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1 Introducing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
The statistics are formidable, but nothing can prepare you for the reality of the Reef. Experienced divers on their first time here are as awed as snorkelers who’ve donned mask and fins for the first time. The Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 2,000km (1,250 miles) along the east coast of northern Australia. It is home to 1,500 kinds of fish, 400 species of corals, 4,000 kinds of clams and snails, and countless sponges, worms, starfish, and sea urchins. It covers an area bigger than the size of England, Scotland, and Wales, a mere 348,700 sq. km (134,633 sq. miles). And if that’s not enough, try this: it’s the only living thing on Earth visible from the moon. Some call it the Eighth Wonder of the World. So where to start? Take heart—it may be awesome in scale, but a trip to the Great Barrier Reef is entirely manageable with good plan- ning. That’s where this book comes in, designed to give you the lowdown on some of the best sites to snorkel and dive this magnifi- cent piece of nature and to provide tips on how to make the most of your experience. We tell you about the top dive and snorkel sites, as well as some remote spots rarely explored by travelers. We walk you through everything from how to fit your snorkel mask to how to pick a dive course, and recommend the best boats for exploring the Reef, from day-trip vessels to dedicated live-aboard dive boats. We tell you about some of the wonderful creatures you will see (and the few scary ones to avoid!). We recommend places to stay, from inexpensive COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Fun Fact Reef Eco-Facts The Great Barrier Reef is a huge conglomeration of tiny animals called coral polyps. Coral polyps are tiny soft animals that coat themselves in limestone, and as they die, their bodies cement to form coral reef, onto which more living coral grows. Reefs need warm, clear, shallow water in which to thrive. 04_574345 ch01.qxd 12/13/04 10:29 PM Page 2
Australia
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t P u Park Port Douglas A a R PACIFIC r K t H NORTHERN w Cairns OCEAN y . TERRITORY Mission Beach B ar kly Hwy. QUEENSLAND Whitsunday Tennant 66 Townsville Islands Creek National Flin Park Mt. Isa ders Hwy. 78 La 87 nd Proserpine s G bo r R ou g E h Mackay H A w T y . DONNEL MAC L RANG ES 1 Alice Springs C Longreach 66 apricorn Hwy. t RockhamptonRockhampton s D e I W V Gladstone h I t D r Simpson Desert
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Coober Pedy E Gold Coast Lamington SOUTH AUSTRALIA 71 Natl. Pk. S Lightning t . 1 u y a Ridge r er w t iv H Hwy. R Flinders Ranges ing d Coffs rl n a a Harbour National Park D xley g l y. O n . Hw E H y er w arri Tamworth y w B . H Broken Hill w 32 Dubbo e N ic 1 if PortPort NEW SOUTH WALES Blue Mtns. c a MacquarieMacquarie Port Pirie Natl. Pk. P y. w 32 H Newcastle Mildura ll e M ew Adelaide ur 20 N Sydney r Hume y. D a Hw . y y P u R Albany r k 39 i e iv n s e Canberra c r sHw Kangaroo e e Hwy. Wodonga c s in Island H r Devonport Launceston w VICTORIA 31 Albury P y . 8 Mt. Kosciusko 1 A.C.T. Ballarat Melbourne Mt. Gambier SNOWY 1 Geelong MOUNTAINS Tasman Sea Apollo Bay