|
Could there possibly be a better field trip than snorkling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia? That's where the "Down Under and Outback" study tour was on Tuesday, May 11.
Our large pontoon boat, the Quiksmart, took us out into the Coral Sea for a bumpy 90 minute ride. Upon arrival at the reef we were instructed that we might want to wear the Lycra suits offered by the crew since Blue Bottle Jellyfish had been spotted in the area. Blue Bottles won't kill you, but their sting can make you wish yourself dead, so we happily obliged! (We never saw a Blue Bottle, but the bright blue suits were the cause of much hilarity.)
Several students (Kevin Hayes, Hillary Easler, and Kat Bilbro) tried their first guided scuba dive under the expert tutelage of the crew. Chris Pollizi, a more experienced diver, was accompanied by Dr. Andy Tucker and others for a deeper look at the reef.
The rest of us chose to snorkle. We were awed by the beauty of the clear blue Coral Sea and the Barrier Reef. We saw large Parrotfish over foot-long Giant Sea Clams that can grow to several feet across, and Sea Cucumbers resting on the bottom. Schools of Chocolate-Dipped Damselfish, looking exactly as their name implies, swam around us. Various Butterfly Fish darted in and out of the coral, and many of us were able to spot the long Yellow Trumpet Fish. Seeing these fish up close was so much more satisfying than viewing them in an acquarium or in the classroom!
We were able to snorkle and dive in three locations, each one more beautiful than the last. The weather was gorgeous, the water warm, and we were left with the feeling of having been given a wonderful gift, swimming among the tropical fishes on the Reef.
— Dr. Lynn Morton | 
