Again, I am blessed to have another Great Barrier Reef adventure at sea with some good mates. This time we are attempting to see one of the great wonders of a coral reef habitat – the coral spawning event. This phenomenon was only discovered in 1981 by a team of research scientists on the coral reefs off Townsville (a 4 hour drive south of Cairns). During this annual mass spawning event, many different species and colonies of coral polyps will simultaneously release egg and sperm bundles for external fertilisation. As the minute coral sperm and egg packages (usually pink or white in colour) float to the surface, they fertilise each other and transform into larvae which settle on the substrate to create new coral colonies. This process is vital for the production of new colonies and replenish the surrounding coral habitats. Even today, more than 30 years after it's first discovery, it is still not known for certain when it will happen and how, but the general parameters are 5-7 days after a full moon in November or December (it used to be October/November, but times are changing), and when water temperature is around 27 deg celcius. To see this special event, you need lots of patience and luck.

So, we all pile on to Big Wednesday after work with our fearless leader Captain Chill and a crew of 4 Chicks :) (see previous blog "Chicks TRIP OUT!") . Heading out at about 4pm to our overnight location, we arrive just in time to see the sunset and slowly get ready. We are joined by 2 other fellow Adventurers who travel out in their own boat to tie up alongside us for the night dive, before heading home to be ready for work the next day. Instead, we are staying out overnight on the reef, and leisurely making our way back home for mid morning starts at work the next day.

From previous years of experience, Captain Chill estimates 8pm will be a good time to jump in the water and start watching for any evidence of the main event beginning. About 45mins later, we are privileged to witness dribs and drabs of coral spawn floating in the water and soon after we see one huge patch of coral put on a great performance of tiny magic packages being released from the micro polyps on the colony and enter the water column to float away slowly into the darkness. It was the first time I’d seen a good display of this real life documentary. I try to focus on individual polyps to see the teeny pink balls be squeezed out but it is so hard to focus on the one spot instead of all around me. After watching the majority of packets be released, we dive around looking for more colonies "going off". After just over an hour, we decide it’s enough in-water time and we exit the water just after 10pm.

It was an awesome trip out and reminds me how lucky I am to have such fun adventurous mates and the ability to go out and make adventures of our own. It's so good to be home!

SPECIAL NOTE: I can't take credit for the image I have included with this blog post - it is a photo I copied off the internet to show the coral spawning event. Without having a working camera at the moment, I can't take any in-water photos :(