Oil carrier “MV Integrity’’ not under command, drifting towards Shark Reef.

Oil carrier “MV Integrity’’ not under command, drifting towards Shark Reef.

 This was the news Saturday night, 19th May. Spoilsport was scheduled to be in the same area however of more concern was the potential catastrophe the drifting tanker could do to our dive sites at Shark and nearby Osprey Reefs. These remote Coral Sea reefs, 75 miles beyond the Great Barrier Reef provide one of the world’s best shark dive experiences. As “MV Integrity’’ approached Shark Reef the crew expelled ballast to increase hull clearance over this iconic dive site with its superb underwater visibly and dozens of sharks.

A scientific  study of the areas shark population was published just three days earlier. Partly authored by local shark expert Richard Fitzpatrick, it showed that tagged sharks travelled between Osprey Reef and Shark reef.  Perhaps the sharks of Shark Reef were oblivious to the impending danger as the 26,070 gross ton ‘MV Integrity’ bore down on them. On the mainland however a collective sigh of relief  swept through  North Queensland as winds and waves pushed “MV Integrity’’ just clear of the reef and her heavy steel hull did not have to be tested against millions of tiny coral polyps.

Further Reading:
Barnett A, Abrantes KG, Seymour J, Fitzpatrick R (2012) Residency and Spatial Use by Reef Sharks of an Isolated Seamount and Its Implications for Conservation. PLoS ONE 7(5): e36574. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036574