francene--blog. Year 2013
  • Home
  • Blog

July 21st

7/21/2013

 
Picture
Will mankind's blundering ever cease? It has emerged that US fighter jets dropped inert bombs on the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's coast during a training exercise with Australian military personnel that went wrong. Why do they train in such a precious environment?

The two planes jettisoned four unarmed bombs in more than 50m (165 ft) of water, away from coral, to minimize damage to the World Heritage Site, the US navy said. The planes were low on fuel and couldn't be unloaded at the base, so they dumped them.


Picture
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral structure rich in marine life.

It stretches for more than 2,600km (1,680 miles) along Australia's eastern coast.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is already in trouble according to the country's government. The conditions are poor and extreme events in recent years, such as cyclones, flooding, and the effects of climate change are to blame. Also, chemicals used in farming, which find their way into the water, have had a big impact. Poor water quality is bad news for the fish and sea creatures.

One of Australia's most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the immense coral reef. The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the worlds most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches.


Picture
In 1986, I traveled to the Great Barrier Reef with a wealthy family I worked for on their private fishing boat. They visited friends on Lizard Island and I snorkeled off the land to see the myriads of fish and corals. Underwater, it's like a floating dream.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and pulling away from it, and viewing it from a greater distance, you can understand why. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.

v  Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef

v  Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed

v  215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands

v  Seventeen species of sea snake live on the Great Barrier Reef

v  More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef

v  There are at least 330 species of ascidians (sack-like invertebrates - sea squirts) on the reef system

I'm aghast about the jettisoned bombs. If they'd been armed, would the fighter jet personnel have bombed the reef? This is what I think: Mankind's toys of war are getting out of hand.


Rainbow Hues link
7/20/2013 06:47:30 pm

Wow the pictures look really great...someday even I want to snorkel and look at reef...somewhere...someday!

BTW, did we ever find out why were the jets practicing there and did the inert bombs dropped there do any damage to the reef?
Thanks :)

Dropping by from UBC

Francene Stanley link
7/20/2013 08:46:04 pm

No damage that we know of--yet. The jets were practicing dropping bombs an island nearby. Shish!

Rainbow Hues link
7/20/2013 09:04:05 pm

Hey sorry to use this post to correspond with you :

Please explain the comment 'stilted' on my post...was unable to understand that. how is the story a bit stilted...It would be interesting to know how you perceived it. Thanks for stopping by thought :)

Francene Stanley link
7/21/2013 03:48:35 am

I've poopped over and explained.

DinoMama link
7/20/2013 06:50:17 pm

Its so sad that such a beautiful place is being destroyed slowly. I hope some day some one will be able to find some ways to help the Great Barrie Reef.

Sophie Bowns link
7/20/2013 08:41:47 pm

What a beautiful selection of pictures! It would be so awful if that was destroyed! I love snorkling! We snorkelled in the Bahamas 7 years ago. An experience which I'll never forget!

Francene Stanley link
7/20/2013 08:47:07 pm

Wouldn't it be great if everyone could see this wonder?


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Catastrophe
    Creativity
    Family
    Life Experiences
    Mother
    News
    Novel Writing
    Novel-writing
    Retirement
    World

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Parker Knight