ABC Snorkel Charters is now ABC Reef Safaris! You're in the right place - check out our exciting news...

The Great Barrier Reef is alive and amazing contrary to media reports.

The Great Barrier Reef is very much alive and thriving, despite what you have read or seen in media reports. While coral bleaching does occur, it’s a natural event and small in scale compared to the size of the Reef. Countless vibrant, healthy locations remain and we’ll take you there. With our small vessels and roaming permits, ABC Reef Safaris can access pristine outer reef sites off Port Douglas, including the legendary Agincourt Ribbon Reefs. Snorkel, scuba dive and freedive among colourful coral gardens teeming with marine life. Just look at our photos and guest experiences for more. Facebook. Instagram.

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Great Barrier Reef resilience, <b>understanding coral bleaching,</b> knowledge is powerful.

Great Barrier Reef resilience, understanding coral bleaching, knowledge is powerful.

The first thing to know is that coral that has been bleached is not necessarily dead. There is a window of opportunity where if the water conditions change and become more favourable, then the coral recovers and survives. So media reports claiming that 93% of the Reef is dead is simply not true. Has the Great Barrier Reef suffered from coral bleaching in recent years? Yes, there’s definitely been some damage but the reef covers a massive area and mortality has not been uniform, and many areas remain absolutely stunning. A question we often get asked from guests, is ‘what exactly is coral bleaching and how does it happen?’. To answer that, you need to understand the structure of the coral itself, how it feeds and why rising sea temperatures are a contributing factor to coral bleaching.

The key is all about <b>Great Barrier Reef corals</b> and how they ‘work’.

The key is all about Great Barrier Reef corals and how they ‘work’.

Coral is made up of three things. An animal part, which is called a polyp. The polyp ‘skeletons’ which are made of Calcium Carbonate or limestone, and a symbiotic algae called Zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium). The algae uses sunlight to create energy and shares up to 90% of it with the coral, while also giving corals their brilliant colours. Bleaching happens when this partnership breaks down. Factors such as changes in UV light, water clarity, salinity, pH, or temperature can cause stress. In recent years, elevated sea temperatures have been the main trigger. When it gets too hot, the algae overproduce, creating toxins. To protect themselves, the coral polyps expel the algae. Without the algae, the coral loses both its colour and its primary energy source, turning white, which is why it is known as coral bleaching. Importantly, the coral can recover from this.

If conditions change then <b> the corals can recover</b> and continue to thrive.

If conditions change then the corals can recover and continue to thrive.

In the early stages the coral is still alive, still producing 10% of its own energy. It’s starving, but still alive, something the media have not been good at reporting. Bleached coral does not mean dead coral. In good conditions, some species can survive like this for over two months (although most species will only last a few weeks). If conditions return to normal, the coral polyps can acquire more algae and continue living. However, if this doesn’t happen quick enough, then they develop rapid tissue necrosis and eventually die. As increased water temperature is the main contributing factor to coral bleaching in the northern Great Barrier Reef, this can quickly turnaround with the arrival of summer rains rapidly cooling the water. So, as you can see, there’s more to the coral bleaching story than has been widely reported.

ABC Snorkel Charters has officially rebranded to ABC Reef Safaris

ABC Snorkel Charters has officially rebranded to ABC Reef Safaris

We’ve officially rebranded from ABC Snorkel Charters to ABC Reef Safaris. This change reflects what we do today and where we’re heading with focus and passion. At ABC our core values have always been on small-group, personalised reef experiences and that has not changed. What has changed is our capacity to deliver more outstanding Great Barrier Reef activities and experiences, thanks to the addition of a new vessel.

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