May 6, 2001 - Sunday - Cairns
I got to the wharf VERY tired and waited a bit before getting on the boat to go for my outer reef snorkel. We got on the boat and it was a very long ride out to our first stop. The instructor gave us an intro and talk about what we're doing today and he was a pretty funny guy with a very happy personality.
One tall Brit with reddish hair couldn't handle the rocking motion of the boat and put his head overboard and started barfing something almost neon green out of his mouth. It was an interesting contrast with his red hair and white skin, but it was still pretty gross. He looked pretty grim.
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| Hans and Belaid getting ready for snorkeling - The Great Barrier Reef, Australia |
I talked to 2 guys around my age and found out that they were German. We stopped at this small sand strip where hundreds of birds flew and nested on most part of the island except for one section that was roped off where people could go there and stand / sit on the strip. I put on a wet suit because the water was a bit chilly at 26 degrees and jumped in.
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| A reef tank in Sydney showing what the Great Barrier Reef looks like - it's much better than this!, Australia |
It was an amazing coral garden that greeted me with corals gleaming in rainbow array of neon colors. The fish matched the colors brilliantly but I didn't really see any different fish than the ones I've seen already. There was however the biggest giant clams I've ever seen in my life, many at 4 or 5 feet in the opening.
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| Tomato Clown hovering over an anemone - I must get an underwater housing for my camera, Australia |
Everyone went back to the boat after that and we continued on a reef for the afternoon. Lunch was served with cold potato and pasta salads and cold cut chicken and I chatted with Hans and Belaid while eating.
By the time we got to the next reef, it was raining. It was weird because it looked like the band of rain clouds were over the reef and nowhere else. It kept streaming in on the same area while we could see sun everywhere else. I went for the swim anyway and the coral garden here is even denser. I didn't see any special fish again but saw a white tipped shark toward the end.
(Other accounts of diving and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef can be located under Fitzroy Island and Whitsunday Islands)
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