The Great Barrier Reef

There are some things you really want to do when you're young, but never actually think you'll get to do it. Visiting the great barrier reef was one of those things for me. But here I am, armed with an underwater camera, a snorkel and some flippers, sitting on a yacht heading out to the unknown.

There's a certain amount of trepidation on my part as I've never snorkelled before and the part of the reef we are going to is the same place that Steve Irwin met his fate. Added to this, Mandy is still recovering from major dental surgery, so she probably won't be able to give me the benefit of her experience.

We're heading out to the Low Isles about 15km off the coast of Port Douglas, a tiny coral island on the inner part of the reef.

Despite the obvious attractions, the added benefit of this is that we can just launch ourselves off the island into shallow water, instead of anchoring in deep water and heading out to the reef. Mandy's previous experience with a whale shark confirms this as a good idea. It also means that if the snorkel isn't workable for her, she can laze about the island whilst I practice some controlled drowning.

After a short buzz about in a glass bottomed boat, we have some lunch and then don the gear.
There's just no 'cool' way of entering the water with flippers on. After a few brief panicky moments as my brain adjusts to realising that though my mouth is underwater I can still breathe, we're on our way.


After about half an hour or so Mandy is quite tired, which is a good effort since she can't use a snorkel, so she heads back to the island and I'm left on my own to explore. The photos from my camera can't do it any justice at all, so you'll have to take my word that it's everything you expect it to be and more besides. Colourful fish and coral, giant clams, but best of all is when I look up and floating only a couple of feet away from me is this fella...

A green sea turtle. There is another diver about two feet away from him but facing in totally the wrong direction. He swims alongside for a minute at most then disappears off, and I realise that I'm laughing my head off through my snorkel.

After a little bit more 'controlled' floating I head back to the island, chuffed to bits with the whole experience.
The rest of the day is chilling out and really just letting it all sink in.






Oh, but we have a different wildlife experience to look forward to tonight....