Why Is The Water So Blue In The Whitsundays?
The water in the Whitsundays is so blue thanks to fine sediment in the waters and the way it interacts with light. Across the world, the Whitsundays is known for one thing in particular: the incredibly dreamy blue water. Whether you’re diving it, swimming it or simply gazing lovingly from afar, there’s no doubt that the water in the Whitsundays is some of the most awe-inspiring in the world.
Nothing evokes the feeling of a tropical paradise like a bright and clear blue sea - but for all of its wonder, it evokes a great deal of mystery. Why is the water in the Whitsundays so blue? We're going to uncover all the elements of this phenomenon!
Why is the water in the Whitsundays so blue?
The blue colour of the ocean in the Whitsundays has a lot to do with the absorption of light and colour. In general, all water absorbs colours in the red part of the light spectrum. The water then acts like a filter, with the light of the sun leaving behind colours in the blue part of the light spectrum which are then visible to the human eye. Sea water can also take on green, red, or purple hues due to the different types of sediments and particles in the water.
In the Whitsundays, the very fine sediment that is found in the region’s waters attracts the bright blue part of the light spectrum. When the sunlight in the Whitsundays region penetrates the water, a brilliant and mind-blowing shade of blue is transmitted, leaving jaws dropping all over the place. This wonderful shade of blue is part of the reason why the Whitsundays are so famous!
Pure, Clean Water in the Whitsundays
The vibrancy of the blue is also completely dependent on the purity of the water. The Whitsundays has incredible clean, pure water that allows more light to filter through and result in a vibrant blue colour. If a body of water is full of impurities including algae, mud, or pollution, the scattered light will reflect far less blue. The more impurities there are, the light will scatter more rampantly.
For example, in coastal areas that host river runoffs, the sand and silt from the bottom are consistently stirred about, changing the colour of the water because of how these particles absorb light. Other types of particles, including phytoplankton, can greatly alter the colour of the water because of the way they contain substances that absorb varying wavelengths of light.
Mass of Water
The blueness of the water in the Whitsundays also depends on the mass of water available. The reason a puddle or a glass of water doesn’t appear blue is that there are not enough molecules in it to absorb the light effectively. The Coral Sea is deep enough for the water to appear bright blue!
The further we travel down into the water in the ocean, the deeper the blues also become. This is because the water molecules first absorb infrared, red, and ultraviolet light, leaving yellow, green, and violet light until later.
Surprisingly, most of the ocean is completely pitch black. The deeper the water gets, the less light is able to penetrate it. Generally, hardly any light can penetrate deeper than 200 metres, and no light at all penetrates deeper than one kilometre.
The Stark Contrast of Blue and White in the Whitsundays Water
To add to the beauty of the area, some areas of the Whitsundays also boast the purest and whitest sand in the world. This adds to the incredible effect of the blue water, creating a stark contrast between the white sand and the blue sea. The white sand on Whitehaven Beach is made from 98.9% pure silica, which means it is made of mostly tiny granules of quartz, amongst other fine particles of rock and mineral.
Interestingly, the origin of the white sand on Whitehaven Beach is a mystery - nobody knows why this is the only area in the Whitsundays to host silica sand. The surrounding areas don’t boast residues of quartz, so the purity of the sand remains a beautiful mystery for now.
Visit Whitehaven Beach on a day tour from Airlie Beach to witness this stunning natural phenomenon. Or better yet, book a scenic flight so you can view the mystical colors from the sky!
Make the most of your time in the Whitsundays with these tours!
