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Published: July 28th 2009
Today starts early as we have to drive to Cairns to catch the boat to Green Island and the Great Barrier Reef - well some of it anyway!
We were well stocked with water, crisps, sun lotion and swimming kit. We boarded the catameran that was to take us out to Green Island, about an hours journey. It was smooth sailing most of the way until we got clear of the headland and then it got a bit choppy, but most of us had taken sea sickness pills and we were all fine.
On the journey out you can book various things - we'd gone for the whole package which included snorkel hire, a ride on the semi-submarine and a buffet lunch. I made enquiries about doing a scuba dive there, and after showing my PADI card and filling in a form, I was booked onto a 1 o'clock dive. I explained I hadn't done a dive for about 3 years, but they seemed to think I'd be OK.
When we arrived, we only had a few minutes before our semi-sub trip, so after a quick trip onto the island we came back and got aboard. It was
a sort of boat thing that you sat in the keel with windows out underwater. You really did see a lot of fish and coral, and we even saw turtles and giant clams.
After that, it was lunch time, and we helped ourselves, and then went to the beach to try some snorkelling. The weather was quite windy, overcast and cool - but ok for t-shirts, so we didn't bother with sun cream. The children both put their wetsuits on (thanks a lot Catherine and John!). We got going but I had to leave after a few minutes for the dive.
At the dive shop, they kitted me up and we went into the swimming pool where he got me and another chap to do a few exercises, and after that all seemed ok, we jumped on the boat and went out to the dive site. On the way out we spotted some whales spouting, so the boat carried on out to have a better look at them. I didn't take my camera, which was a shame! We didn't get terribly close, maybe 100 feet away, but we did see one breach right out of the water. Then
we went back in, against the swell and got thoroughly soaked as we hit the waves - just like those epic films of pirates, water washing everywhere, but we were all in wet suits and didn't care!
The dive went ok, but I had trouble with my ears and the pressure, so by the time I'd got myself really comfortable the dive was half over. I did get to see some giant clams, a few shrimp like things, lots of coral, and it finished with me swimming in a huge school of blue fish with yellow tails. The guy next to me on the boat was from the US and have recently served in Iraq, the other one diving was from Canberra I think, so we were quite a mix.
Then it was back to the Island, and some more snorkelling. Both the children did really well and could swim for miles without having to stop. We saw a few fish, and some sea cucumbers. The sun came out for a few brief minutes at this time, and things looked a lot brighter. We finished with a long swim with me and the children all holding hands swimming
over fields of sea grass looking for fish. Cath had gone on an Island explore meanwhile.
We swam back to shore and poke our heads above water for the first time for ages, to find it raining - so we had to pelt up the beach to rescue the towels and stuff that were suppose to be drying.
Then we all got back on the boat, and got changed into warmer things as the wind got up and the sky got darker. Funny they said, its been great weather for several days - we're beginning to think we're carrying the English weather curse around with us!
When we got back to the villa, and scrambled eggs and beans, both Cath and I found we were sunburnt, which given the about 10 minutes of sun total that day was quite a feat! The children were fine though - those wetsuits were such a good idea!!
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Sue Morris
non-member comment
diving
It is so exciting following your blog! Thanks for incredible pictures and a sense of being there amongst the fish -all from the comfort of my computer chair! Luv GS