Great Barrier Reef on Pelagos

Another amazing trip to the Great Barrier Reef on Kirsten's dad's boat Pelagos! This time we went from Hervey Bay, to Lady Musgrave Island, to Swain Reefs, back to Lady Musgrave and then to Brisbane.

Lady Musgrave Island is still one of my favourite places in Australia!

In October, there are no Black Noddy Turns nesting in the Pisonia forest or turtles laying eggs on the beach - it's still smelly though.

The lagoon is a safe and beautiful place to get the kayaks out.

Kirsten in the "snorkelling" tender....

..... and the rest of us getting sprayed with salt water on the way to another snorkelling spot.

Sweetlip Reef is at the southern tip of Swain Reefs. We spent almost a week there!

Except for 2 rainy days, we were in the water up to 5 hours every day!

Below one of those magic afternoons at low tide when the ocean is totally flat!

Note the blue starfish in the lower left corner of the photograph!

We caught another two Painted Rock Lobsters. They fed 7 people for dinner and we did't waste a single leg! Delicious! 

Their colours and thorns are amazing!

This seems to be a Peacock nudibranch (on my hand for size). Well spotted Garth! There are approx. 2,300 species of nudibranchs with a huge diversity of extraordinary colours and forms. If you google "nudibranch" and look at the images, you will be amazed!

This is a Giant Baler or Diadem volute. A carnivorous predatory sea snail, which grows up to 0.5 m in length.

When it's less harassed, it looks like this:

Some more underwater impressions:

We encountered many reef sharks. The second one unfortunately has a fishing line hanging out of its snout.

Crown-of-thorns starfish are native to the reef and seem to be in low numbers in this area. Cyclic outbreaks of this venomous invertebrate pose one of the most significant threats to the Great Barrier Reef. 

A Bluespotted stingray. 

Lady Musgrave lagoon has a large coral head called the "salad bowl" where turtles gather for a clean. Below are three turtles and a Parrot fish waiting their turn....

... and Cameron trying to jump the queue.

The turtles are incredibly friendly and seem to enjoy a bit of underwater ballet with visitors.

Another unforgettable trip to one of the world's great natural wonders!