The catamaran glides through the water with ease; I sit outside on the upper deck to watch the blue mountains behind us slide into the distance. We had risen early that morning to catch the shuttle from Cairns to Port Douglas, but the brisk sea breeze is more than enough to shake the sleep from our eyes.
When we stop at the pontoon, we're at the very edge of the continental shelf.
The water is a mix of cerulean and palest sea green, and the reefs stretch out like ribbon for miles on either side.
We climb into wetsuits to guard against stings and the winter chill, tug on snorkels and jump into the water.
âHere, finally, is what we came halfway around the world to see: coral spines reaching towards the light; schools of fish which billow around us and, just as quickly, dart off again; sponges and giant clams and life of all shape and color. Creatures which a camera could never do justice.
We climb back to the pontoon for a quick lunch before heading out onto the water again--this time with a marine biologist as a guide. He explains we came out so far onto the reefs because closer to land, pollution has muddied the waters and wreaked havoc on the delicate balance of this ecosystem. Agincourt is one of the best-preserved reefs left, but with the rising temperatures and depths of the oceans, it won't last.
There is something surreal about floating in a place which took so long to build, and yet is so fragile. I can't make it stay forever, but I can do what I can to preserve it for as long as possible.
What can we do?
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Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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