The underwater life around Heron Island’s reefs feature in many documentaries and it is easy to see why as we enter the water. Masses of staghorn corals cover the reef and small colourful fish are everywhere.
Under a bommie several sweetlips sit motionless. As we move closer the reason for their inactivity becomes obvious. A tiny fish with a blue stripe down its flank darts across nipping at them. This is a cleaning station and the little wrasse is providing a service to the larger fish.
Away in the blue a large shape moves in. It's a huge manta ray with a wingspan near 6m. It vanishes into the blue, leaving us watching in anticipation for its return. Only the fish schools continue to come and go as we move back towards the reef.
Blue, green, gold and even purple clams are scattered around the fields of staghorn corals that extended beyond our visibility. Each has a uniquely-patterned mantle - a work of art.
Butterfly and angel fish are almost everywhere, their brilliant yellow and blue contrasting with the corals. At the edge of the coral a yellow nudibranch crawls. On the sea bed is a shell with exquisite patterns - one of Heron Island’s own unique species of volute shell.
Below us a green turtle rests amongst the corals. It stays as we move in for a closer encounter and after a photo session we leave it in peace.
Nesting female turtles come ashore on Heron Island to lay their eggs. Once finished, the eggs are left unprotected until they hatch. The baby turtles then run the gauntlet of sea birds and fish to reach the edge of the reef and the relative safety of the open sea.
