We were very excited for the day that awaited us, aimed at exploring “the Great Barrie Reef”: the most ‘great barrier reef in the world and certainly one of the 7 wonders of the world today.
Consists of about 2900 reefs, more ‘than 1500 species of fish, 600 tropical islands, 300 different types of coral, well 2300km long, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and’ the only living organism visible from space … awesome right? Wait until you see it …
Probably the best way to explore this underwater world and ‘diving right into it … not surprisingly the main activities are snorkeling and scuba diving, although there are also solutions for not “getting their feet wet” with boat trips on the reefs in semi -submersibles and scenic flights by helicopter.
We opted for the mask and suit and bought a tour from Cairns for a day trip in 2 “outer reef” for a period of 5 hours and with an introduction to free diving!
Our adventure and ‘started at 7:30 to check in for boarding at the port of Cairns. The ocean was quite rough and the boat rocked by accounting for the movement of waves. After traveling a few miles, the motion of the sea had already ‘claimed the first victim, which in turn getting up in the mouth with his hand on their way to the toilet, but fortunately we were already parties’ forearmed with our tablets for seasickness that we carried back from Thailand (experience shows;-)).
The time to reach the first target was flown from the excitement of exploring now this “wonderland” and dreamed so much anxiety in our first dive underwater. It ‘already’ cause no kind of experience and with only a few tips of the instructors during the trip, said that we were already ‘ready with incredible diving suit and cylinders. But not anything I’ll let you see this article.
Finished our introductory diving course we did not lose a moment and we snorkel and fins and slipped away again in water. Just below the water surface there was a new world that opened our eyes. Hard to put into words the emotions we felt.
With eyes wide open well we watched the host galaxy of teeming life of this ecosystem. The visibility ‘water was not at the top but in the end we managed to see a huge turtle, turning his head looked at us with his vivid eyes.
Turtle Reef
Excited by our first meeting we continued to explore for a while accompanied ‘by a large and colorful fish that Napoleon seemed to escort us to the coral formations where the water was shallow.
And it ‘right here in just a few feet of water we have more meetings’ overtime, leaving Slowly drifting with the current, passing through the coral gardens of every shape (although to tell the truth’ not as colorful as we expected) and shoals of colorful fish darting beside us still more indifferent to nibble the corals.
We were so engrossed that Martha had forgotten for a time even for lunch. Attracted by the sound of the whistle crew, we return to the ship for breakfast and to share for the second reef. Just enough time to recover a bit ‘of forces and we’re back to soak in the Hasting Reef.
We were so ‘taken in exploring these waters that Martha and I, without even realizing it, we are separated, each immersed in their own emotions and overwhelmed by this spectacle of nature. Again, who knows how long after the whistle calls us aboard the boat but this time to return to Cairns.
No words can ‘really make the idea of the experience and sensations we felt floating in this world or maybe with the rest of the world outside but I can tell you that just thinking about what’ we have seen is me goosebumps and can not wait to do it again …
