The Great Barrier of Coral of Australia, is without a doubt one of the destinies of diving more dreamed by many divers.
INTRODUCTION
Australia this located in the South hemisphere, in the antipodal ones, is practically a continent as large as the United States. It has three different time zones, with a population of 17 million people whom, given its extension, one of the countries less populated with the world, with 3 inhabitants by Km2, concentrating itself its majority in the coast turns. In the main Sydney cities, Victory, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaida, Hobart, Canberra the capital and Darwin.
Sydney deserves a visit of a pair of days well mainly at the outset while we recovered of the hour phase angle. The distances are enormous and although the internal flights are not expensive in comparison with the crossed kilometers, is recommendable to buy a “Air Pass” that is economic along with the international ticket. The Australian continent locks up totally impressive landscapes, perhaps one of most spectacular this in center, in Ayers Rock where the Uluru arises from the desert plain the sagrada mountain of the natives, the Olgas and the Kings Canyon. To the north of Cairns humid forests and forests extend that lodge a great variety of fauna and native flora in anything similar to the one of any other place of the world.
LOCATION
The Great Barrier of Chorale of Australia, is without a doubt one of the destinies of diving more dreamed by many divers.
They are more than 2300 km of chorale reefs and islands that run parallel approaching and moving away of the Australian northeast coast, in the Tropic of Capricorn.
The Great Reef of Chorale is located in the Sea of the Chorale, in front of the state of Queensland, is the place where the greater number of Earth animal species is concentrated. Here we will be able to observe all the colorful one of the tropical seas.
The exact limits of the Sea of the Chorale are vague, belong to the Pacific Ocean, are considered that it extends from the coast of Australia to New Guinea, including the Salomón Islands and the east of the islands New Hebrides. Between the coast and the great barrier there is little depth (less than 200 ms) in extensive zones around the coralline platform of the islands and the Australian coast, but the central river basin of the Sea of the Chorale reaches depths of 4,899 meters.
From the opened sea, attracted by the great amount of food that takes refuge in the chorales the great pregivers come in his looks for.
The SEA OF the CORAL
In order to be able to arrive at the reefs that are in the outside of the Great Barrier to more than 250 km of coast is necessary to on board make a cruise of diving with life of several days. The supply is varied and the out ports are the cities of Townsville, Cairns and also Port Douglas in the north.
Different companies:
· Undersea Explorer, can be contacted with them in Cairns Caouson House, 1st floor, 13 shields st. City Pleases. Telephone 07 4051 4777 fax 07 4051 4888.
·Taka Dive Adventure. 131 Lake St. PO Box 6592 Cairns Teléfono +61 7 4051 8722 Fax +61 7 4031 2739. Email: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla Web page: www.taka.com.au
·Run Runner Dive. Court power station, cnr Lake. Sence Streets. Cairns. Telephone +61 7 1800 803 183 Fax +61 7 4050 9911. Email: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla Web page: www.rumrunner.com.au
·Nimrod Explorer. 46 Spence Street Cairns. Telephone +61 7 4031 5566 Fax +61 7 4031 2431 Web page: www.explorerventures.com email: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla
·Mike Ball Expeditions. 252 Walker Street Townsville Qld 4810 Tel: +61 7 4772 3022 Fax +61 7 4721 2151. Email: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla Web page: www.mikeball.com
They have routes that take normally to different reefs: Holmes, Bougainville or in the north to the Osprey, the duration is from a minimum of three days to one week, the possibility even exists of flying until the remotest point in the Sea of the Coral to take advantage of to the maximum the divings in the outside the Great Barrier and to return sailing to also combine it with immersions within the Great Barrier.
The prices vary based on I number of days, type of cabin, the boat and the season but to become an idea: 895 AU$ for three days in double cabin with bunk and low season (10 divings) or 1238 AU$ five days in cabin with bed double and high season (14 divings). To which there is to also add some extras like equipment rent and computer if one does not take.
The best dates for the practice of the diving are during the dry time that includes from Julio to September that corresponds to the Australian winter. He is not very recommendable of December to April, that is when the cyclones form.
During the cruise depending on the stages the normal thing is to make three divings and some days a nocturnal one, in all marks a time and Maxima depth, that is verified by means of the pointed and signed computer of diving, this generates a certain sensation of control, that it is diminished by the impressive thing of the immersions partly.
DIVINGS
What first flame the attention in the Sea of Chorale is its transparency, being able to reach a visibility of more than 50 meters than contrasts with which it exists in the Great Barrier that varies with the proximity to the coast and the time of the year, between 5 and 35 meters.
The temperature of the water, is hot, oscillating of 25 ºC up to 30 ºC.
In all the immersions of the Sea of Chorale without doubt the stars are the sharks, the normal thing is to see the sharks of white reef ends (Triaenodon obesus), but also can be observed leopards (Stegostoma fasciatum), grays (Carcarhinus amblyrhyncos), hammers (Sphyrna lewini) etc, and with a little luck sharks whale (Rhincodon typus).
The attitude of these sharks towards the diver is normally timid moving away when we approached, although greatest they are peculiar and they observe to us with his feline eyes, producing certain restlessness, that it is left when contemplating the beauty of his so elegant and slowed down movements totally eclipsada.
Holmes Reef
Between all the points of immersion that there is in Holmes Reef we can emphasize:
“Amazing”, is thus called by the great amount and variety of life that meets in this site, that forms an incredible spectacle. The boat is searched on a great rock covered with chorales and gorgonias that arises from the sandy bottom to 20 meters and rises until the 7, nothing else to throw us to the water surrounds quick tunas to us, also we can see napoleones (Chelinus undulatus) and like not several sharks of white ends. At heart a great colony of jardineras eels exists.
“Nonki”, this immersion is made surrounding a pinnacle that arrives almost until the surface from about 36 meters of depth, it is turned in spiral from the inferior part ascending by the vertical walls upholstered of chorales and different varieties from fish clown, in his corresponding anemones. And if we watched the blue one it will not be difficult to distinguish the silhouettes of the sharks.
Osprey Reef
This reef has many entrances with good most known points of immersion one of is:
“North Horn”, is a reef wall of 25 meters of depth, in which we can see soft chorales of beautiful colors, anemones, gorgonias, great variety of small reef fish, etc.
Here a great colony of sharks resides white reef ends, because this point has been used for more than 15 years to give to eat the sharks, reason why is not difficult to see them even single with tube and fins.
As much in the Holmes as in the Osprey Reef, an immersion is made where it occurs to eat to the sharks (*) “shark feeding”, it is without doubt, one of the most spectacular divings.
When it is arrived at the immersion point throws to the sea the blood of the fish that soon will serve as food, this attracts amount of escualos. In order to animate a little the celebration some head of fish enlists and it is thrown overboard, immediately awakes a great frenzy doing to leave the water almost completely to some sharks.
The imersión is made, in a zone of little depth, about ten meters. We arrange ourselves at heart forming a semicircle and with the together hands to the body we hoped to see the spectacle. Many sharks of several types and sizes turn around to ours, also waiting for and a signal of the instructor the food ensartada in a chain falls and begins the function: fast movements and struggles to try to obtain a fish piece, the sharks happen within reach to our side, ignoring and being able to contemplate to us until the minimum detail. Little by little they are tranquilized once finished festín.
When everything is finished, on board of the boat, it is not possible to be avoided when closing the eyes to revivir certain images that have been stayed recorded as flashazo in the retina.
(*) shark feeding
“Shark feeding” and in general “fish feeding”, to give to eat the fish, is a practice that has been made for many years and that it tries that the animals in freedom approach.
It has defenders and detractors, because it as much presents/displays several dangers for the fish as the human being.
To feed the fish can change its nutritional habits and to produce diseases to them, this can be avoided providing foods to them the most perished to its normal diet and in little amount. Also it is not necessary to give them to eat with the hand, because when finishes the food or the diver does not take, can cause an aggressive behavior in the animal, towards the diver, with the consequent danger.
INTEREST DATA
Form to arrive: In order to arrive at Australia it is necessary to support more than 24 flight hours, with several scales normally one in Europe and another one in Asia. For a so long flight he is recommendable in the boarding to ask for the seats of the exits of emergency, that at least will provide a little to us more amplitude. The normal thing is to arrive at Sydney, although it is possible to be flown directly to Brisbane in Queensland.British Airwaiys, KLM, Air France, Olympic Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa and the Asian lines Singapore Airlines, Thai, Malaysian Airlines and Garuda supply flights for Australia.
Formalities: The passport in vigor with three months is needed at least and one sights tourist of three months duration, is gratuitous and Stroll of Castilian the 143 can be obtained in the embassy of Australia, 3º. 28046 Madrid. Telephone 914419300 or also by means of an electronic visa directly in the counters of British Airwaiys.
Language: The language is English but with Australian typical words and an accent unmistakable that some times makes difficult its understanding, but that the affection of the Australians replaces fully.
Currency: The Australian dollar around 1 $AU = 115 pts. All the usual credit cards are accepted.
Electricity: She is the same one which in Spain, 240 V to 50 Hertz, but the plugs are different, is necessary to take or to obtain an adapter.
Schedule: A difference of 10 hours exists towards ahead, depending on the hour adjustment of summer or winter, when the one in the Canary Islands is noon in Queensland in Madrid are the two in the morning.
Climate: But that in winter or summer, we can divide it at dry time, of from Julio to September with temperatures 19-25 ºC or rainy December to April, with warmer temperatures 24-35 ºC than together with the humidity creates an embarrassing atmosphere.
Activities: Queesland and in particular Cairns is the zone where they are possible to be practiced a great variety of adventure sports, not only diving but also parachuting, excursions by the forest, treking, rafting, puenting, surfing, etc.
Lodging: The supply of lodging in Australia very is varied and much more in the tourist zones of the Great Barrier, from cheapest and fundamental, like the “Backpackers” in which bunks by 1500 pts or double rooms by 3000 pts can be found until the luxurious hotels of five stars. In almost all they have provide discounts if one contracts with them the activities that are wanted to make.
Hyperbaric chamber: A camera in Townsville exists.
