28 April 2010

Join us for an 11 day luxury conservation cruise to the Coral Sea. This is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, where you willsee pristine coral reefs, watch the sun set behind thousands of soaring Frigatebirds, snorkel with sharks and observe turtles nesting. Or… you can lounge in the luxury of the Elizabeth EII and be waited upon by their experienced staff.

This year, Project Lihou will go from 27th Nov to 8 Dec 2010. Book before June 30th and benefit from 5% off, in our earlybird deal. Contact Diverse Travel to make a booking and quote “Wildiaries 5% Earlybird Discount”.

The islands we visit are part of Lihou Reef, which is a strict nature reserve and can only be accessed under Commonwealth permit. Visiting these islands is a unique privilege.

This expedition suits birders who are both divers and non-divers. For the divers, there are superlative shark dives at Anne Cay and the sheltered lagoons offer the chance of night dives. We will aim to do at least two dives per day. The islands are also significant seabird breeding sites and we will go ashore at least twice a day to do counts and photography.

Lihou Reef is a photographer’s paradise. Colourful fish and Tawny Nurse Sharks abound in just a couple of metres of water, whilst nesting boobies, noddies and frigatebirds are perfectly photogenic and approachable. Whether you know little or a lot about ocean wildlife, this is the trip for you.

The Elizabeth EII is a custom built 108ft charter vessel and one of the most luxurious in Queensland. Each cabin has its own ensuite and is serviced daily by friendly hostesses who are sure to make your stay enjoyable. At meal times enjoy culinary delights preparedby the onboard chef. In the evenings, buy a drink at the bar and enjoy presentations by our science colleagues.

About PROJECT LIHOU 4-15 December 2009

PROJECT LIHOU (“lee-hoo”) explored the wilderness of this “Serengeti of the sea”. Though rarely visited by humans, its remoteness does not mean it is untouched by the effects of our everyday lives. Sea level rise, ocean warming, cyclones and ocean acidification are concentrated at the tiny coral cays: a microcosm of global climate change effects and an ideal laboratory for our work.

It’s not just about the beauty of Lihou but the fact that all species and ecosystems on our blue planet are vital to the survival of our species. We are all connected.

Deep reefs were examined using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV – a type of robot) – exploring habitats never before seen by humans. Scientific divers surveyed lagoons, counted fish and assessed coral bleaching. Meanwhile, wildlife ecologists documented flora and fauna associated with coral cays and collected vital data on seabirds, turtles and seasnakes.

For more information and videos from the 2009 trip, click here.