The barrier Reef in trouble again

[Rodney Mills]

This column (link is below) appeared today on BBC.. I've logged over 200 scuba dives on the Barrier Reef, From just below Cape Tribulation down to the Whitsunday Island. Scuba diving and trips out to the reef and observations by glass bottom boats etc. allow tourists from the energetic to the sedentary to gaze at one of the real wonders of the world. So sad that our grandchildren and their grandchildren will only know about it from picture books and film shows.

I have seen huge patches of dead coral and the effect it had on the local tourist industry. That damage had been caused by acts of nature, the crown of thorns starfish devastation, and the salt water diluted by fresh water runoff from a cyclone. The damaged reef takes our life times to recover. Coral only grows something like a 32nd of an inch a year.

The magnitude of damage done to high tourist areas like Cairns and Port Douglas down to the Whitsunday group is terrible to think about. The man from Quicksilver is representing the Tourist boats that take folks out to Agincourt Reef about 40miles off Port Douglas. That reef was in poor shape when I dived it years ago, due to huge day tripper traffic. It must be awful now.

Makes me want to weep. Read the following link and join me.

Great Barrier Reef suffered worst bleaching on record in 2016, report finds - BBC News

[Richard Quartermaine]

Not much point in weeping I'm afraid Rodney. The planet has been changing ever since the Big Bang and continues to spew volcanic emissions. The rape of the natural vegetation and wild life, over population of the planet particularly in tropical climes, the emissions from energy creation and more. Self interest and greed across those in control plays its part.

But! Those who, also in self interest, push their barrow blaming one particular viewpoint make the loudest noise and achieve the least effective solution.

Regards, Richard

[Ivan Cloherty]

Always amazes me how the locals complain the loss of the reef is affecting the tourist trade and their livelyhood, is it not the tourist industry and the hundreds of boats going out that brought about the present situation, plus all the pollution from the transport and aircraft getting the said tourists to the required location.

Same as the tree huggers here who complain about damage to the environment and the planet and then get into their cars, camper vans and buses to go home and switch on their kettles, heating and TV, the latter in hope of seeing themselves being active in saving the planet

[j.sabourn]

Dont think it is the home brewed Queenslander who is complaining Ivan. Australians have the normal amount of brains to recognize the natural evolution of the world and that it is never going to be retained in the pristine condition of the Garden of Eden. all the times I was in Oz on ships of different hue, their harbour and coast came under strict quarantine conditions so is not something new. Ships were fined for making smoke, and dumping of garbage and water ballast had to be contained to strict levels. No the screeches are Media made and politically motivated. You would have to get an unbiased and apolitical surveyor to get anywhere near the truth. The truth is that people cannot change the evolution and the continuance of such which is never going to be controlled by man, especially orchestrated by a bunch of simpletons in the way of politicians. About the best you can hope for is cutting back the smog. Anything else is Buls##t. As said previously people will believe what they think they want to believe, and think because so and so says is correct. They should make their own decisions and not listen to others. No body wants a polluted atmosphere and agree with cut back on smog and other life threatening diseases, this however is not climate change. JS For those who believe in climate change I wonder if they also believe in Time Travel. In theory if you are capable of attaining the speed of light which has also been stated to be 186,000 miles a second then they would be able to move back in time to whatever period one desired, would then be able to go back and re-vote for some of the idiots we have elected in the past. no trouble with so called climate change then could keep on going back to Utopia. Go too far back and would have to swim for it. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

The problem is not the so called global warming or climate change espoused by so many, rather it is the fear factor promulgated by them, not for the benefit of man but rather for their own power struggle. The Greens, if any one was to believe them, will tell you we should now all be living in mud huts making grass skirts.
The fact is this planet if finite and one day will cease to exist.
But it is quite amazing the number who take the word of a politician on this matter without ever seeking the truth for them selves.

I was at times doubtful about quite a lot of it until December 2011 when the head of our scientific body retired.
He wrote a very long article in the paper about 'global warming' stating that the figures given to the gov of the day were so outrageous that if they occurred armagedon would be on us in the morning.
But he went on to say that these were the figures the gov wanted, anything less and funding may well have been cut.

Since then a number of other specialists and scientists have come out in agreement with him.

[j.sabourn]

Yes John we have been all through this before but don't think my views have changed any. All human life on this planet depends and always has as far as we know on our brightest star the Sun. I can quite see why it was worshipped as a God by some in centurys gone as was the sustainer of all life. The likes of various philosophers through History like Plato and Socrates and many more, put more thought into it and came up with various answers which were proved to be correct. Climate which everyone shouts about is caused by the Earths path and orbit round the Sun, Storms and other phenomena such as the warming of the earths surface as they want us to believe is all weather patterns some of it caused by man due to burn offs and other phenomena. The only thing that is going to change Climate change is the orbital path around the sun, everything else is weather and until they stop trying to confuse people, I wont be putting any money in the collection box. If indeed the earths orbital path has been altered I fail to see how they are going to correct it. Cheers JS

[John Pruden]

to many people on the planet.. jp

[j.sabourn]

Don't worry JP they will soon be taking early bookings for Mars. Those who think the world is flat are going to be left behind. Cheers JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

too many people on the planet.. jp

Well I don't know about you John, but I intend to be one of them as long as possible

[vic mcclymont]

In Mail On Sunday there was an article about El Mini and how the effect had raised the water temperature in the Pacific and how damaging that this had been. El Mini has reversed and is causing cooling now.
The BBC as usual broadcast the article about the great barrier reef but failed to mention that some of the damage was caused by EL Mini.
So much for balanced broadcasting.
Regards
Vic