The Great Barrier Reef

2/19/10
Once again I was up early after taking it easy and going to bed early the night before and heading to the marina to board my boat for the day trip to the main reef, Ocean Freedom. Starting out on the ocean to the reef some 30 kilometers away was breathtaking.



Watching from the stern of the boat as the city of Cairns became smaller and smaller, and looking to the side to see islands and headlands appearing in the distance. The water was such a clear blue green that was amazing, and the sky brilliantly blue with scattered cotton ball-like clouds. Once at our first destination in the reef, I immediately jumped in the water to snorkel around for forty or so minutes.











The most amazing view ever. It was like being submerged in the largest tropical fish tank ever. Everything from clown fish, angel fish, damsels, triggers, to giant clams and corals, and even a white tipped reef shark. Two actually. Seeing the first shark, I started to freak out. Being a surfer I think it was my natural reaction because you never want to see a shark, but as I told myself it was okay, and calmed my breathing to a normal pace again, I began swimming right alongside with the four foot shark. What an experience! After the snorkel it was time to put on my scuba gear and go for my first ever dive. A bit nervous, but completely excited I jumped in the water and began breathing. At first I was a little panicky, but within minutes got used to the breathing and was off for twenty minutes of discovery. Cruising around the reef wall with the dive master, holding hands the whole way we saw of the same things from the snorkel, plus so much more, but in a completely different way, and with a completely different view. If you have never done a scuba dive before I highly recommend it. Back in the boat after my dive I immediately signed up for a second dive at our next destination on the reef. I snorkeled around for another twenty minutes or so before it was time to head back to the boat for lunch. After lunch we headed to our next destination, a little white sand island in the middle of nowhere on the reef.



When I say a little white sand island, (actually a cay) I truly mean a li
ttle white sand island. Probably only thirty yards in diameter, covered in nothing but white sand, and truly in the middle of nowhere. Unbelievable beauty. Once again I was put fitted with a dive tank and jumping off the boat. This time I was heading out with Chris, a local dive master who I had befriended almost instantly when I boarded the boat. This time I was allowed to swim free on my own with Chris guiding me around the reef. This dive was even more incredible than the first, and we stayed down even longer. Cruising around on freely and with Chris and I being the only two in the water was mind blowing. To say I am hooked on diving would be an understatement. We swam through many schools of fish ranging tropical sorts to barracuda, saw more reef sharks, giant clams, and thousands of corals.



Some giant coral as big as a VW bug and giant clams as big as me. Once back on the boat Chris told me he could not believe how comfortable I was in the water for only my second dive and that I should look into getting certified and becoming a dive master. I think I just may! After our dive was over it was back into the water for some more snorkeling, and before I knew it our day was done and we were heading back to Cairns. Honestly, not only one of the best experiences of my life, but for sure one of the best days of my life as well. As we disembarked the boat, I approached Captain Redbeard to asked if I could stay and clean to get a discount and come back out the following day, but he said he would love to have me, but unfortunately was no longer allowed to do that. It was back to the hostel for me to book a bus to Airlie Beach and figure out what to do for the evening