Myrmidon Reef

In the 1800s, they started to grow sugar cane in Queensland. The work was hot and unpleasant, so they decided to import south sea islanders to work on the cane plantations. The process was known as “blackbirding” and it was more or less a form of slavery. Vessels (or blackbirders) engaged in the labour trade went to the islands and signed up islanders for three years (after that, under the law, indentured labourers were returned to their island of origin). They were paid in kind, rather than with money, at the end of their indenture. It started in the 1840s and finished in the early twentieth century.

Today we visited the site of the 130 year old wreck of the Foam - a blackbirder which was taking 84 people back to the islands and hoping to entice another group to work the cane fields while they were at the islands. All onboard survived, but the south sea islanders lost all their belongings, so had to work in Queensland for another three year term to have the goods they wanted to return home with.

We had the coordinates of the site, and as soon as we stopped we found the wreck, to the absolute delight of our marine archeologist (who was already ecstatic about going to the site).

She was over the moon when she found the second anchor, which had never been found before.

We had a fantastic time snorkelling on the reef and the wreck, as the visibility was outstanding.

Now we are steaming through the Coral Sea, on our way to our first destination in the Coral Sea external territory. I’m pretty excited that I’ve reached the place that was the reason I’ve come on this trip. It’s rather bumpy.