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5 unique Great Barrier Reef marine encounters to plan for 2021

Along its vast length from the tropical far north to the southern tip, the Great Barrier Reef has a number of unique aquatic experiences for divers. While at the moment, not all of us can visit the Reef, here are some ideas to add to your dive travel plans for 2021 and 2022.

1. Swim with dwarf minke whales

The Ribbon Reefs in the far northern Great Barrier Reef is the only place in the world you can swim and snorkel with dwarf minke whales. Coming eye to eye with these amazing marine creatures is one of those life-changing events that makes you realise just how privileged we are to share the ocean with them.

Dwarf minkes whales grow up to eight metres in length, weigh several tonnes and are very inquisitive. An average on the Reef interaction consists of two to three whales for around 90 minutes. The largest minke pod seen by operators was 28 whales, the longest encounter 10 hours.

Research is continuing to define the exact species of the dwarf minke whale that visits the Great Barrier Reef. There are two known species of minke whales, the North Atlantic minke whale and the slightly larger Antarctic minke whale.  It is thought that the Great Barrier Reef dwarf minke whale is related to the North Atlantic minke or is an un-named species.

When to Dive: June and July. Special trips can be booked with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Divers Den.

2. Dive with (literally) thousands of turtles

400 miles north of Cairns lies Raine Island, the world’s largest green turtle rookery. This rarely visited island is surrounded by pristine reefs teaming with life – and in nesting season, literally thousands of turtles.

Between 40,000 to 100,000 green turtles visit Raine Island each year to lay their eggs in the warm sands. The island is not accessible to the public, but the reefs surrounding it make for excellent diving, some of the prettiest coral formations on the Reef, pastel hues running in straight waves, or ribbons along the reef.

When to Dive: November on one of two exclusive trips with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.

3. Shark Feeding Frenzy on Osprey

One of the highlights of diving Osprey Reef is the large population of reef sharks at North Horn. Watching them in a controlled shark feed is one of the highlights of a Coral Sea liveaboard trip with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Spirit of Freedom.

The experience usually attracts between 10 and 30 grey reef, white-tip reef, silver tip sharks, as well as a lot of other opportunistic fish such as potato cods. On Mike Ball’s trips, photographers looking for that prize-winning shot have the option to pay a small surcharge for a private shark shoot dive with limited numbers of divers, ensuring clear view and up-close photos.

When to Dive: Year Round, with best conditions October to February with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.

4. The Wreck of the Yongala

The wreck of the Yongala is one of the most exciting dives in the world. It perished in a Category 5 cyclone over 100 years ago and in its final resting place, just south of Townsville, it has attracted an incredible amount of marine life.

Recognised as one of world’s best historic wreck dive sites, this 111m wreck lies on its starboard side in 30m of water. Being literally in the middle of nowhere, in its 100-year history at the bottom of the sea, it has attracted an incredible amount of marine life. The ship itself almost unrecognisable being covered from bow to stern in vibrant hard and soft corals.

Hovering in clouds around the structure, are huge schools of batfish, barracuda, Jacks and giant trevally. Reef fish such as fusiliers, basslets and snapper dart over the coral while giant Queensland gropers, turtles, reef sharks and turtles glide around you. It’s especially famous for its large population of olive sea snakes, and out in the blue, listen out for the whale song pilot whales and migrating humpbacks.

When to Dive: Year-round. Humpback season May to September, Mantas from August through summer. Dive with Yongala Dive from Alva Beach or Adrenalin on day trips or liveaboard from Townsville.

5. Dive with Mantas at Lady Elliot Island

Lady Elliot Island, located at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, is famous for its large population of mantas, with over 700 individuals identified here by scientists. The Island has been the focus of intensive scientific research aiming to uncover various aspects of their secret lives, including their complex mating rituals.

Manta rays exhibit fascinating mating behaviour which can be observed at Lady Elliot Island during mating season over the winter months. A female ready to mate will be followed by several males, all trying to match her every move, behaviour now referred to as a ‘courtship train’ which has been observed to last for several days. During this time, the female will test the males by disrupting the train and checking which male is best at getting back into formation. Once she has chosen one male, the female will present her belly to the male. The male will then approach ‘belly-to-belly’ and hold onto the female’s left pectoral fin using his mouth, for the final act of copulation, which takes a few seconds.

Also unique to Lady Elliot Island – Inspector Clouseau – a pink manta ray that has been sighted here several times now. Check out his moves to impress in this beautiful video by Master Reef Guide Pablo Cogollos.

When to Dive: Mid-May to Mid-August for peak manta action at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.

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The Great Reef Census: Citizen Science on the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Reef Census launched across the Great Barrier Reef this month, with a flotilla of boats deployed across its 2,300km length, from Lady Elliot Island in the south to the remote Far North. And here’s how you can take part.

Incorporating the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s long-term Eye on the Reef program to collect data, the Census is a world-first citizen science project designed to capture large-scale reconnaissance data from across the Great Barrier Reef, helping to support reef research and management. Comprising over 3,000 individual reefs, capturing reconnaissance data in the form of images from across the Great Barrier Reef is an immense task which requires new and innovative ways of working together.

Following a successful pilot program in 2019, this year sees a major scale-up to 100 priority reefs from the remote far northern reefs, to the Swains and Lady Elliot Island, with the intention to build on this year’s learnings to launch an even bigger Great Reef Census in 2021. A diverse range of vessels from tourism and dive boats, to research ships and super yachts are working collectively across the Reef to achieve this goal.

In November, citizen scientists from around the world will be invited to participate online by helping to analyse the reef images captured.

The Great Reef Census is a Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef project, delivered in partnership with the University of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Institute of Marine Science with support from James Cook University, the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Tasmania. The project is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Prior Family Foundation and the Reef & Rainforest Research Centre.

Given the immense size of the Great Barrier Reef, the impacts of climate change, extreme weather and poor water quality are patchy, affecting some reefs or areas of reef more than others. The data captured during the Great Reef Census is a trial to explore new ways for how citizen science data can help scientists and managers improve their ability to locate some of the most important sources of coral recovery.

“Healthy reefs release many larvae or ‘baby corals’ during the annual mass spawning event and play an important role in helping their neighbours recover from disturbance events like coral bleaching,” Professor Peter Mumby, University of Queensland said. “We need information on where these ‘key source reefs’ are located to help researchers and managers better target their resources.”

The census is a collaborative project bringing together science, tourism and local communities to establish a scalable approach to conservation challenges, as well as foster a sense of stewardship for the Reef.

“To achieve the scale required this year needs a massive collective effort and that’s what we’re seeing, from the tourism industry, to some of the Reef’s top scientists, tech companies and reef managers,” Andy Ridley, CEO Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef said.

Tourism operators across the Reef have responded positively to the call to action, supporting the project with skilled crew time as well as spare vessel capacity due to the impacts of Covid-19.

“Tourism is a critical part of protecting the Reef for the future,” said Alan Wallish, owner of Passions of Paradise reef cruises in Cairns which is taking part this year. “Our boat takes around 30,000 people a year to the Reef; that’s 30,000 people that are talking about the Reef for the rest of their lives and who will become Ambassadors for the Reef and its protection.”

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is supporting the Great Reef Census by providing data collection capability through its long-term Eye on the Reef – Sightings Network.

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Sharks vs Humans, who’s really in danger?

Summer is on its way, and with more and more people keen to get back to the beach and back in the water, we’ve seen an increase in shark incidents this spring. Should we be afraid of sharks? Do shark nets work? How can we keep ourselves safe from sharks?

Conversely, millions of sharks are killed every year, usually only for their fins. Now there is additional threat to shark populations as conservationists warn that half a million sharks could be killed for a Covid-19 vaccine.

We thought it timely to relook at the ways in which we humans keep ourselves safe from sharks and discuss who is really in more danger – humans or sharks, in this exclusive interview with Sydney Aquarium’s shark expert Rob Townsend.

Do you think our current shark mitigation program is working?

There are currently a number of strategies being used in an attempt to minimise shark interactions with people including shark nets, drum lines and electronic deterrents. Many of these methods actively seek to kill sharks of certain species to prevent them setting up “territories” in areas frequented by people.

While these methods may work, their ecological impact far out ways any benefit. The small increase in shark interactions we have seen this year is unlikely a reflection on these activities but may be attributable to a number of other factors or may even simply be a statistical anomaly.

Why do you think we have seen an increase in incidents (have we in fact seen an increase?)

We need to look at the numbers here, we talk about an increase in deaths here, but the total numbers are still in single figures. Yes, there has been an increase however our starting point was so low this shouldn’t really be news. You could choose almost any other cause of death and be assured that it would be more than sharks (road accidents, domestic violence, drowning, dogs, bees, livestock all individually kill more Australians than sharks do every year). An increase year on year of three deaths would not rate a mention if it were car accidents or heart disease.

It stands to reason that shark numbers are increasing, as protection measures for some shark species increase, along with protection for their prey (whales). This coupled with Australia’s rising population (currently 26 million) means interactions between sharks and humans are likely to increase and how we manage and minimise the likelihood of these interactions will be key.

A common response to shark incidents (since Jaws) is to hunt down the “rogue shark”. Is there such a thing as a rogue shark or is this a myth?

The fact that humans are almost never eaten by sharks dispels the myth that a shark can develop “a taste for human flesh” and “go rogue”. Almost all shark bites on humans are cases of mistaken identity where the shark realises that the human is not the seal or turtle it thought they were and swim away, unfortunately these initial investigatory bites are sometimes enough to cause fatal injuries. Some species of shark will show a level of site fidelity which is why sometimes the “same” shark will be seen in an area on multiple occasions however most of the species implicated in interactions with people are pelagic migratory species so are unlikely to spend too long in one area.

Since shark nets have been put in place this year, we’ve also witnessed several whale entanglements – how great a risk are shark nets to marine life?

Shark nets are designed to kill, and they do it very well unfortunately. They do not discriminate and kill all sorts of non-target species like whales, dolphins, turtles and a myriad of non-target shark and ray species – many of which are endangered. The annual report for the NSW “bather protection program” makes for very sobering reading. It is unconscionable that this archaic technology is still in use in 2020.

Do shark nets keep us safe from shark incidents?

NO!  Many people thing shark nets are an impenetrable “fence” that stops sharks from getting to the beach, this is not the case.

Shark nets are usually set at one end of a beach and sit in the mid water (the theory being that air breathing animals can swim over and bottom dwellers like rays can swim under and that target sharks will be caught in the net and die therefore preventing them from setting up “territories” near popular beaches.

Statistics show that many of the target species caught are stuck in the beachward side of the net indicating they have already been to the beach (not eaten anyone) and then been caught as they were swimming away. WA beaches do not have shark nets and do not show a statistically significant difference in shark interactions compared to those states that do.

How affective has the drumline program been?

It is hard to determine effectiveness of a program like this as much like shark nets, drum lines are designed to kill sharks, they are however far less damaging to non-target species. A distinction should be made regarding “SMART” drumlines which more often allow sharks to be released alive.

What better ways could we keep ourselves safe from sharks?

Swim at patrolled beaches.

Don’t swim/surf alone.

Avoid entering the water at dawn or dusk (some shark species prefer to hunt at these times).

Don’t enter the water where there are “bait balls” or other signs of increased fish activity.

Should sharks be more afraid of humans than we are of them?

100%! Humans kill over 600,000 tonnes of shark (over 100 million individuals ☹ ) every year as opposed to the average of less than 10 humans killed by sharks each year. Even in Australia sharks are legally killed for meat and fins.

Now there is additional threat to shark populations as conservationists warn that half a million sharks could be killed for Covid-19 vaccine. One of the ingredients in some versions of the Covid-19 vaccine under development is squalene, which currently comes from the livers of sharks. In response scientists are racing to test a synthetic version, made from fermented sugar cane, which would mean plentiful supplies without threatening shark populations.

What can Australia do to better protect sharks?

Know what you are eating! Much of the “fish and chips” sold in Australia is shark meat (especially anything marketed as “flake”). Make sure the fish you eat is sustainably harvested (best to order a specific species rather than just “fish”).

Never ever never eat shark fin soup and petition any local restaurants to stop serving it. In many countries, sharks are caught, have their fins cut off and their bodies are dumped back into the ocean while they are still alive.

Education is key to the protection of sharks.

Education is an important factor in the protection of sharks. Sydney Aquarium has some fantastic interactive exhibits that explain the threats to sharks.

Another great way to learn more about sharks, is to go diving with them, especially when you’ve got experts on board to share their knowledge. South Australia’s Neptune Islands is one of the few places in the world you can get up close and personal with great white sharks and one of the best ways to do that is with Rodney Fox Expeditions.

There are several places along the NSW coast where you can dive with grey nurse sharks, and there are also great reef shark dive experiences on the Great Barrier Reef with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. Fiji is famous for its shark dives, where you can get up close and personal with nurse, lemon, reef, bull and tiger sharks.

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Where can I travel during Covid-19?

What is everyone searching for now? According to Google, everyone is searching for the safest places to book a holiday, as borders start to open, with these three questions (or keywords) ranking amongst the highest for stir-crazy Aussies:

“Where to travel during COVID-19?” “Where to travel now?” “Travel no quarantine”

So where can we go next (that’s safe to travel to) for a diving holiday?

Holiday Here This Year

Think about a holiday in Australia first – not just because it’s safe, but because our tourism industry, already suffering due to last summer’s catastrophic bushfires, was the first to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and needs our help to recover. As we head into summer, there are many great diving destinations in Australia – some that you may not even need to cross state borders to reach.

Queenslanders have a great choice, with great diving along the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, from Lady Musgrave and Lady Elliot and Heron Islands in the south, to Townsville, Cairns and the Coral Sea in the north.

Lucky WA divers have choices that include Coral Bay, Ningaloo and the Rowley Shoals – as well as their very own Indian Ocean Bubble with Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands.

In NSW, we have the prospect of Lord Howe Island opening up in January and several choices along the north and south coasts, such as Jervis Bay, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and South West Rocks.

You’ll find updates on border closures here.

Where to next? Which Countries are safest?

A recent analysis by U.S. travel company Tourlanes, compiled by an ex-NATO director and security expert, declared Fiji the safest country in the world, and with virtually no community infections, the Pacific Islands would certainly appear to be the safest countries to visit once international borders open.

The Maldives and Galapagos Islands, having established strict Covid-safe operating procedures, have already opened up to tourists, as have several destinations in the Caribbean and the Red Sea.

Tourlanes’ analysis took into consideration key indicators such as COVID-19 cases, health regulations, population density, hours of sunlight, and flight connections. Other diving destinations that featured in the Top 10 include Thailand and Japan.

Whether or not the Pacific Bubble eventuates, countries like the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji all have their own national airline carriers, most of which are still operational, which may make them easier to get to as well.

‘Safe Travels’ a Stamp of Approval for the New Normal

In response to the global pandemic, the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) has helped develop a global common standard for ‘Safe Travels’. For a destination to receive a ‘Safe Travels’ Stamp, it must ensure that its safety guidelines meet core requirements across all sectors of its tourism industry.

The Maldives was recently awarded a ‘Safe Travels Stamp’ as a result of the island nation’s strict health and safety measures in response to COVID-19, prior to the country re-opening its borders to tourists.

You’ll start seeing dive resorts and liveaboards publish their individual plans as they prepare to open up again. These include elements such as a checklist for cleaning and disinfection, regular health checks for staff, physical distancing, minimising physical contact and personal protection equipment (PPE).

Some, such as Solitude Resort in the Philippines, have already started promoting their Covid-Safe plans.



Explorer Venturers has also produced a video illustrating the strict measures put in place to keep passengers safe now they have recommenced trips in the Galapagos Islands.

Others, including Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Pro Dive Cairns have significantly reduced or removed single supplement fees, making it more affordable for solo divers to book while maintaining social distancing requirements.

Booking with Confidence

As we’re still having to book future dive trips with some level of uncertainty, it is VERY important to check booking (and more importantly) cancellation policies. In response to this situation, and in efforts to encourage people to start booking dive trips again, many dive companies have established far more flexible terms and conditions.

For example, the Master Liveaboards fleet are currently accepting bookings with no deposit at all for 60 days, and full credit for up to two years should you have to cancel your trip due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions. Explorer Venturers is also offering customers 24 months flexibility should they need to cancel due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions.

IMPORTANT: Diveplanit Travel’s booking and cancellation terms will match those set by the liveaboards and resorts we recommend. We will always advise you of booking terms for your chosen dive resort or liveaboard at time of booking, and we will be recommending resorts and liveaboards with more flexible cancellation policies.

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Come and see us at Scuba.Digital: world-first Online Dive Show

Diveplanit Travel has partnered with Scuba.Digital, the world’s No. 1 online dive show, to help share our knowledge of diving in Australia, South East Asia and the South Pacific. This is your opportunity to get answers to all your dive travel questions, in person from dive industry professionals.

Scuba Digital is the new standard in dive shows. Meet exhibitors (including us!) online and talk about their dive resorts, liveaboards and equipment, just like you normally would at a stand in a large noisy Dive Show! There are also several interesting sessions/presentations where you can learn about everything from wreck diving and technical diving to marine conservation, free diving and underwater photography. Participate comfortably from your kitchen table, office or even your hammock. All you need is a browser. Well, and WiFi of course.

With three days of live presentations on the main stage, networking throughout the event and hundreds of exhibitor booths and sessions, Scuba.Digital is the place to catch up on the world of diving. Meet face to face with exhibitors, discuss options for your next trip, find out about new equipment and meet with other divers.

Exhibitors include many of our favourite dive resorts and liveaboards, including Dive Damai, Atlantis Resorts & Liveaboard, Dewi Nusantara, Magic Resorts, Solitude Liveaboards and Resorts, Thalassa and Walindi Plantation Resort, among many more.

You only need one ticket to get access to the full 3 days of Scuba.Digital and by getting a ticket you are automatically entered into the show prize draw.

Learn more, and purchase your Early Bird $10 tickets at Scuba.Digital

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Dive Munda announces dive scholarship program for Solomons’ Youth

Dive Munda has announced a sponsorship initiative to encourage the youth of Solomon Islands to learn to dive during the Covid-19 downtime. The heavily sponsored program invites individuals, families and businesses to sponsor a candidate and contribute to training costs.

“We are super excited and our team is ready to start, as this not only gives Dive Munda a positive and creative project to work on during this time of crisis over the next several months, but we are also doing an amazing thing for our youth,” said Belinda Botha, Operations Director at Dive Munda.

Dive Munda dive instructor Euna Zio.

“As well as providing Solomon Islands youth with certified training in new skills, by educating the young we are also helping share knowledge about protecting and preserving our natural resources – preserving our ocean, reefs, sharks and fish,” she said. “We are particularly keen to encourage girls to be nominated and participate. The age for all youth will be between 10 and 21 years old. Medical clearance and parental agreement will be required.”

Interested sponsors are invited to partner with Dive Munda to “gift” an open water scuba dive course to a local youth in the Solomon Islands. Those sponsoring can nominate a specific student or gift a course to any local youth. Dive Munda will facilitate this process via an independent panel (including representatives from the ministry, Tourism Solomons, local community conservation office, Agnes Gateway Hotel and Solomon Airlines).

Dive Munda SSI instructors Brian Daga and Euna Zio are excited to get the Solomons’ youth diving.

During lock-down the cost for a SSI Open Water Course is $2,200. SBD ($370 AUD). During the months of August to December, Dive Munda will fund $800 SBD ($130 AUD) towards this course for our local youth plus fund the certification and course materials.

The remaining $1400 SBD will be your sponsorship or gift to a Solomon Islands youth to become a certified open water diver – AU $240.00.

The program’s first student gets ready to dive!

Courses will be run over 3-night weekends and students will have to make their own way to Munda. Solomon Airlines and Agnes Gateway Hotel is partnering with Dive Munda to offer amazing certify-fly-stay packages for our youth and their families coming from other provinces, with airfares and accommodation discounted up to 68 per cent. The airfares are available from Honiara and Gizo to Munda, exclusively for those participating in the sponsorship and those accompanying them.

“Dive Munda SSI instructors, Brian Daga and Euna Zio cannot wait to get started! Our aim is to train 50 youth by the end of 2020, and we are gaining great momentum to ultimately reaching that goal. 

“We know that diving is not historically high on the activity list of our local youth, partly as dive training is relatively expensive, and the sport remains largely unknown. However, Dive Munda wants to change that, and during this time of closed borders presents the ideal opportunity.”

For information on how to sponsor a potential candidate, contact Belinda Botha at Dive Munda.

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The Maldives is Open: what your future dive holiday will look like

While Australia’s borders remain closed, the world is gradually opening up, and the Maldives is one of the first nations to welcome back visitors. The Maldives Covid-19 management plan could well be what the future of travel looks like. Here’s what to expect.

Planning your Trip…

Compulsory prior confirmed booking in a registered tourist facility, and the whole stay needs to be booked with a single accommodation provider.

All nationalities will be provided with a 30-day tourist visa and they will not be subject to quarantine measures on arrival.

All visitors to the Maldives’ are encouraged to install the contact tracing application ‘Trace Ekee’ upon or before arrival into the country, which is available for both IOS and Android devices.

On Arrival…

Temperature checks and screening measures will be carried out at the first point of entry for tourists, and special attention will be paid to individuals exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms including, but not limited to, cough, runny nose or shortness of breath.

Visitors are required to submit any medical test results, and those presenting symptoms of COVID-19 will be subjected to a PCR test at their own cost. NB: If one member of a group travelling together displays symptoms, all members of the group will be tested.

A health declaration card will be required as part of the procedure. Additionally, testing services will be available for those who require a test result to return to their country of origin or any other destination with the requirement.

Tourists or passengers must wear face masks and remain at least one metre apart at all times at the airport and during transfers.

All tourists shall be met by an authorised representative from their accommodation provider at the airport.

Airport transfers will only be allowed through pick-ups by pre-booked providers.

Island Resorts

The Maldives is famous for its ‘one island, one resort’ concept. An archipelago of over 1200 islands, many have been claimed in totality by a resort, to ensure the ultimate experience of secluded luxury for guests. With the country reopening its borders, this concept has become even more favourable.

On top of this, resorts have applied strict health and safety protocols to ensure a worry-free holiday for their guests:

Guest service staff must be trained in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

All staff must be trained on social distancing and disinfection procedures.

Staff will wear face masks in enclosed public spaces and during circumstances where social distancing is not possible.

Resorts need to have resident medical officers on site who have undergone HPA certified training on COVID-19 management, isolation procedures and sampling.

Liveaboards

Dive liveaboard operators must comply with the following policies before they welcome guests onboard:

Passengers and staff are allowed to embark and disembark from liveaboards only at predesignated harbours as listed by the Ministry of Tourism.

Passengers showing signs of infection will not be allowed to board.

The vessel has to be disinfected as per HPA guidelines after the departure of guests and before new guests can be accepted onboard.

The crew must wear masks when in direct contact with passengers in enclosed spaces.

What can you do to minimise risk?

There are several things you can do to make the trip as safe as possible for everyone, including yourself:

Follow the operator’s instructions.

Minimize the risk of getting infected prior to departure (consider self-isolating for 14 days prior) and during your transfer.

Practice social distancing, cough or sneeze into your elbow, wash hands frequently, and wear a mask in places where social distancing is difficult.

It seems like a lot to remember, but just think, it will be worth it once you finally get to take the plunge again. And as an added bonus: you don’t have to worry about catching anything underwater.

With sensible safety measures like this in place, it’s hopeful that more island nations will open borders. Here’s to the ‘New Normal’!

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Get the kids diving with a Seal Team course

With school holidays fast approaching, it’s a good time to think about ways to introduce your kids to the underwater world. Several dive resorts and dive centres around Australia cater well to kids, with school holiday programs and additional activities either to enjoy together or to help them find dive buddies their own age.

Cairns: Divers Den Scuba Kids and Seal Team Programs

In Cairns, dive operator Divers Den is launching PADI Seal Team courses, a five-week scuba diving course for children. Seal Team is an internationally recognised PADI program for children 8 and over. It follows on from the skills learned at Divers Den’s Scuba Kids program, launched in June, which has proved to be extremely popular.

According to General Manager Sonjha Forbes, “It’s great to see local families getting their kids into scuba diving from a young age. Diving is a great way for families to spend time together and explore our natural environment, and Seal Team is a fun, safe progression towards open water diving,” she says.

The Seal Team program is split into five weekly sessions or “Aquamissions”, all held in the heated pool at Divers Den’s central Cairns training centre. Each Aquamission is run by trained PADI professionals and includes a short briefing and a knowledge session, followed by pool time where children can try out their new skills and play underwater games. Skills covered in the program include how to use snorkel and scuba equipment including BCD and regulator, controlling depth and buoyancy, equalising the ears and mask, monitoring air supply, hand signals and how to ascend safely.

After five sessions, children will officially be certified PADI Seal Team members and receive a certificate, a t-shirt and a logbook decal. The program also includes a graduation day trip to the Frankland Islands, where they will receive their certificates and enjoy a guided snorkel tour, island walk and picnic lunch. Special rates apply for accompanying family members. A Master Seal Team program is also available, consisting of a further 10 specialty Aquamissions, including a night dive, rescue skills and wreck diving.

Brisbane: Aquaventures Kids Scuba & Marine Education

Based at Dolphins Health Precinct, Redcliffe, Aquaventures is Australia’s only dive training centre exclusively for kids. Run by husband and wife team (both passionate ocean lovers) Melanie Meatheringham and David Griffiths, the centre offers a range of courses from PADI Bubblemaker to Seal Team Aquamissions, scuba parties, school holiday programs and Project Aware specialist courses. Melanie is a marine biologist and Open Water Dive Instructor, partner David an Open Water Dive Instructor and underwater photographer.

“As passionate as we are about scuba diving and the amazing creatures you can see whilst diving, we also believe everyone needs to understand how amazing and fragile this environment is. With a Marine Biologist within our team we are able to offer a variety of marine education programs to complement our scuba program.”

Dive resorts including Heron Island Resort and Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort also run marine-themed school holiday activities for kids, and it’s also worth checking your local dive centre for school holiday underwater courses and activities. Check our guide to diving with kids for more information.

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Australia’s Best Local Dive Getaways

As the pandemic lock down continues, many of us around Australia are just itching for a dive getaway – so for those states allowed to move around, here are our Best Dive Getaways for each.

And for all our Victorian subscribers, we are all thinking of you and can’t wait to help get you diving again – locally or internationally!

New South Wales Divers

Lord Howe Island

Imagine you had to design the perfect place for an adventurous scuba diver to escape to for a week’s diving holiday. You’d probably go for an island, maybe where tropical, sub-tropical and temperate ocean currents converge, a nice long reef around a lagoon, so you could dive and snorkel inside the lagoon, and explore more adventurous stuff outside in the gullies and arches. Then you’d probably give the island some sharp drop-offs, and maybe add a few small islands around to create a variety of dive sites. You could not design a more magnificent setting if you tried. The island has limited capacity, so is booked up quickly (especially now) with many divers returning annually. We have some great packages with Pro Dive Lord Howe Island.

Julian Rocks

Among the regular species found year-round at Julian Rocks, a 10-15 minute boat rude from Byron Bay, are wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, cuttlefish, king fish, trevally, mulloway, and three different species of sea turtle – Loggerhead, Green and Hawksbill. There is an abundance of hard and soft coral. You can also see Manta Rays, Grey Nurse Sharks, and Leopard (also called Zebra) Sharks at various times throughout the year.

Nelson Bay

Whether you’re interested in the big stuff, or teeny tiny macro delights, you’ll find it here in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens, which has long been a popular NSW seaside retreat. Some locals will tell you that if you haven’t dived North Rock or Looking Glass (think large schools of grey nurse sharks), you don’t deserve to call yourself a real diver. Conversely, others might say: ‘If you haven’t done Fly Point or Pipeline then likewise!’ (nudibranchs, seahorses and all sorts of macro wonders).

Jervis Bay

Weedies, whales and the world’s whitest sand. Jervis Bay is 3 hours’ drive south of Sydney – it’s already Insta-famous for having the world’s whitest sand at Hyams Beach and the underwater world in the bay itself is pretty special as well. With over 60 dive sites, divers can expect to see weedy sea dragons, wobbegongs, grey nurse sharks, Port Jackson sharks, beautiful sponge gardens and… right now is a great time to swim with humpback whales.



Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour diving opportunities includes the marine reserves of the Solitary Islands, and South Solitary Island in particular. There amongst boulders, walls and gutters you will see anything from Mantas to Handfish, and everything in between, and at the nearby Split Solitary amongst coral and kelp you will see many species of resident fish, as well as eels, turtles and grey nurse sharks. In season (May to September) you can also swim with migrating humpback whales.

Queenslanders

Cairns by liveaboard

Pro Dive Cairns is running 3-Day/2-Night liveaboard trips to the Outer Reef each week every Wednesday and Friday. The trips include up to 11 dives, including two-night dives, on a variety of 19 dive sites over four reefs: Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe Reefs. You will encounter a wide diversity of marine life including giant clams, turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, an incredible variety of tropical fish, spectacular coral formations and consistent underwater visibility.

Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea

There’s never been a better time to dive the pristine, rarely-visited dive sites of the Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea – you’ll be sharing them with a very small group of divers. Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has just announced four brand new Great Barrier Reef itineraries to the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole, and in the Coral Sea, Osprey (shark city) and Bougainville Reefs. Choose a from 4 or 5-night trips to the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and the Coral Sea, or explore the Far North Coral Sea on a 7-night Exploratory dive trip.

Townsville and Magnetic Island

In recent years the stunning Central Great Barrier Reef has played second fiddle to the reefs out from Cairns and Port Douglas, but there are two great reasons to rediscover beautiful reefs such as John Brewer and Lodestone reefs. The 100-year old wreck of the Yongala and a new underwater installation by world-famous sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor; Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA). Dive it by liveaboard with Adrenalin Dive, based in Ayr with Yongala Dive or base yourself on beautiful Magnetic Island.

Bundaberg & Lady Musgrave Island

Three great reasons to dive the Capricorn Coast: Lady Musgrave Island, fantastic shore diving in Bundaberg and the wreck of the ex-HMAS Tobruk. Lady Musgrave, like Lady Elliot Island, sits close to the continental shelf, so attracts impressive pelagic action including leopard sharks, reef sharks, turtles, all sorts of rays including mantas and the occasional migrating humpback whale. The HMAS Tobruk was only scuttled a couple of years ago but has already attracted large schools of Jacks, barracuda, bat fish, a couple of resident turtles and Queensland gropers.

Lady Elliot Island

Lady Elliot Island is one of those rare gems that exist through the serendipitous combination of location, location and human intervention. Location is important as the island is just 10 km from the edge of the continental shelf and the East Australian Current. This means frequent pelagic action such as manta rays, migrating whales and nesting grounds for green and loggerhead turtles. And human intervention? Lady Elliot Island sits within the Green (no take) Zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is why the corals are in perfect condition and over 1,000 marine species can be found in the waters around the island.

West Australians

Whale Sharks and Whales at Ningaloo Reef

Swim with whale sharks and humpback whales and dive Ningaloo Reef with Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks. The Coral Coast’s Ningaloo Reef is a pristine aquatic wonderland that is home to an abundance of marine life including dolphins, manta rays, turtles, humpback whales and of course the whale sharks. Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks are whale shark tour pioneers, with the experience, knowledge and reputation that will ensure that your day will be an ‘experience of a lifetime’.

Exmouth Navy Pier

Also based at Exmouth, Dive Ningaloo is the only dive centre with access to world-famous dive site Exmouth Navy Pier voted as one of the top 10 dive sites in Australia, and one of the top shore dives in the world. Dive Ningaloo specialises in small groups, personal service and adventure diving in the best, remote and beautiful places, travelling to remote Muiron Islands and untouched reef.

Rowley Shoals

The Rowley Shoals is a chain of three spectacular pristine coral atolls which rise up from the ocean floor 400 m below on the very edge of Australia’s continental shelf, hence one of the most remote dive locations in Australia and diving Rowley Shoals is seasonal with trips only available around October each year. Dive amongst the giant clams, shellfish, giant potato cod and Maori Wrasse. Trevally, mackerel and tuna hover in large schools around you, and you can discover over 200 species of coral and over 650 species of fish. Visibility in excess of 60 metres is common.

Christmas Island

Dive Christmas Island, Australia’s own Galapagos in the Indian Ocean, with pristine coral reefs and plenty of pelagic action including schools of silky sharks, mantas, eagle rays and whale sharks. Being so remote, you’ll be diving with small groups, with pristine reefs, forests of enormous gorgonian fans and plenty of sea caverns to explore. Plus, during surface intervals, swim with spinner dolphins.

Cocos Keeling Island

Dive Cocos Keeling Island – Australia’s own little jewel in the Indian Ocean, with pristine coral reefs and mantas, eagle rays, schooling reef sharks, pods of dolphins, a resident friendly dugong called Kat – and (officially) Australia’s most beautiful beach at Direction Island – also home to one of the world’s best drift snorkels.

South Australians

Neptune Islands

To see a Great White Shark in the wild is absolutely grand and rare, but to come face to face with one underwater is one of the most exciting experiences available to divers today! Come and ‘hunt with cameras’ the world’s best known and most feared shark with the world’s best: Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions. On a 4-day liveaboard trip you will also encounter New Zealand fur seals and an abundance of bird life, dolphins and other unique fish and wildlife.

Fleurieu Peninsula

The beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula is home to one of the world’s most unique species of marine life, the leafy seadragon. These stunning creatures are found nowhere else in the world except the Great Southern Reef of Australia.

Credit: Jayne Jenkins

Whyalla

Each winter, tens of thousands of Australian Giant Cuttlefish gather to mate and spawn. This mass event happens nowhere else in the world. These cuttlefish are endemic to South Australia and have a very short life cycle of two years, which means the need to mate in such large numbers ensures the success of generations to come. A great way to see both leafy sea dragons and giant cuttlefish, and learn how to photograph them, is on a tour with award-winning photographer Scott Portelli.

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is a nature lovers dream. With large, resident pods of bottlenose dolphins, it is the ideal location to immerse yourself with these playful mammals. According to underwater photographer Rosie Leany; “Getting buzzed by a pod of highly intelligent mammals who are just as curious about you, is an amazing feeling.” Shore diving at Kingscote Jetty will also reveal a wide array of macro wonders, from blennies and angler fish to the odd leafy sea dragon. Scott is also running photography tours here early next year.

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Planning for 2021 – a message to our customers

Whilst we navigate these unprecedented times, we want to assure you that we are always still here for our valued clients.

During the past few months, we have spent much of our time booking and rebooking trips. Many of you have new trips to look forward to in 2021; and some trips are still sitting in the second half of 2020 waiting for the COVID window to hit so that we can reschedule them.

We cannot thank you enough for your patience and understanding, as we have taken days and sometimes weeks to get to a satisfactory resolution with each and every rescheduled booking.

Sincerely – thanks from the whole team.

“My focus is solely on rescheduling my valued clients and providing them with the best possible support, so they can finally travel to their favourite dive destinations once borders re-open and it is safe to do so.”

Whilst in lockdown, we have been busy planning for the future, as well as starting to field enquiries for the new Australian destinations that we have on offer, as state borders begin to open.

Our first exciting project is the soon-to-be launched brand-new website, which will be as easy to navigate and as information rich-as the Diversion website, with the modern look and feel, and colourful content of the existing Diveplanit site.

“In between helping my clients with their changes in travel plans, I’ve been enjoying discovering and researching many more Australian dive destinations!”

The Diveplanit dive marketing side of the business has been busy working on digital marketing campaigns for our Pacific neighbours in preparation for the Pacific bubble.

But our main message to you today was to thank you for being great clients and continuing to place your trust in us and our services. We, like you, are just looking forward to that time when we can get you, once again to your desired dive destinations.

Find out more about booking with confidence and Coronavirus Booking Terms and Conditions here.

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Shore diving Bundaberg: from nudibranchs to dugongs

Mention Bundaberg to most Aussie divers and they will think of Lady Elliot Island or rum, or possibly both! However, for divers in the know they will automatically think about the wonderful and easy shore diving to be found off this sugar town.

Bundaberg, located four hours drive north of Brisbane, is a busy country town known as the sugar capital of Australia. Surrounded by sugar cane fields that go into producing the town’s most famous export – rum, the town is also the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, with day trips to Lady Musgrave Island and Lady Elliot Island only a short flight away. However, Bundaberg also has some of its own local dive sites that are well worth a look. Located off the coast are brilliant boat dives on coral reefs, the recently scuttled HMAS Tobruk, the incredible MV Karma shipwreck and the always fascinating Cochrane Artificial Reef. But the town also has Queensland’s best shore diving sites.

Known as the Coral Coast, the coastline off Bundaberg is mostly rocky, formed over a million years ago by volcanic eruptions. These rocks continue underwater and have allowed corals to establish and flourish in shallow water. While you can jump in the water just about anywhere on this coast, the three most popular dive sites are Barolin Rocks, Hoffman’s Rocks and Burkitt’s Reef.

Getting in and out of the water at Barolin Rocks is always a bit of a challenge as you have to scramble over slippery rocks, but there is a large rock pool that makes this a little easier. Once in the water you will find yourself in an incredible coral garden, with the rocks covered in hard and soft corals in depths from 1m to 5m. This beautiful coral garden is so unexpected that it always takes new divers by surprise. Beyond the coral gardens are small bommies and patches of coral in depths to 9m. Always have a close look at these corals, especially the gorgonians, as many are home to lovely spindle cowries.

While there are certainly larger creatures at Barolin Rocks, it is the macro critters that are its main feature, especially nudibranchs. Over a dozen species of these colourful sea slugs can be seen, including Spanish dancers. Other critters seen at this site include crabs, flatworms, sea hares, head shield slugs, crayfish and tubeworms. Numerous small reef fish dart amongst the corals, including butterflyfish, boxfish, wrasse, angelfish, gobies and blennies. But larger residents include blue spotted stingrays, rock cods, ornate wobbegongs and the occasional eastern shovelnose ray. Also keep an eye out for green and hawksbill turtles sleeping on the coral or olive sea snakes searching the bottom for prey.

Barolin Rocks most famous resident is a dugong. This wonderful sea cow is only seen at the site a handful of times a year, so an encounter is never guaranteed. I have been fortunate to have three encounters with this dugong, and each time it has swum around me several times as if closely studying the strange bubble-blowing alien visitor to its home. Having a semi-resident dugong makes this one of the most unique dive sites in Australia.

Hoffman’s Rocks requires another scramble over the rocks to get in and out, but it is well worth the effort. This site is a maze of bommies and coral ridges, covered in soft and hard corals, gorgonians and sponges in depths to 10m. This site also has a good collection of nudibranchs and reef fishes, but more exposed to the elements, and sometimes washed by a gentle current, Hoffman’s Rocks is where you will see larger species and pelagic visitors. Often seen here are turtles, sea snakes, Queensland gropers, Spanish mackerel, golden trevally, batfish, snapper, sweetlips and even spotted eagle rays.

For those that don’t like slippery rocks, Burkitt’s Reef is accessible from the beach. Located right in front of Bargara township, this large reef can be dived from the southern end of Bargara Beach or the northern end of Kelly’s Beach. This site also has pretty coral gardens and small bommies to explore in depths to 9m. Like the other sites it is a great spot for nudibranchs. Also seen at Burkitt’s Reef are crayfish, moray eels, sea snakes, tasselled wobbegongs and schools of pelagic fish.

Bundaberg’s Coral Coast can be dived year-round, with the visibility averaging around 6m to 10m on a good day, but varying from zero to 15m. It is best dived when the winds are light and there is little or no swell, as heavy seas stir up the visibility and make entries and exits more difficult. Also avoid the area if there has been recent heavy rain, as with two rivers and a creek draining into this area the water can turn brown. Winter is often the best time to dive this area, as there is little rain at this time of year.

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Diving Jason deCaires Taylor’s MOUA

Diving the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) is now possible with a selection of local operators awarded licenses to take divers and snorkelers to visit Jason deCaires Taylor’s latest underwater masterpiece.

It is the only underwater art museum in the Southern Hemisphere, and the project aims to highlight reef conservation, restoration and education on a global scale. Located in the central part of the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Townsville, MOUA is actually series of installations by the World’s leading underwater sculptor – Jason deCaires Taylor.

Jason deCaires Taylor is a sculptor, environmentalist and professional underwater photographer. Born in 1974, Taylor graduated from the London Institute of Arts in 1998 with a BA Honours in Sculpture. Over the past 10 years Taylor has created several large-scale underwater “Museums” and “Sculpture Parks”, with collections of over 850 life-size public works.

These include well-known installations such as NEST in the Gili Islands, Indonesia, Crossing the Rubicon in the Canary Islands and Vicissitudes in the West Indies.

The Coral Greenhouse is the first underwater building created by Taylor, and Stage 1 of a series of three installations on the central Great Barrier Reef, with further underwater installations planned for Palm Island and Magnetic Island.

Weighing more than 58 tonnes, the ‘Coral Greenhouse’ is filled with and surrounded by 20 reef guardians who are propagating coral to spread the message of reef conservation.

Located approximately 80km from Townsville, two hours by boat, on John Brewer Reef, the construction is made from stainless steel and pH-neutral materials to instigate natural coral growth.

John Brewer Reef, located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, is a naturally formed reef, with some weather protection, 10-15metre visibility, natural coral walls and a flat sandy base.

Adrenalin Dive and Yongala Dive are two of the local centres with access to the installation, with 4-day liveaboard trips to be announced soon.

Register your interest with us here.

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Vale Max Benjamin, PNG Diving Pioneer

Papua New Guinea diving pioneer Max Benjamin, owner and founder of Walindi Plantation Resort, has sadly passed away. On the morning of Wednesday, the 15th July 2020, Max lost his battle with cancer. Underwater photographers Jayne Jenkins and Don Silcock both knew Max well and we asked them to share their experiences with one of the pioneers of diving in Papua New Guinea.

Max Benjamin with Cecilie in 1977 and more recently with grandson Kobe.

Don Silcock met Max for the first time over 20 years ago – in the domestic terminal of Port Moresby airport while waiting to board a flight to Kimbe Bay.

“The trip leader introduced him as ‘this is Max, he’s the owner of Walindi’ which was where we were going to.

“My first impressions turned out to be pretty accurate… before me was a man who would look you straight in the eye and quickly understand your intent – no BS with Max, he could read you like a book.

“Over the years, I got to know Max much better and always found him to be an intelligent, thoughtful, forward looking and very astute person. I also developed a deep regard for what he and his wife Cecilie achieved in Kimbe Bay.”

The extended Benjamin family.

If you were to arrive at Hoskins airport in Kimbe Bay earlier this year, prior to the Covid-19 induced state of emergency in PNG, you would find a reasonably new airport, pass through the relatively prosperous and bustling town of Kimbe and arrive at Walindi Plantation Resort with its central lodge, carefully tended garden, guest bungalows, fully equipped dive shop, three day-boats and two liveaboards.

“It was nothing like that when Max arrived in 1966 and Cecilie arrived in 1972… Both were agricultural officers with the PNG government who learned to dive in Kimbe Bay and thought that what they saw there was the norm for the underwater world.”

It was a trip to the Red Sea in 1978 that made Max and Cecilie realise just how special Kimbe Bay is and was also the genesis for what became Walindi Plantation Resort. The rest is kind of history now and well documented by Cecilie on the resort’s website.

“Less well known are the things that I personally learned about from my trips to Kimbe over the years. Such as the incredible work done by Mahonia Na Dari (Guardian of the Sea), an NGO established in 1997 by Max and Cecilie on land they donated next to the resort.

“Or the support that Max and Cecilie have always provided in quantifying the incredible biodiversity and ecosystems of Kimbe Bay and the north coast of New Britain. Or the more than 100 permanent moorings put in to protect those ecosystems and the support provided to local clans to do their part to monitor and protect their reefs and outer islands from over-fishing and misuse.

Max Benjamin Elementary School students on graduation day

“Or the Max Benjamin Elementary School, the Walindi Primary School and the way the resort is effectively a village in itself with housing for most of the staff, many of whom have never worked anywhere else. There is much more that could be said about what Max and Cecilie have done, but it all comes down to putting something back.

“As Cheyne Benjamin said yesterday, when he let it be known that his father had passed away; ‘you lived an incredible life, you did incredible things, your legacy will always be remembered, you impacted so many lives for the better. We will miss you dad.’”

Max Benjamin and son Cheyne at Walindi Plantation Resort

Jayne Jenkins first met Max in 1989 while working in dive travel. Part of Jayne’s job was leading groups and her first trip to PNG was to Walindi Plantation Resort.

“I was told before leaving that if I arrived at Walindi with a bottle of Cointreau it would be well appreciated by the owner; Max; and we would get on well.

“My first day diving there was with Max, I was so excited about going to see beautiful corals. After loading the boat with numerous thermoses of tea (Max liked his tea) we headed out and Max decided enroute we were going search for hammerhead sharks; he had seen some previously and wanted to go back.

“I will never forget that dive, hanging in blue water, Max rattling his bottle to call in the sharks – did we see any – NO but the experience was great.”

If Max did not join the dive, he was always at the wharf to greet you and find out what you had seen.

“There was a very funny, friendly rivalry between Max and Dik Knight from Port Moresby dive resort, Loloata over Rhinopias – a beautiful lacy species of marine life. The topic who had the most Rhinopias in their area was hotly debated between the pair.”

The fun was not limited to time spent at Walindi Plantation Resort. The PNG booth at dive shows such as DEMA, Antibes and ADEX was always the best and the parties that they held were legendary.

“Max with his fun-loving nature was always the force behind these wonderful events and many a sore head turned up the next day. Visits to Walindi just got better and better over the years. Max and Cecilie were a wonderful team and once you had visited you became part of the family. On a recent trip to Walindi I loved seeing Max the grandad, so proud and so happy, the gentle side of Max, not the Max who loved an argument!

“Together, Max and Cecilie have given so much to the community, and ecosystems of PNG. One thing close to Jayne’s heart where Max and Cecilie have been been supportive over the years is hosting scholars from the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society (OWUSS).

All scholars that have visited Walindi have loved the time gaining both knowledge and hands on experience at the resort, dive liveaboards and with NGO Mahon Na Dari.

Max and Cecilie with OWUSS 2019 Australasian Scholar Olivia Johnson

A few years ago, it was Jayne’s great pleasure to take Max and Cecilie to New York to meet the OWUSS family and learn what the scholars they once hosted are now doing.

“Visiting the Explorers Club and New York Yacht Club was a first for Max, and before we left to go he was quite worried he had no tie. A quick scrounge through (my husband) Colin’s selection and he was sorted.

“Max you are a legend and lived such an incredible life and even a few days before the end you were still planning how to get PNG back on track after the devastating start to 2020. We will miss you, but your legacy will live on through Cheyne and the family.”

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Turtles, penguins and grey nurse sharks: effects of plastic pollution on Sydney marine life.

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to our oceans and the marine life it supports. As we hit the halfway point of Plastic Free July, we speak with someone who sees the effects of these many and varied threats. Emily Best, an aquarist at SEALIFE Sydney Aquarium, has nursed several affected creatures back to health, including turtles and grey nurse sharks.

To raise awareness of plastic pollution this Plastic Free July, Emily hosted a live Facebook video, displaying plastic waste in the Aquarium’s jellyfish enclosure. We asked Emily to share some insights on the marine life in her care, how they are affected by plastic pollution – and what we can do to help.



Many, if not all species, are affected in some way by it, right down to a microscopic scale. Some animals seem to be more susceptible than others including:

Sea turtles

For most species of sea turtle, Jellyfish is a large part of their diet. Unfortunately, plastic and jellyfish look incredibly similar, which mean many of them ingest items like plastic bags and balloons which creates blockages along their digestive tract, causing a slow and painful death. Alongside this, many turtles (as well as many other species) become entangled in plastic debris, like fishing line, ghost nets, ropes and six-pack rings.

Aquarist Emily Best has nursed several sick turtles back to health, including Matilda, a juvenile Green Sea turtle, came to us suffering from buoyancy issues. She ended up passing several metres of fishing line and part of a candy bar wrapper from Turkey!

Sub Antarctic penguins

Studies have now shown that a high number of Gentoo penguins, a species found throughout the Antarctic region, have ingested microplastics (plastic particles 5mm or smaller). These microplastics end up inside the birds through either direct ingestion (mistaken for food) or indirect ingestion (through contaminated food sources such as fish and krill). Because plastic doesn’t degrade, it simply breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, until it is present in all levels of the environment.

Little penguins

Little penguins are found along the shores of Australia and New Zealand, often incidentally in areas where they are directly affected by human populations. Similar to their Sub-Antarctic cousins, plastic ingestion is also common in Little penguins (again, Directly or Indirectly). However, due to their small size and closer proximity to humans, they are also at risk of becoming entangled in plastic debris. One of the penguins from the colony in Manly, Sydney, was once found wandering along the beach with a takeaway coffee cup on her head! Had it not been for some helpful passers by, she would have most likely died from starvation, or have been an easy target for predation.



Grey Nurse sharks

One of the biggest threats in to the Grey Nurse shark is entanglement in fishing gear or shark nets. Fishermen who catch them will often just cut their line to avoid personal injury, leaving the hook in the animal as well as a long trail of fishing line that the animal can become entangled in, leading to infection, or even strangulation. Despite being a protected species, they are still regularly caught, and it is not an uncommon sight to see younger sharks with hooks or line attached to them. Here at Sealife Sydney, we have been able to provide treatment to a number of wild Grey Nurse sharks that required intervention to free them from hooks, nets, elastic cord and fishing line.

Sealife Rescue

Probably the most rewarding part of my career over the last 6 years has been being able to assist in the rescue of animals, mostly sea turtles and Grey Nurse sharks, affected by plastic pollution and other human impacts. Most recently, Matilda, a juvenile Green Sea turtle, came to us suffering from buoyancy issues. She ended up passing several metres of fishing line and part of a candy bar wrapper from Turkey! Her buoyancy issues then resolved, and we were able to release back into the wild about a month later. Nothing is more rewarding that seeing a turtle, you have spent months nursing back to health, swim off healthy and happy back into the big blue.

Emily’s top 5 small changes that people can incorporate into their everyday lives are:

Use a re-useable cup for your daily coffee. Its super easy and most cafes these days are happy to take them. If you forget it, consider dining-in!

Buy fruits and veggies that are not wrapped in plastic. Some easy options are cucumbers with the plastic wrap, whole mushrooms in a paper bag instead of pre-cut and wrapped ones, and whole lettuce instead of pre-cut bags. You can also purchase re-useable produce bags for loose items!

Suss out your local bulk foods store – they usually have most of the stuff you can usually buy in regular supermarkets, just in bulk bins instead of pre-wrapped bags. All you need is your own container or jar – Fill it up, and you’re good to go. They also usually have some great snacks and treats!

Give up chewing gum! Most gums contain latex and polyvinyl acetate, which are forms of plastic, and take years to degrade, if they do at all. They also normally come in plastic packaging. Choose mints in a metal tin instead!

Choose glass or aluminium cans instead of plastic bottles for things like soft drinks. For water, carry your own re-useable bottle with you to refill.

Most importantly, go easy on yourself if you don’t make the best choice. Awareness of your choices is the first step to reducing your plastic consumption. The zero waste movement doesn’t need a few people doing it perfectly – it needs millions of people doing it imperfectly.

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Rebuilding the Reef with… Reef Stars

50 MARRS Reef Stars have recently been installed on Great Barrier Reef, in efforts to help restore a section of Moore Reef badly damaged by Cyclone Yasi in 2011.

The new reef resilience program, being managed by Reef Magic Cruises in collaboration James Cook University, was developed by a team from consumer goods giant Mars, as part of the company’s Sustainable in a Generation Plan. It’s called the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS). (Yes, that’s Mars as in Mars Bars.)

Central to this innovative new program, a MARRS Reef Star is a hexagonal sand-coated steel structure that provides a stable base for coral fragments to grow. They have shown impressive results from the earlier installations in the Indonesian province of Sulawesi, where coral cover at sites has increased from 10% to over 60% within just two years. There are now Reef Star installations in several countries across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Ocean.

Installed by a team that includes Reef Magic’s marine biologists, GBRMPA Master Reef Guides and local indigenous rangers, the Reef Stars are designed to assist the regrowth of coral on a section of the reef damaged by cyclone Yasi back in 2011. The rubble left behind as a result of the cyclone has made it hard for new coral growth to find purchase, so the stars are designed to give the reef a helping hand by providing a stable footing.

The team plans to install approximately 50 additional MARRS Reef Stars every six months, part of a five-year scientific study with James Cook University to trial the system’s effectiveness in stabilising coral rubble resulting from the cyclone.

Alicia McArdle, Marine Program Manager for Mars Sustainable Solutions, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the Reef Star system to Australia to help future-proof the health and biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef. Our goal is to provide coral colonies with valuable time to adapt and increase their resilience at the same time as society seeks to reduce its emissions to reverse the impacts of climate change”.

Eric Fisher, Biology Manager at Reef Magic and GBR Biology, says the project is about boosting coral resilience and site stewardship: “This partnership is a great example of using the latest science to underpin our approach to sustainable tourism, and we are particularly pleased to trial this system for the first time in Australia.”

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Plastic Free July: 10 worst single-use plastics and how to replace them

Plastic Free July is a global movement started in 2011 in Western Australia by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and is now one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world. The campaign aims to raise awareness of our wasteful use of single-use plastic items – straws, coffee cups and bottled water, to name a few. In fact, around 40% of plastics consumed are single-use.

Where do single-use plastics go once we’ve used them? Shockingly, only 12 per cent of plastic items used in Australia are recycled. Sadly, our recyclable waste often ends in landfill, littered by the sides of roads, in our parks, beaches and eventually makes its way to the ocean – where it becomes a micro (yet massive) problem: breaking down into micro plastics and nano plastics (more on micro plastics below).

Going (single-use) plastic-free for a month is a really good exercise to both:

Gain a better understanding of JUST HOW MUCH we use.

Think creatively about how we can replace them with eco-friendly alternatives.

Go Nude this Plastic Free July!

Plastic Pollution campaigners Take 3 For the Sea are encouraging people to ‘Go Nude’ for the month of July this year – your veggies that is! Here are some top tips for going plastic-free for a month from Take 3 For the Sea ambassador Kate Nelson – @plasticfreemermaid

Plan Ahead – plan meals ahead and shop from the fresh produce section of your supermarket.

Bag it – when you grab your keys to go shopping – grab reusable containers, produce bags and shopping bags.

Go Nude – avoid plastic produce bags. Most veggies don’t need to be bagged, they can go straight in your (reusable) shopping bags.

Glass Jars – by products in glass jars with metal screw-on lids (and take your own to refill).

Box it – politely ask for a cardboard box to carry your groceries.

Download Kate’s Plastic Free Living Guide on the Take 3 for the Sea website. Purchase Kate’s guide to plastic-free living, ‘I Quit Plastics’ here.

Micro Plastic – Massive Problem

To find out everything you need to know about the world’s massive micro plastic problem, our friends and sometime-contributors to the Diveplanit Blog – Alice Forrest and Harriet Spark have published an e-book that explains the whole story – where it comes from, where it’s been found and possible solutions. Download your copy on the Grumpy Turtle Creative website.

10 Worst Single-Use Plastic and how to replace them…

Here are some tips from the  WWF – the 10 worst single-use plastics and some eco-friendly alternatives that you can swap them for:

Plastic Straws

In Australia, 2.47 billion plastic straws end up in landfill. They’re lightweight, so once they’re dropped or discarded, plastic straws easily blow into waterways and enter our oceans. Once in our oceans, they’re extremely dangerous for our marine wildlife.

Plastic free alternatives: Stainless steel straws, bamboo straws, pasta straws and rice straws. For those that like the flexibility of plastic straws, there are other eco-friendly alternatives including paper straws, reusable silicone straws and compostable plant-based straws. Or best of all – and when possible, choose to go straw-free!

Plastic Drink Stirrers

Cocktail stirrers are a fun accessory for drinks, but most are made from plastic and only used once before they’re thrown away. They end up in the trash, on our beaches and in our oceans.

Plastic free alternatives: Reusable glass or bamboo stirrers, or spoons. Or try a stick of celery, carrot or cucumber.

Balloons

What goes up must eventually come down. While balloons are a nice decorative item for celebrations, they’re one of the highest-risk plastic debris items for seabirds. Not only are the balloons themselves deadly, but so are the plastic sticks that often come with them.

Plastic free alternatives: Plan a planet-friendly party and skip the balloons. Opt for more eco-friendly decoration options like paper lanterns, recycled bunting, DIY bubble blowers and flowers.

Image: Boycott Balloons Fremantle

Plastic Cotton Buds

Did you know that 1.5 billion cotton buds are produced every day, with the average person disposing of 415 a year? Sadly, many of these cotton buds end up in our oceans. Once the cotton tips dissolve, all that’s left is essentially a small, rigid plastic stick which is easily ingested by birds, fish and other marine wildlife.

Plastic free alternatives: Fluid ear washes, bamboo cotton buds, organic cotton makeup pads or a reusable silicon swab like LastSwab. It comes in two designs – one for swabbing your ears and one for makeup. (And like my granny used to say – “Stick nothing in your ears smaller than your elbow!”)

Image: Plastic Free July

5 & 6. Coffee Cups & Lids

Australians love coffee. If we lined up all the takeaway coffee cups we use in Australia each year, it would stretch around our Earth twice. Around 2.6 billion coffee cups end up in landfill each year.

It’s important to note that most takeaway coffee cups can’t be recycled as they’re made with a plastic lining. The good news is that there are plenty of cafes that now offer discounts on your morning brew if you bring in your own reusable cup.

Plastic free alternatives: Reusable glass Keep Cups, porcelain mugs or have your coffee dining in.

Image: Plastic Free July

Plastic Cutlery

Eating out and getting takeaway often comes with more than just food. Plastic cutlery and plastic bags are often included in the mix.

In Australia, plastic cutlery isn’t easily recycled. Recycling machines often can’t sort them due to their shape, so many end up in landfill and take centuries to degrade.

Eco-friendly alternatives: Next time you order takeaway, make a special request to say no to the additional plastic. Switch to reusable bamboo utensils, a travel cutlery set that you can take with you wherever you go or bring your own from home. Chopsticks are also a great alternative to have in your bag if you’re planning on getting takeaway.

Image: Plastic Free July

Plastic Cups

500 billion disposable cups are consumed every year. That’s enough to go around the Earth 1,360 times. While lightweight and convenient, foam cups (made from polystyrene) can’t be collected by most council kerbside recycling services and often end up in landfill.

Plastic free alternatives: Bring your own reusable cup or a mason jar if you’re planning a trip to your favourite juice or smoothie shop. You can also help encourage your favourite cafes and food retailers to switch to eco-friendly and compostable alternatives.

Plastic Containers

Globally, over 78 million metric tonnes of plastic packaging is produced every year and it is projected that plastic production will increase by 40% by 2030. The packaging industry is the largest converter of virgin plastics, and many of these are only used once for food packaging, shopping bags and beverage bottles.

Plastic free alternatives: Avoid pre-packaged meals. Most food outlets will happily put the food directly into your own reusable container if you ask. Some options for containers include glass containers, stainless steel lunch boxes and mason jars. You can also shop at bulk food stores and bring your own containers to fill. If you’re eating out, why not ask your favourite outlets to switch to compostable and eco-friendly alternatives?

Plastic Plates

Plastic plates might be cheap and handy when hosting parties or at picnics or food courts, but once they’re thrown away, they inevitably end up in landfill. Most recycling centres are unable to sort these plates due to their shape.

Plastic free alternatives: Regular porcelain plates. Alternatively, palm leaf or bamboo pulp plates.

Image: Plastic Free July

Click here for more ways to help limit plastic waste – and to support the WWF’s efforts and sign their petition.

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Diving New Zealand’s Poor Knights

Jacques Cousteau once claimed that the Poor Knights Islands have the best subtropical diving in the world. He must have been a little confused on his geography, as the Poor Knights Islands are located in a temperate zone. But we can understand his confusion, located in New Zealand’s North Island region of Northland, the islands are washed by a warm tropical current, which attracts countless subtropical species, making it one of the most interesting and unique dive destinations on the planet.

The Poor Knights Islands are New Zealand’s most famous dive destination. Located north of Auckland, off the small coastal town of Tutukaka, the Poor Knights Islands are bathed by the warm clear waters of the East Australian Current, or EAC, made famous in the film Finding Nemo. These warm waters bring subtropical species to the islands, which swim alongside temperate species in the kelp and sponge gardens around the islands. Because of this fascinating mix of species, the islands were declared a marine reserve in 1981.

We recently spent a week diving the Poor Knights Islands with Dive! Tutukaka. The dive shop is the most famous and highly awarded dive shop in New Zealand, and operate a fleet of five dive boats to islands. They also have onsite accommodation at the luxurious Lodge 9, which offers features not normally associated with a dive lodge, like continental breakfast, afternoon tapas and free wine and beer.

We were impressed with Dive! Tutukaka and the diving at the Poor Knights from day one. The islands are located 24km offshore, so it takes around one hour to reach the islands. This crossing was never boring as we saw dolphins, seabirds, penguins and hammerhead sharks, but the crew also told us they see sunfish, manta rays, seals and whales.

The terrain around the islands is breathtaking; towering sea cliffs, caves, arches and pinnacles of rock. And most of these structures are reflected underwater, creating spectacular terrain. Each day we did a double dive, and quickly found that most dive sites had options for beginners to more experienced divers.

At Northern Arch we explored an impressive arch cutting through a rocky point. The bottom of the arch is at 38m, and the walls around it drop into 50m plus, but you didn’t have to go below 20m to have a great dive. This amazing arch is overloaded with fish life, including familiar species like snapper, kingfish and trevally, and less familiar ones like pink maomao and blue maomao, which are a type of sweep. Also, the dazzling walls of the arch are encrusted with colourful sponges, anemones, algae and bryozoans. We also saw a bronze whaler at this site, which are often seen in deeper water.

Over the week we dived more arches at Middle Arch and Blue Maomao Arch, explored caves at Sharkfin Cave and Jan’s Tunnel, and investigated rocky kelp covered reefs and walls at Brady’s Corner, Magic Wall, Cleanerfish Bay and Dutch Cove. The water temperature was also quite pleasant, varying between 19°C and 21°C in February, while the visibility varied from 12m to 25m. All the dive sites had fascinating terrain, but it was the marine life that most impressed us.

On each dive we saw a good variety of invertebrates, nudibranchs were especially common, but the friendly fish were our favourites. While some of the species are familiar, as shared with the east coast of Australia and Lord Howe Island, but most had a different name, like the banded morwong is called the red moki. But many of the fish are unique to this area, like cute little triplefins, perch and demoiselle. During our dives we saw temperate species like leatherjackets and butterfly perch alongside subtropical species like the Lord Howe coralfish and the sharpnosed puffer. But we also saw boarfish, scorpionfish, blennies, conger eels, butterfish and eagle rays.

Stingrays are also very common at the Poor Knights Islands. On most dives we encountered smooth stingrays, known locally as the short-tailed stingray. At Cleanerfish Bay we found a cave with four of the rays cruising around. These rays are also known to gather in arches and caves over the summer months for breeding, but we missed that spectacle.

Even more impressive were the moray eels, they were everywhere. Most morays reside in tropical and subtropical regions, but surprisingly seven species are found at the Poor Knights Islands. Several of these morays are also found in Australia, but most are unique to New Zealand. We have never dived sites with so many morays, and not just hidden away in ledges, but out in the open and even draped over the kelp and sponges.

As a photographer the Poor Knights Islands are an incredible location for either a wide-angle or a closeup lens. The colours of the boulders are unforgettable, a rich tapestry of pinks, yellows, oranges, greens, reds and blues. On every dive my camera went into overdrive photographing the fish, morays, nudibranchs, stingrays and incredible structures.

We had a fantastic time at the Poor Knights Islands and don’t understand why more Australian divers aren’t flocking to this amazing dive destination just across the ditch.

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