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Reef Trips Learn to Dive Adventure Trips Lodging Reef News Local Info Galleries Maps Companies Contact Us More Reports Wondering what reef conditions are like at a certain time of year? Look at previous Reef Reports to get an idea. Select the date that you wish to see a report for. 7 May 13 22 Apr 13 17 Nov 11 15 Nov 11 13 Nov 11 11 Nov 11 31 Jul 11 30 Jun 11 17 Jun 11 15 Jun 11 23 Feb 11 7 Feb 11 19 Jan 11 24 Apr 10 14 Apr 10 13 Apr 10 8 Apr 10 13 Mar 10 12 Mar 10 19 Feb 10 3 Jan 10 18 Dec 09 1 Jul 09 1 Jun 09 5 Jan 09 31 Dec 08 20 Dec 08 2 Dec 08 1 Dec 08 28 Nov 08 2 Oct 08 22 Sep 08 20 Sep 08 18 Sep 08 14 Sep 08 20 Jun 08 19 Jun 08 28 Apr 08 21 Apr 08 1 Apr 08 6 Mar 08 14 Dec 07 13 Dec 07 10 Dec 07 20 Sep 07 18 Sep 07 8 Aug 07 1 Aug 07 14 Jul 07 22 Jun 07 18 Jun 07 18 Mar 07 14 Mar 07 12 Mar 07 5 Mar 07 1 Mar 07 23 Feb 07 14 Feb 07 7 Feb 07 1 Feb 07 29 Jan 07 24 Jan 07 20 Jan 07 16 Jan 07 14 Jan 07 12 Jan 07 10 Jan 07 5 Jan 07 3 Jan 07 30 Dec 06 23 Dec 06 20 Dec 06 18 Dec 06 15 Dec 06 10 Dec 06 6 Dec 06 30 Nov 06 20 Nov 06 7 Nov 06 30 Oct 06 21 Oct 06 14 Oct 06 9 Oct 06 1 Oct 06 19 Sep 06 10 Sep 06 5 Sep 06 28 Aug 06 14 Aug 06 30 Jul 06 15 Jul 06 15 May 06 22 Apr 06 3 Apr 06 21 Mar 06 3 Jan 06 17 Dec 05 31 Aug 05 24 Aug 05 16 Aug 05 9 Aug 05 2 Aug 05 25 Jul 05 18 Jul 05 13 Jul 05 27 Jun 05 20 Jun 05 20 Apr 05 7 Mar 05 20 Jan 05 14 Jan 05 1 Jan 05 30 Dec 04 17 Dec 04 27 Aug 04 19 Aug 04 12 Aug 04 5 Aug 04 3 Aug 04 28 Jul 04 21 Jul 04 14 Jul 04 7 Jul 04 1 Jul 04 12 May 04 1 Apr 04 24 Jan 04 19 Dec 03 12 Dec 03 19 Sep 03 12 Sep 03 6 Aug 03 25 Jul 03 18 Jul 03 4 Jul 03 27 Jun 03 13 Jun 03 6 Jun 03 30 May 03 23 May 03 2 May 03 25 Apr 03 11 Apr 03 5 Apr 03 28 Mar 03 21 Mar 03 14 Mar 03 7 Mar 03 28 Feb 03 21 Feb 03 14 Feb 03 31 Jan 03 23 Jan 03 10 Jan 03 6 Jan 03 3 Jan 03 20 Dec 02 13 Dec 02 6 Dec 02 29 Nov 02 22 Nov 02 12 Nov 02 8 Nov 02 1 Nov 02 25 Oct 02 11 Oct 02 5 Oct 02 28 Sep 02 21 Sep 02 14 Sep 02 7 Sep 02 30 Aug 02 23 Aug 02 16 Aug 02 7 Aug 02 1 Aug 02 25 Jul 02 18 Jul 02 10 Jul 02 4 Jul 02 29 Jun 02 20 Jun 02 12 Jun 02 5 Jun 02 29 May 02 22 May 02 16 May 02 8 May 02 1 May 02 24 Apr 02 18 Apr 02 9 Apr 02 27 Mar 02 20 Mar 02 14 Mar 02 7 Mar 02 27 Feb 02 20 Feb 02 14 Feb 02 6 Feb 02 31 Jan 02 17 Jan 02 10 Jan 02 2 Jan 02 24 Dec 01 19 Dec 01 12 Dec 01 5 Dec 01 28 Nov 01 22 Nov 01 15 Nov 01 8 Nov 01 31 Oct 01 25 Oct 01 18 Oct 01 10 Oct 01 3 Oct 01 27 Sep 01 20 Sep 01 13 Sep 01 5 Sep 01 29 Aug 01 22 Aug 01 16 Aug 01 9 Aug 01 1 Aug 01 25 Jul 01 18 Jul 01 12 Jul 01 4 Jul 01 29 Jun 01 23 Jun 01 12 Jun 01 3 Jun 01 31 May 01 23 May 01 16 May 01 9 May 01 2 May 01 25 Apr 01 18 Apr 01 11 Apr 01 4 Apr 01 28 Mar 01 21 Mar 01 9 Mar 01 2 Mar 01 21 Feb 01 14 Feb 01 7 Feb 01 31 Jan 01 25 Jan 01 18 Jan 01 11 Jan 01 4 Jan 01 14 Dec 00 7 Dec 00 30 Nov 00 23 Nov 00 16 Nov 00 8 Nov 00 2 Nov 00 26 Oct 00 18 Oct 00 14 Oct 00 5 Oct 00 27 Sep 00 12 Sep 00 2 Sep 00 26 Aug 00 19 Aug 00 12 Aug 00 5 Aug 00 29 Jul 00 22 Jul 00 15 Jul 00 1 Jul 00 10 Jun 00 27 May 00 20 May 00 13 May 00 6 May 00 29 Apr 00 22 Apr 00 11 Apr 00 4 Apr 00 25 Mar 00 18 Mar 00 11 Mar 00 6 Mar 00 4 Mar 00 26 Feb 00 15 Jan 00 8 Jan 00 18 Dec 99	Reef Report for Saturday, December 23, 2006 Great Barrier Reef Divulges Another Secret Compound found in Cone Snell venom holds promise for pain sufferers. Scientists from the University of Queensland recently announced that a chemical compound they had isolated from the venom a cone snail could have useful applications for sufferers of chronic pain. The scientists were studying the venom of the Marble Cone Snail, Conus marmoreus. This snail has is one of many species of cone snails, is frequently spotted on the Great Barrier Reef, and is distributed through tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Besides having a beautiful shell that collectors and divers admire, this snail produces a very toxic venom, which it uses to immobilize and kill it’s prey, which is usually other species of snails. The venom is quite toxic to humans, stings are potentially fatal, and any stung should seek medical treatment immediately. Cone snail venom is complex, and contains a mix of chemicals, each with it’s own biological effect. The compound these scientists were studying was an effective painkiller, and blocks pain receptors in human nerve cells. Several other chemicals also have this effect, (such as morphine) but the side effects of many of them are significant, and the possibility of a drug that alleviates pain with fewer side effects would hold great promise. Currently this chemical can only be purified from the venom of this species of cone shell, and the amount of venom that can be collected would make the drug derived from it extremely expensive. By further studying the molecular structure of the venom it’s possible that a method of synthesizing the compound could be found. It’s also possible that the genes responsible for causing the construction of the compound could be isolated as well, making genetic recombination another way by which this compound could be produced in a less expensive manner. There are many species of cone snails, each with it’s own mix of compounds in it’s venom. Conservation of coral reefs world wide is worthwhile in itself, but an additional potential benefit of effective protection of reef ecosystems is the discovery of new chemical compounds that can be used as medicines. Coverage of this story from Reuters. New Sciatica Drug is being trialed. A new pain medicine derived from Cone Shell toxin goes into testing phase. Medical treatment necessary for Cone Shell stings. The weekly reef report is written by Joel Groberg of DiveTheReef.com, who compiles them from the many conversations he has with dive staff in the area, as well as  many other local sources in the dive community. Index of all reef reports.