Deep beneath me I could vaguely make out another carpet of coral.

I was reminded of the line from the first, and best, Indiana Jones film: “Indy, why does the floor move?”

In the Steven Spielberg epic, the floor was made up of snakes. In my fantasy world, I realised it was a massive school of fish.

I suspect they were tuna. That's certainly what they looked like. Each at least a metre long, distinctly tuna shaped and hundreds upon hundreds of them, just cruising along the ocean floor probably equally curious about the strange, bleached, bald human-shaped creature floating above them with a tube of plastic sticking out of his mouth.

I'm tempted to say there were thousands but in truth I was so in awe of the spectacle that I neglected to start counting them.

I have devoted many hours to the enjoyment of snorkelling up Australia’s East Coast from the welcoming warmth of the Whitsundays down to the chilly embrace of Cockle Creek and this was the most spectacular experience by a considerable margin.

I was in an area called Second Reef, just off the western edge of Lady Elliot Island, acclaimed as the southernmost extremity of the Great Barrier Reef and “regarded as one of its best snorkelling destinations”.

For once, the tourism blurb did not exaggerate.

Before the tuna, I had encountered manta rays, turtles, heart-stopping but harmless reef sharks and a kaleidoscopic collection of marine life eminently qualified to moonlight as extras in Finding Dory.

The island is said to be a sanctuary for 1200 species and on the horizon even whales joined the cast list.

Indeed, whales, turtles and birds operate in convenient shifts to provide tourists with overlapping watching seasons.

All this in waters boasting an average visibility of 20 metres and temperatures between 19 and 25 degrees. It is to snorkelling what Barnbougle is to golf.

Approaching from the air, Lady Elliot fulfilled all the requirements of a tropical paradise island getaway.

Like the pupil in an eye, the 110 acres of Commonwealth-owned land is surrounded by a visible reef which keeps the waves breaking well clear of the shoreline.

The grass runway bisects the island from north to south, touching beaches at each end and providing pilots with little room for aborted take-offs.

According to my good friend Wikipedia, the island was discovered and named in 1816 by Captain Thomas Stuart aboard the vessel Lady Elliot which had been built in Bengal and named after the wife of Sir Hugh Elliot, the Colonial Governor of India. 

Second Reef is located midway along a designated advanced snorkelling trail between two accessible entry points off the beach to minimise impact on the coral.

An intermediate trail operates closer to shore and a beginner trail on the shallower eastern side of the island.

Marker buoys help with navigation but such is the submarine entertainment that it is easy to get distracted.

It would be difficult to envisage either a safer or more spectacular snorkelling experience.

And snorkelling is just one of the experiences to enjoy at this magical location situated 30 minutes flying time from Bundaberg, 40 from Hervey Bay, 80 from Brisbane or 100 from the Gold Coast. 

A glass-bottomed boat offers an alternative method of viewing the sea life although wading through waist-deep water to get on board is not for those unsteady on their feet.

A guided reef walk through the eastern lagoon, island discovery tour and fish feeding are all laid on or visitors are free to circumnavigate the island or snorkel solo in the designated zones. Snorkel equipment is provided.

Diving tours are also available for those qualified, with PADI voting the island among its top five places to scuba dive with manta rays. Like the sharks, the rays look ominous but are harmless giants and devoid of the dreaded sting.

The island can be visited as a day trip or on stays of up to seven days with accommodation at a well-equipped eco resort. Combinations with nearby Fraser Island, complete with its sand dunes, dingoes and  freshwater lakes, are also available.

Prices begin at $365 for a day trip with stunning sunrises and sunsets complimentary on the overnight stays.

Our day trip included a buffet meal and use of facilities including the reef education centre, beach volleyball, table tennis, playground and a welcome warm shower before the flight out.

Strolling the white coral beaches, the cliche about taking only photos and leaving only footsteps seems eminently appropriate.

Details: www.ladyelliot.com.au