Day 2: Live Blogging – Southern Great Barrier Reef (Lady Elliot Island)

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“THAT WAS AMAZING!” Miss 8 burst out as she climbed back on the boat. Everyone laughed because she said aloud (very loud) what everyone was thinking.   The amazing thing was seeing the Great Barrier Reef up close.  This is Queensland. I love this state I was born in.

Day 2 of our Hidden Treasure Challenge saw us heading out to the beautiful Lady Elliot Island, a short 20 minute flight from Bundaberg.

This is how the day went down.

5:30 am – Another early start. The kids were keen to read Clue # 2.

8:40 am – Flight from Bundaberg to Lady Elliot Island. I’m not a fan of travelling on planes in general, and especially small planes, but I was surprised how comfortable the 20 minute flight was.

Lady Elliot Island

Lady Eliot Island is a coral cay on the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef.  The size is just over 100 acres which gives it that lost-island-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean feel.  Over a cup of tea at the Eco Resort, I looked over to my husband and said, “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live somewhere like this?” Dreams.

The coral beaches tinkle like chimes under your feet as you walk.  The air is salty and fresh.  The water is in shades of blue ranging from almost clear blue, to bright aqua, to deep sapphire.  

Reef Walk

9:45 am – We took a guided reef walk through shallow water. Miss 8 scored a ride with Dad (as you can see). Our guide pointed out many things along the way, including a blue star fish.  The kids particularly enjoyed using the walking sticks in the water.

Glass Bottom Boat Ride & Snorkel

10:40 am – This was the highlight, not only of the day but the entire year so far! It was the first time we’ve taken our children snorkelling on a reef and as Miss 12 said, “Now that I’ve experienced snorkelling, regular swimming won’t quite measure up ever again!”  

When I asked the kids about their experience, the responses were along the lines of “it’s like another world under there”. Oh, and it is! It’s magical. Above the water in one world, and then when you put your head down, you are transported to a place where fish of every colour dart and spiral around you and where coral form an interlocking city of colour.

I did have a small underwater camera with me and I wish I could have snapped some of the beauty beneath the waves, but the weather was quite overcast so the photographs didn’t turn out well.  Perhaps that’s a good thing because no picture could come close to matching the wonder and magic of it.

Glass Bottom Boat

Video

I asked the kids what they thought about the snorkel and this is what they said.

 

1:00 pm – Buffet lunch

Walk Around Lady Elliot (& More Snorkelling)

2:00 pm – The girls were desperate to do more snorkelling so we explored around the island and found a spot for the older girls to go out again.

Black Noddy (there were many of these birds flying the skies of Lady Elliot)

Miss 8 collected different items from the beach and re-created The Barrier Reef.

It’s interesting to see how the activities I do sometimes, stay with the kids.  While we were exploring the beach, Miss 8 made this coral hand, similar to the rock footprints we made a couple of years ago.  Lady Elliot is a green zone and so we didn’t take anything back with us — no coral, shells or rocks; nothing.

Snorkel and explore directly from the beach shore.

3:40 pm – Flight back to Bundaberg. Even though we didn’t get a lot of sunshine this day, it was still warm enough to swim (was just a bit chilly when we got out of the water). This is what coastal Queensland is like in Winter. Magic.

Goodbye, you lovely place.

Loved the look of this cloud formation as we travelled home.

Ariel view of Bundaberg.

5:30 pm – Easy dinner.

7:00 pm – Kids are tired! Bed.

10:00 pm – Me in bed. Home again tomorrow.

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More

Hidden Treasure Challenge – Southern Great Barrier Reef

Day 1: Southern Great Barrier Reef (Childers)

Day 2: Southern Great Barrier Reef (Lady Elliot Island)

Day 3: Southern Great Barrier Reef (Bundaberg)

Disclosure

This is a S1 post. You can read my disclosure policy here.