I’ve been lucky enough to snorkel in places like the Red Sea, the Galapagos Islands, and various reefs in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Yet, none of these experiences came close to diving into the South Pacific Ocean and exploring the Great Barrier Reef. That first glimpse of the underwater landscape, filled with corals in countless colors, shapes, and textures, was like discovering an octopus’s garden. What made it truly mesmerizing were the massive schools of vibrant parrotfish, majestic manta rays, the sighting of a Māori Wrasse, and a white-tipped reef shark gliding in the depths below.
“Sharks are a sign of reef health,” said Alan Wallish, founder of Passions of Paradise, a company offering tours of the Great Barrier Reef. “Everything must go right to have sharks on the reef.”
The Great Barrier Reef is all about superlatives. Stretching over 1,400 miles off Australia’s east coast and covering approximately 133,000 square miles, it is the world’s largest coral reef. It’s so vast it can be seen from space. This immense ecosystem includes over 3,000 individual reef systems, 400 types of coral, 1,500 fish species, and 4,000 types of mollusks. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for decades but is currently under significant pressure from climate change.
Statistics provide one perspective; the actual experience is something else entirely. Cairns, a laid-back tropical city in Queensland, serves as the hub for snorkeling and diving tours to the reef. In the morning, the waterfront buzzes with activity as more than two dozen outfitters prepare to take visitors out on the water. You can join one of the many cruises that quickly shuttle people to dive sites, get them in the water, and return them to Cairns, often with a cocktail in hand. A colorful array of boats, many with a party vibe, depart from Cairns every day around 8 am.
Given current global challenges, I felt a day on the reef should be more than just sightseeing and a sunburn. That’s why I chose Passions of Paradise, departing Cairns on their motorized catamaran, Passions III—a 30-meter vessel and one of the largest sailing catamarans in Australia, capable of reaching the reef’s outermost edges.
While it’s a fantastic day trip for snorkelers and divers, I wanted more—a deeper, eco-minded experience that combines citizen science with an unforgettable underwater adventure, guided by marine biology experts.
“People want a connection to the reef,” Wallish explained while on board. “I started the business back in the ’80s when Cairns was more like the wild west and largely unregulated. Now, our clientele is younger, and climate change is on their minds. This is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world.”
Passions of Paradise is a rare company, being an Eco-Certified Ecotourism operator accredited by Eco Tourism Australia. They participate in the Coral Nurture Program and were the first operator in Cairns to donate a portion of every dive certification to Project AWARE, a major marine conservation organization.
What intrigued me most was their support for The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s “Eye on the Reef” program, which monitors the reef’s health. I chose to join the Eye on the Reef group for this trip.
In theory, we had 27 different moorings to choose from, depending on the time, tide, and wind conditions. On this exceptionally calm day, we traveled for nearly two hours to snorkel and dive on Milln Reef. Our first stop was Whale Bommie, followed by an afternoon stop at Three Sisters, one of the final points on Milln Reef before the continental shelf drops off.
The boat carried 95 passengers and a crew of 14 to ensure a smooth experience. We wore black lycra “stinger” suits to protect against potential jellyfish stings, though we didn’t encounter any.
Le’a Dawes, one of the two Master Reef Guides on the boat, led my group. We used whiteboards, waterproof markers, and underwater cameras to document the fish and coral we observed during our two-hour morning snorkel and our time in the water after lunch.
“When you have a reef twice the length of Italy, you need all the help you can get to monitor it,” Dawes said. “It’s a very complex ecosystem, and we’re still learning about it.”
While in the water, we gathered and recorded data, including tracking fish populations and conducting rapid monitoring surveys—key indicators of reef health. This could involve 10-minute timed swims in designated areas to make observations. During the morning snorkel, we searched for creatures like sea cucumbers, giant clams, parrotfish, groupers, turtles, and sharks. I saw all of these except turtles, including a six-foot white-tipped reef shark. Swimming in these waters felt like visiting another planet, with its vibrant colors, diverse life forms, and dynamic shapes and movements. Wallish compared the experience to gazing into the Grand Canyon for the first time.
On the way back, relaxed and fulfilled after a captivating day on the reef, we helped upload our data for the Marine Park Authority and listened to Dawes give a marine biology lecture. Of course, after all that effort, a beer or two was welcome.
“These are real people taking photos and recording their observations,” Wallish said, “and once they’re uploaded, everyone can see the reef’s state on a given day. People think the reef’s health is a black-and-white issue, but it isn’t. Water quality, coastal development, and fishing are ongoing concerns, but there’s no doubt that climate change is the single biggest challenge we face.”