24. GIANT CLAM PLUS RIBBON REEFS

Aboard Careelah (1967) Lizard Island

GIANT CLAM

 Tridacna gigas near Lizard Island (1967) with mantle withdrawn.

 Tridacna gigas in natural state with mantle extended.

23. SEA SNAKES (Hydrophiinae) - GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND; MARION REEF

Tom Allen of Florida on The Swain Reefs (1971)  © JHH

Stokesi sea snake, Great Keppel Island, QLD (Chrissie Craka model) 

Deckand and expert diver (Richard Weir) takes a calculated chance with mating sea snakes, Marion Reef (1974) © jhh

The Swain Reefs - circa 1973

 

Anti sea snake device 1964 - devised by Ron Taylor - not required.

 .

Olive sea snake, The Swain Reefs (1974) - also on 16mm. Original on Kodachrome.

1960s sea snake dramatization by Italian producers filming in Australia.

22. HERALD CAYS

Herald Cays has the highest tree's of all islands in The Coral Sea

21. THE COD HOLE (Near Lizard Island)

THE COD HOLE

Docile. Ben Cropp filming his son.

Cod hiding in a cave at The Cod Hole.

Potato cod were larger in 1990, and more numerous.  Same applies to Maori wrasse.

Hump Head Maori Wrasse in 1991

Painted Sweetlip

Clown fish and their anemone.

Chrissie Craker meets a potato cod

20. BOUGAINVILLE REEF

 Brass portholes on wrecks are not very common

19. CAPRICORN AND BUNKER GROUP

Shell collector at North West Island, offshore from Gladstone and Yeppoon, Queensland.

Stokesi sea snake at Great Keppel Island. Christine Danaher takes a closer look.

Christine Danaher out of the water

Inside the lighthouse at North Reef, fish eye lens on 6x6 cm film

Reef offshore includes the magnificent platform coral shown below - (which may have been lost during a major flooding of the Fitzroy River).

Large coral (Acropora) at Great Keppel Island  (remote northern side) - possibly later killed by fresh water.


CAPRICORN AND BUNKER GROUP

An example of competition between coral species for living space. Girls in Lycra suits add some color
P.S. from a retired scientist and long term friend:

"This is something discovered and studied by Judy Lang when we were together at Tom Goreau's lab in Jamaica.

The Porites below the table Acropora is stinging the coral above it - stinging it to death where ever the Porites tentacles can stretch out and touch the Acropora.

Judy worked out the hierarchy of Caribbean corals, ie., who can beat whom.

In general, the slower a coral grows the more it must be able to attack and kill a faster growing coral that might take away its space".

Cheers - Dave

Fragile and very large coral formation in the lagoon at Lady Musgrave Island.  Can it survive tourism?

(This is possibility Wreck Island not Wilson Island)