The Great Barrier Reef

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I took advantage of a 'cheap' flight and headed to Cairns for
three days for a spot of diving and snorkelling.

Didn't get up to much on my first day in Cairns - it was 26ish
degrees, but raining - yuck! Just explored the town, but there's not
much there besides hotels/hostels/bars/clubs. There's no beach just
mudflats but they've built this lagoon type pool as was done in
Brisbane. However, unlike the one in Brisbane, it's only kids who use
it and not 'grown-ups'! Found some nice bookstores and cafes. That
night I went to the races, i.e. cane toad racing! At a Blues bar!
Bizarre experience. An Irish girl won the 'Fashions on the Field'.
Far out is the only way to describe it.

The next day I took a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. It was a fantastic
day. Weather was fabulous, and the reef is just so amazing. Got to
try diving for 5 minutes, i.e. had all the gear on and was under water
on a ladder at the back of the boat - the fish just gather under the
boat and are so colourful. After that snorkelled for an hour. You
see pictures of the reef, the fish and corals in books, on tv etc but
it doesn't prepare you for how beautiful it is. Really, really
amazing. It's like your swimming in somebody's tropical fish tank! Had
an underwater camera with me but id doesn't really do the reef any justice.
We got back on the boat for lunch and to travel to our next
snorkelling site. It was even more amazing here as I saw a turtle and
lots of giant clams. When we left this site we had the opportunity to
have a go at boom netting, which is one of the funniest things ever.
Everyone holds onto a net that's dragged behind a boat, but what they
don't warn you about is the need to hold on to your bikini as well -
one poor girl provided great entertainment for everyone who was
watching up on deck when she lost her bikini bottoms!! Coming back to
Cairns on the boat everyone just slept on the deck in the sun, until
waves started washing across us! Really was a great day, and all for
only $60. And no I don't know how many Euros that is!

My last day was spent on Green Island, a tiny island/national park
near Cairns. Went snorkelling again, just from the beach this time,
and a very kind lifeguard warned me about the sharks! Saw a blue
spotted stingray. Was so happy about that (although it was seconds
after I'd finished the film in my underwater camera😞). The fish moves
in such a great way, along though I was a bit scared of bumping into it
as it was only a foot away. It's weird when your'e snorkelling and
you're hoping that the fish can see you too cos it would be far too
strange if you swam into them. Went to a crocodile park there and
held a baby croc - they feel so nice.

It was a great trip but I didn't like Cairns itself. It's a good place to sleep before taking a trip to the reef but that's about it. If I find mysef in that part of Australia again I'll head for Port Douglas instead.

(More pictures to follow)

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Photos

First Glimpse of the Reef
Breaking Patches

Boom netting
Can you spot me?!