Hi Karen_ML_Melb,
thank you for taking the time to leave the review.
It is disappointing that your experience didn't mirror the experiences of our many other guests.
The density of marine life can change due to the weather, and unfortunately, we had some windy days in July.
Agincourt Reef is in excellent condition that was very lightly impacted by the extreme coral bleaching events a couple of years ago. Most of the small amount of coral that was bleached has recovered in the 2/3 years since the incident. We recommend reading the GBRMPA reports regarding the conditions of the reef, and Agincourt.
The bleached white colour also only remains during the period of heat stress, with the coral either recovering and regaining its colour, or dying and being overtaken by algae. At the moment the water is too cold for bleaching (but not cold enough to cause cold water bleaching). So there is no abnormal bleaching anywhere on the Great Barrier Reef currently. You might be confused as to what coral bleaching is. Some mistake perfectly healthy coral for 'bleached' coral because it's a dull pastel colour. In some coral, brighter colours can indicate extreme stress and impeding bleaching.
The Great Barrier Reef, across its 350,000kms, has a range of different marine ecosystems, each with different mixes of corals and marine life.
We hope that your next visit to the reef will be fantastic.