SLEEP ON THE REEF Reeflseep offers guests the chance to see this natural wonder at their own pace once the day trippers have left the pontoon – and then rise to bacon and eggs.
See the “Reef Three” Where else can you dive with these guys?
A F LY I N G P E R S I A N C A R P E T Hardy Reef is home to a diverse range of marine life – especially colourful nudibranchs and flatworms, like the flying Persian carpet flatworm.
W AT C H A T I T A N A N D ANGEL DANCE A titan triggerfish and an angelfish, that is. These two were actually circling around a scrap of food.
SEE TURTLES SOARING ACROSS THE SK Y Well, almost – as you watch the resident turtles swim around the pontoon, you'll also glimpse a few white puffy clouds reflected in the perfectly flat, still water.
bumphead parrotfish, which then turn round and swim back over us. They’re so dense that they visibly darken the waters around us. The sun sets as we head off for our third dive of the day, and the other five passengers head for the top deck for sunset drinks. The reef is a different place at night; coral polyps are in full bloom, fire urchins glow in the dark, and while some fish hide under the coral to sleep, others are out to play. We return to the pontoon, greeted by the aromas of a sizzling barbecue, and before long our three-course dinner is served. In the distance, lightning strikes along the coast momentarily light up the horizon, but so far away we don’t hear a sound. The only noise close by is the occasional plop in the surrounding blackness, as small fish are chased by big fish and the resident turtles nibble at the algae on the pontoon. While we enjoy a few more drinks, our hostess quietly sets up the swags on the top deck under the stars. Turning in, the swags are comfortable, and the ocean breeze regulates the temperate so it’s just right. Overhead, the Milky Way arcs across the sky, creating again that feeling of expansiveness; space to dream. We wake up the following morning, greeted by a milky white sun that’s struggling to get itself through the haze and into the sky proper. The sea is so glassy flat, ice-skating seems more appropriate than snorkelling. We head out for an early-morning dive, getting to see the reef as it comes to life for the day, while our host once again fires up the barbecue. Bacon and eggs have never smelt so good. After breakfast, we contemplate how we can make the most of having the reef to ourselves for the remaining few hours, knowing that at 11am toy town starts up again. But we’ve had our time on the reef, and – at least for those moments – it was all ours. If you would like to roll a swag out in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, you can find out more at cruisewhitsundays.com.
t ig e r a ir f l ie s to the Whitsunday Coast from Sydney, and from Brisbane starting on March 23; tigerair.com.au
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