Great Barrier Reef

The world’s largest coral reef system pulses with a s taggering diversity of marine life. Dive into a f irst-timer’s tips for navigating this underwater world.

THIS WAS VERY MUCH A ‘BOOK NOW, LOGISTICS LATER’ TRIP. I’d never dived before, and just a month before I flew to Brisbane, I got in touch with Oyster Diving in London. I spent a few evenings in an art deco swimming pool in Soho kitted out in scuba gear, and a weekend in a lake near Heathrow to complete my course in time.

I PLANNED TO HOP BETWEEN ISLANDS IN QUEENSLAND AND DIVE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE REEF. Most days, I’d wake up early to catch a ferry out to a new island. I’d stay there either for the day or a few nights, then make my way to the mainland to catch another ferry the next morning.

EVERY ISLAND WAS DIFFERENT, BUT I GOT INTO A ROUTINE STARTING WITH SNORKELLING THE REEF AT SUNRISE. The rest of the day involved more snorkelling, scuba diving and sea kayaking. I’d only stop to eat, consuming just enough to give me the energy to get back out there again.

MY FIRST DIVE WAS TERRIFYING. I actually called it off. Diving in the ocean, it turns out, is very different to diving in a swimming pool or still lake. The conditions made it really difficult to descend, so I got back on the boat and hopped out in calmer waters closer to the shore. My nerves hadn’t calmed though — the instructor held my hand for the full 60 minutes of the dive.

THERE ARE PEOPLE LIVING IN QUEENSLAND WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE REEF’S HEALTH AND FUTURE. I met a lot of people whose lives revolve around educating others and fighting the effects of climate change and coral bleaching. Though each dive was beautiful and filled with an incredible diversity of coral and marine life, it felt very important not to take anything for granted.

ON MY FIRST DAY I CAUGHT A SMALL BOAT OUT TO FRASER ISLAND. On the way, a couple of humpback whales surfaced right beside us. After grabbing our snorkels, we listened to instructions from the expert guide to ensure the encounter was ethical (establishing a safe distance and enabling the whales to control the interaction), and bobbed in the ocean as they swam around us for the best part of half an hour. It was surreal — a year later, I still don’t think I’ve processed the experience.

HOW TO DO IT: Emirates flies from Heathrow to Brisbane Airport in Queensland, with a stopover in Dubai, from £700 per person. emirates.com oysterdiving.com queensland.com coralwatch.org