Tuesday, March 24, 2015

A Little Careless in the Great Barrier Reef

Forget the glass bottom boat.

I start cautiously near the pontoon steps (my 'security point'), gradually going a short distance with my face in the water, exploring the reef, marveling at the sea life around me.  I return to the pontoon and set out again... eventually reaching the rope.  I see snorkelers on the other side, scuba divers below me.  We wave at each other.  From the rope, I turn back to the pontoon and start over, staking out a new area.

With my eyes downward, I lose track of my surroundings.  Suddenly I’m in a frighteningly narrow gap between two sections of sharp, bright coral.  I avoid hitting the delicate structures and return to the pontoon.  Then I swim out again. 


Once more, I focus on sea life and forget safety.  Abruptly I become aware of the sharp coral inches below me.  I scrape my knee as I redirect to more open water.  Back to the pontoon and then back out--and this time, I swim under the 'security'.  I note where the other snorkelers are and turn back to the depths.  I think I hear  the whistle for lunch.  I don’t care.

Now my security point has become the rope instead of the pontoon, and I return to it less often.  My excursions get longer, and I look around the surface less.  I’m peering into the ocean, taking in the dazzling display of coral, fish, and plants. I know it sounds trite, but I'm amazed. 

Finally I lift my head.  The pontoon is a large but distant shape and the sounds of other people are barely audible.  I spin around in the water looking for other swimmers.  No  one.    

I am alone. 

I remember there are sharks in these waters and hope they don’t remember me, as I turn toward the rope that cordons off the 'safe zone'.

Back to the rope, as fast as I can swim, under the rope, to the pontoon.  I realize I'm panting a little, and I know it isn't exertion as much as it was a little bit of panic--now receding.  One of the staff says something about a little fish.  It takes a moment to realize he’s talking about me. 

Seconds later the whistle indicates time to re-board. This little fish reluctantly climbs aboard the pontoon.  I realize just how tired I am.  I wonder,  for a second, if I was lucky to come back when I did.  Would they have noticed a missing tourist?*  The staff does a head count and announces that anyone who has scrapes from the coral should come to the first aid station; they issue dire warnings about bacteria that thrive in tropical waters.  I go.  My head is swimming (ok, bad pun) with what I’ve seen.  Jacques Cousteau ain’t got nuthin’ on me.

Even if you never look at any other links that I post, I  urge you to look at this short video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8RlGbpuhgc  from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design)  This is a truly amazing piece of underwater film.  Less than five minutes long, it will give you an idea of the sights that enthralled me.

*Since my first snorkeling adventure, I’ve heard about movies and stories of snorkelers and divers left behind on the reef, some true, some not.  Since I was pretty much hypnotized by what I was seeing, I can understand now how easy it is to get a little careless. Only on hearing those stories did I realize how dangerous my carelessness was.  Well, I said I was a wanna-be adventurer.

#          #          #


Next:  The Rainforest

No comments:

Post a Comment