GR EAT BAR R IER
R EEF EXPEDITION
The AG Society has joined with Coral
Expeditions to create a hosted expedition
specially designed for our members.On this exciting expedition you’ll discover the
history of Cooktown and the natural beauty
of remote Lizard Island, as well as the wonders
of the Great Barrier Reef – both above and
below the surface. AG Society host Cornelia
Schulze will lead you to the lesser known
ribbon reef systems of the GBR’s north-east,
which are not easily reached by day boats.
You’ll travel with fellow Society members who
share your sense of adventure and exploration- all in style aboard Coral Expeditions II.
DATES: 30 October – 6 November 2017
ROUTE: Cairns – Lizard Island – Hinchinbrook
Island – Cairns
DURATION: 8 days
COST: From $3395pp
BOOKINGS: Call 1800 079 545, email
[email protected] or visit
coralexpeditions.comITINERARY
Day 1 CAIRNS – COOKTOWN
Day 2 COOKTOWN – LIZARD ISLAND
Day 3 LIZARD ISLAND – RIBBON REEFS
Day 4 RIBBON REEFS – ESCAPE REEF
Day 5 ESCAPE REEF – SUDBURY CAY
Day 6 HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL –
DUNK ISLAND
Day 7 DUNK ISLAND – NATHAN REEF
Day 8 FITZROY ISLAND – CAIRNS*Itinerary subject to change depending on
weather conditions.
May. June 73branches. On the side walls of the reef, huge honeycomb corals
grow sporadically between equally large brain corals and smaller
cabbage corals.
Back on board our boat, Evie has arranged some weird and
wonderful things for us to explore up close in an on-board touch
tank. She introduces us to starfish, sea sponges and dead coral.
I am handed a pineapple sea cucumber, which, to me, looks
nothing like the tropical fruit and more like something out of a
B-grade sci-fi film.
I brace myself for what I assume are hard protrusions covering
it, but am surprised, not only by their softness, but also by how
heavy the sea cucumber is. It uses its tubular feet to ‘walk’ along
my forearm and I worry I will drop it as it shuffles forward. Once
everyone has taken a look, the on-board visitors are returned to
the sea floor and we pull up anchor to begin the overnight jour-
ney back to Cairns.
As we disembark, I’m acutely aware that I am truly privileged
to have experienced not only being on the GBR, but meeting
and sharing the experience with a diverse group of new-found
friends. As I head for the airport – with sand still in my hair and
salt water caked on my skin – I know it has been an experience
I will never forget.Our writer, Jess,
has a memorable
encounter with a large
(and surprisingly heavy)
pineapple sea cucumber.The diversity of
coral species living
on the outer reef
creates a spectacular
kaleidoscope of colours.PHOTO CREDITS: EVIE CALLENDAR; CORAL EXPEDITIONS AG