Australia

Monty Reef - Up Close

This isn't the coral reef you were expecting. This is not one of the reefs making up the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Montgomery Reef is a rare reef that becomes largely exposed at low tide. As the tide drops, the water collected within the coral rushes out of what appear to be large streams like this one. We travelled through a crevice in the reef that remained underwater even at low tide for a viewing of the reef. It is home to hundreds or thousands of green turtles, many different birds and fish. It is possible to walk on the reef - as it is fairly solid - but there seems to be recognition that one should not walk on the reef.

I think viewing the reef from sea level gives a very basic view of the reef. Viewing by air would give a greater perspective of the 80 kilometre long reef. The reef was named by Philip Parker King in 1820 after the HMC Mermaid's surgeon. The surgeon was described to me as a grumpy fellow and naming the reef after him was an effort to please him.

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