Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Did you know that 95% of the time it is sunny in Cairns? The other 5% is rainy. Probability would suggest it would be sunny for our Great Barrier Reef but we were in the 5%. So, we set out through the rain towards the reef, just down the street from our hotel. We boarded a boat to taken us to Green Island and then to the Reef. The seas were choppy and that did not agree with some of the other passengers on the boat. Needless to say, it was very gross. 


We got to Green Island where a lot of us decided to scuba dive. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wanted to say I scuba dived  in the Reef. Off to the actual Reef we went! It was a pontoon in the middle of the ocean.  
I decided to start out slow and snorkel first. It was amazing what you could see from above the fish. I was very glad the fish didn't come up right to me because I don't really like fish that much.  Then, it was time to put on the "big kid gear" and go from there. We suited up and had a ten minute training session of skills and was off! I learned I rely a lot on talking and I have my dad's ears. (They don't take pressure well) I am really glad I scuba dived and it was a cool experience once I figured out what the lady was saying. I felt bad for the other people in my group though because it took me a long time to start figuring it out and by that time the lady was frustrated with me and I was REALLY frustrated with the lady. But while we were down there we saw this huge fish and a shark! We also saw other little fish and coral while we were down there but the shark and big fish was definitely the highlight.

Shark!! (Insert Jaws theme song)

I had no depth perception underwater, you could not tell how far you were under the water or how close you were to the incoming objects. The scenery was amazing but I was pretty focused on my breathing underwater (that's a weird feeling) and my ears. I didn't think my ears would have as much problems adjusting to the pressure as they did but it is a VERY weird feeling! One of the guys told me they would be normal in 2-3 days, oh boy!! The sun finally decided to show its face about the time we were headed back. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

(The camera was wet)

For our farewell dinner we went to the Brazilian grill in our hotel. It was amazing. They put the sides on the table and then brought out these hunks of meat and carved them right in front of you. We had all sorts of meat including beef, pork, chicken, and lamb. This was supposedly a "good piece of lamb" but I still couldn't see what all the hype was about. It just tasted like a bland piece of meat. It's all what you're used to, I guess. After dinner I had to shop for some last minute souvenirs. I'm most excited about the "Outback hat" I got for my dad! 


I can't believe it's basically over. 


MaryAnn