# Heron Island - Great Barrier Reef - Jan '07



## Tubeman (Sep 12, 2002)

Welcome to my photo-tour of Heron island!

I went there for a week in January. Its at the southernmost end of the Great Barrier Reef in the Capricorn Group of islands.










Approaching the island by helicopter:










Noddy terns... There were 100,000 of these buggers on an island 800m long:










Looking out across the lagoon










The sea lapping the pristine beach










Coral fragments at the eastern tip of the island










The wreck of 'The Protector' at low tide... At high tide you can snorkel around inside it










The jetty










Sun setting behind the wreck, with reef top exposed at low tide



















Driftwood










Boat from Gladstone arrives...










As the tide goes out, water tumbles over the wall into the harbour










We were walking around the circumference of the island and I spotted a seagull pecking at something... on closer inspection it was a turtle hatchling! We shooed the seagulls away and watched 20 baby turtles scamper down to the sea
























You can stand and watch sharks swimming around in just a few inches of water... Here a group of Blacktips are milling around:















Standing on the jetty, you can peer into the crystal-clear water and see schools of eagle rays gliding around. Every now and then one accelerates and leaps well clear of the water... I had to wait for ages to capture this, but here's the evdience!










Flying back to Gladstone by helicopter... the Great Barrier Reef below










Here's some underwater photos... They're generally pretty shit, but you get the idea!










Eagle Ray










Stingray



















Guitar Fish










Lemon Shark










Blacktip Shark










Surgeonfish










Inside the wreck


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## Bahnsteig4 (Sep 9, 2005)

Now that's what I'm talking about!
great place, great pictures.
:applause:


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## Nicolás (Dec 17, 2005)

very nice photos :drool:
but Australia for just 1 week?


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

Wonderful pictures. The GBR is such as nice place. Hope you didnt get too much rain. January was pretty wet.


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## Tubeman (Sep 12, 2002)

Nicolás said:


> very nice photos :drool:
> but Australia for just 1 week?


God no... No, the itinerary was:

3 nights Bangkok
7 nights Sydney
2 nights Brisbane
7 nights Heron Island
3 nights Dubai (see other thread)

...I just haven't got around to posting the Bangkok, Sydney or Brisbane pics yet


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## Tubeman (Sep 12, 2002)

goschio said:


> Wonderful pictures. The GBR is such as nice place. Hope you didnt get too much rain. January was pretty wet.


No, it was fine on the reef. Flying back from Gladstone to Brisbane it looked very cloudy / wet though.


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