Scuba Diving In The Great Barrier Reef - Australia

Scuba Diving In The Great Barrier Reef - Australia
by: Chris Chew

One of the world's most famous scuba diving dive sites is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is the only living organic collective on earth visible from outer space. The other is a man made structure, The Great Wall of China.

This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.

The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.

One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.

Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.

More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.

For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.

About The Author
Chris Chew has been scuba diving for more than thirty years. Read more travelling articles at his websites at asiatravelbest.blogspot.com and www.asiatravelbest.com.

Fantastic Diving Spots Down Under

Fantastic Diving Spots Down Under by Kristina Jeffreys

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the premier diving locations of the world. It makes no difference if you're an amateur or a seasoned diver, you will definitely want to make this a planned event any time you visit Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is 1,250 miles in length and runs from Queensland to New Guinea. You won't believe all the natural wonders and spectacular sea animals that you'll see.



The Great Barrier Reef is a thing of beauty in its own right. It is actually composed of more than 2,000 smaller reefs, and coral islands intermingle as you travel through the reef. The colors and lights will amaze you.



The Great Barrier Reef is the home to many sea animals and the fascinating sea creatures. The spectacular experience can only be captured on an under water camera where you get the lifetime opportunity to diving in these warm waters and get a front seat view of fish swimming among the coral.



Australia offers many diving opportunities and a wide variety of places to choose from. When on a dive holiday, it is better to be forearmed with information so as to get the diving experience that you want.



Pixie Pinnacle is amongst the most popular diving places in Australia. Pixie Pinnacle is located near Lizard Island and comprises of a large coral that is over ninety feet in height. Some of the sea creatures that you wil see on this dive include clownfish, rabbitfish, lionfish, nudibranches, and honfish. While on this dive you can also see the Coral Sea just beyond the Barrier Reef.



Cod Hole is another diving location near Lizard Island. The creatures that inhabit that area are moray eels, the Napoleon wrasse, and large schools of cod.



If you want a slightly more active area, consider diving at Yongala Wreck. Head south 200 miles from Cod Hole and you'll discover some of the thickest coral in the Great Barrier Reef. It provides hiding spots for eagle rays, jacks, flowery cod, and the barramundi cod. With luck you'll run into some sea turtles as well.



Irrespective of your diving spot, it is imperative that you follow all marine rules and dive safely. An important fact to remember is that coral is a living animal and therefore needs to be treated with respect. Additionally, the sand that is displaced from your fin wash can harm both coral and sea animals. Therefore, as a good diving practice, you must always keep an eye on where dive.



As a must not do, do not ever feed any of the sea animals that you encounter during your dives. Fish are known to become repeat pests when you feed them and can therefore, make them react aggressively to all divers. Dive to savor these wonders with your eyes and make sure you do not seek souvenirs. The beautiful coral, shells, and rocks that you see maintain the environmental balance for the animals that live in that area. Just give yourself the luxury of trapping all these wonders in an under water camera.



About the author: Kristina Jeffreys is the chief writer at You Want Diving?, it's one of the webs most up to date Diving sites, their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. Want to read more Diving articles?, just go to: http://www.uwdiving.com/articles

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