Under the Sea

Senior Gabrielle Palluch researched marine biology at Australia's Great Barrier Reef this summer. Program participants joined marine biologists for a 10-hour excursion to study the life forms that make up the reef's ecosystem.

A specially outfitted vessel ferried the group to the reef. While traveling to the reef, participants were able to question the experts and discuss the latest migration patterns of certain sea creatures, as well as the increase or decrease of specific sea life.

"One of my favorite parts of the whole trip was definitely sitting down and personally talking to the marine biologists. They were really insightful and had all this information about different types of fish and other creatures that I didn't even know existed,” explained Gabrielle. “It was really interesting to know that they did this as a job and got to encounter so many beautiful animals each day.”

Once at the reef participants used scuba or snorkeling equipment to dive into the Saxton Reef where they attempted to memorize different coral, plant, fish, and other sea life they observed, while estimating the quantity of said life forms. The group also studied the coral and observed its behavior to determine the overall health of the reef.

"Another part of the trip that I thought was amazing was being able to scuba dive," Gabrielle said. "I had never done it before so it was really cool that my first time was in the Great Barrier Reef.”

It was a whole other world down there, all the fish would swim right next to us as if we weren't even there,” Gabrielle continued. We got close enough we could glide our fingers across them as they swam by. One group went down and saw a white tip reef shark, which I thought was amazing."

Through review of their individual observations, the group determined that there were several issues such as a slight increase of coral bleaching, and low numbers for certain fish. Neither discovery proved to be cause for alarm, but the information informed biologists that future observation would be required.

Another issue the group discovered was more alarming.

"One of the things that I was shocked to learn was that people who ride out to the reef tend to litter," Gabrielle said. "We were told that the litter has caused many deaths to certain creatures out on the reef.”

 Sea turtles, who often eat jellyfish, discover plastic bags that were left behind and eat them. Their bodies are unable to digest plastic, which leads to the deaths of many turtles.

“We were told that there are special expeditions designed to go out into the reef and clean up trash,” explained Gabrielle. “Removing the trash has increased marine life by 15% in the past 6 years.”

Gabrielle encourages anyone who loves the ocean and aquatic life to experience a trip such as hers.

"It's so much fun and you forget that by doing this you’re helping not just the community of people, but the sea community. It really is a great, once in a life time experience and I highly recommending it!"