugong (and vast populations of the seagrass dugongs feed on!).
It’s practically one big, global, underwater country for marine life! (We aren’t exaggerating by calling it a country – it is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the Netherlands combined.)⁴
Where is it and How to Get There?
The Great Barrier Reef is located off the east coast of Queensland. The most common geographical springboard to the Great Barrier Reef would have to be the Cairns region, as the reef at it’s closest point to the coast here.
What Can You do There?
Bask in the sheer magnitude of the Reef’s natural beauty of course!
There is nothing like a good dose of mother nature to remind us of how expansive the universe is. Just get in the water, simple as that – snorkelling, scuba diving or sailing on the Great Barrier Reef is by far the best experience we can recommend. Coming face to face with a Maori Wrasse is something you won’t forget anytime soon!
Of course if you can’t, or don’t want to get wet, there is always the option of taking a glass bottom boat tour, or even partaking in a scenic flight over the Reef. (If you do choose either of these options, opt for polarised sunglasses – they will help you see and appreciate the coral much more clearly through the water’s surface – you’re welcome!)
But What Can I Do to Help the Reef?
The biggest threat to the Reef itself is global warming.⁵ So the real question is how can you help stop global warming? By making some small lifestyle changes you can help reduce your carbon footprint. While it may seem like an insurmountable challenge, every little bit counts.
Love and fair winds,
Lil & Haydo
