The Great Barrier Reef encompasses ~3000 individual reefs and ~100 islands. Spots of greenery in crystal clear, blue waters, discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770. One of the first islands the Englishmen charted was the Bedarra Island in the northeast of Australia. With its beautiful display of green and blue hues, the “Bedarra” black opal is an apt reminder of the history and beauty of the largest coral reef system in the world.