Australian Geographic — May-June 2017

May. June 71

A greenfin parrotfish lazily

swims up; I startle a common

octopus climbing a coral.

Suddenly, there it is! We’re surrounded by vibrant pulsating reef

and I don’t know where to look first. A greenfin parrotfish lazily

swims up to gnaw at coral. I startle a common octopus climbing a

boulder-sized coral, its pale camouflage changing to angry maroon,

warning me to stay away. Sea cucumbers wriggle across the sand

between brightly coloured starfish. A spine-cheek clownfish pokes

out from a crevasse in the hard corals as soft corals dance in the

underwater currents, polyps extended, feeding on phytoplankton.

I

T’S WELL BEFORE sunrise when, on Day 2, moored off Lizard,

we head ashore again for a three-hour hike up to 359m-high

Cooks Look, the island’s highest peak. Cook climbed here in

1770 to plot a course north through the maze of reefs confront-

ing him. Our walk begins on Watsons Bay beach but it’s no idle

stroll as we zigzag across the steep north-west side of the peak.

We scramble over granite slabs, and push upwards on a tough

climb over loose rocks and rough steps. At last, we sign the guest

book at the summit and enjoy the impressive view, as the sun

moves between clouds, its bright light exposing the colours of

the reef around the island. We head back down to the ocean for

a cool reprieve at our second snorkelling site – the island’s famed

clam gardens.

The deeper waters of the reef system here are a haven for

giant clams, some with shells so huge that they’ve become sub-

strates for corals, sea squirts and smaller boring clams. Some

individuals of the larger of the two giant species, Tridacna gigas,

are so big their gaping mantles can’t close.

While the fringing reef is spectacular, I’m looking forward to

the next stop on our itinerary: the GBR’s outer ribbon reefs.

Passengers look through the glass-bottom tender

to the reef below before getting a more close up

view while snorkelling.

Our own on-board expert about life on the reef,

marine biologist Evie Callendar (at right), secures

our glass-bottom boat on Sudbury Cay.

The fringing reef around

Lizard Island is perfect for

gentle snorkelling.

A giant clam is flanked by

blue starfish in the clam

gardens of Lizard Island.

PHOTO CREDITS: CORAL EXPEDITIONS