From Jennifer Marohasy’s Weblog
By Jennifer Marohasy
All people claims to care concerning the Nice Barrier Reef, however only a few individuals take the time to really go to it. The reviews of mass coral bleaching this previous summer season are principally from aerial surveys flown at 150 metres altitude in aeroplanes and helicopters. I’ve repeatedly argued you can’t see very a lot from that distance.
The Institute of Public Affairs have a brand new program that’s all about getting younger individuals out to see the Nice Barrier Reef – not from an aeroplane however we will likely be moving into and underneath the water. This system kicks off subsequent week and I’m so excited to be one of many guides.
The expedition will start in Cairns with a go to to Moore Reef. Then we are going to head down the coast – by bus not boat together with with some farm visits alongside the best way – ending up in Townsville. From there’ll head south to Ayr and out to Stanley Reef.
Stanley Reef was talked about again in March, together with by the Local weather Council, as one of many worst bleached reefs – together with John Brewer Reef it was talked about as being on the centre of an unprecedented mass coral bleaching.
The Nice Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) ‘Reef Snapshot: Summer time 2021-22’ recognized Stanley Reef as having suffered excessive bleaching with greater than 90 % of the corals at this reef bleached in March 2022.
It will likely be with some trepidation that I go to Stanley Reef subsequent week.
Will the corals recognized within the two survey as bleached now be useless?
Will the bleached corals now be coated in darkish inexperienced algae?
After we actually care about one thing we should always need to know every little thing about it. We needs to be ready to show-up when issues are going effectively, when they’re turning unhealthy, and in addition when the corals are at their most distressed – even useless.
It could possibly be that every one the corals have recovered.
However we received’t know if we don’t go to. To actually know the well being of the corals it’s essential to get in and under-the-water. That’s what we will likely be doing subsequent week. We received’t be flying over. We will likely be within the water – climate allowing.
You’ll be able to watch this journey unfold over the approaching weeks on the Reef Rebels Fb web page and Instagram web page.
I will likely be remembering the late Rob McCullough.
No matter occurred, because the skipper, he all the time made certain we have been protected. Rob was additionally a insurgent in that he disregarded the consensus view that your complete Nice Barrier Reef was doomed due to local weather change. He cared concerning the proof, and the state of particular person reefs that he would clarify cycled via totally different levels from loss of life to rejuvenation.
***
The function picture (high) of all of the fishes was taken at a dive website referred to as the Snake Pit by Julia once we dived there in January 2020.
Associated
