Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Before making the decision to study abroad in Australia I did some research on what the big country had to offer. Among many activities and sight seeing expeditions, the Great Barrier Reef instantly caught my eye; especially when I learned it’s one of the seventh wonders of the world and is actually visible from space. When I arrived in Australia I began searching for the right trip to explore the Great Barrier Reef, and I eventually came across a 3-day sailing expedition around the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsunday Islands, located off Queensland, Australia is a strip of spectacular white sanded, torques blue waters that form part of the Great Barrier Reef. For three days I sailed around on a sail boat dubbed “The Boomerang,” with approximately 20 other travelers from Europe, America and Oceania. Throughout the trip we made stops to hike around numerous islands and catch a panoramic view of crystal clear water where the sand and reef were visible, which then darkened where the water depth increased, transforming the water to a vibrant turquoise and gradually to a pastel of dark blues. One of the most spectacular islands that I visited was Whitehaven Beach. There are virtually no places for accommodation throughout Whitsunday because of wildlife protection standards, so the preservation and appearance of islands such as Whitehaven Beach are spotless. It was easy to pretend that I was the first human to ever step foot on the beach. The captain of “The Boomerang”, Maxi, explained that the sand on Whitehaven beach is made up of nearly 99% pure silica which he added is rare. Because the sand consists of high amounts of silica it gives off a vibrant white color when the sun shines on it which presents the beach as a picturesque get-away with the combination of the flawless water and backdrop of jungle-like forests and surrounding islands. Another interesting function of the sand located at Whitehaven beach is its exfoliation capability. After taking a handful of sand and rubbing it on the glass face of my watch it smoothed the surface and completely dulled numerous scratches. Each day we had the opportunity to snorkel along the Great Barrier Reef and explore the rainbow colored corals and immense wildlife that followed. Having snorkeled in Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas I had something to compare the Great Barrier Reef to but none of them could compete with the array of beauty the reef had to offer. If you’re venturing to Australia make sure the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands is on your itinerary.