The Great Barrier Reef

Joy to the fishes and the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

April 18-20

I can't even talk about it!  Breathtaking, gorgeous, heavenly.  You gotta do it!  John don't leave here until you've come out to the Reef.  This place is...I can't find the words!!!

We spent three days and two nights on the Great Barrier Reef, sailing out of Cairns early in the morning.  The trip out was 3 hours, enough time to get things organized, understand the rules, precautions, etc. and have a barbecue breakfast cooked up by the chef on board.  About 35 passengers and crew.  I indulged, had my own cabin!

Day 1.  My first snorkel was at Petaj Bombie on Milln Reef, as soon as we arrive at our first anchor point.  So what are bombies/ bommies???  Just isolated pieces of reef which have their own peculiarities and shapes.  And no toe-testing the waters here.  Dive right in; it’s like a nice warm bath.

I’m on the Outer Barrier Reef, far away in Australia, swimming with the fish …………. and the sharks….. at the edge of the Coral Sea!!  Too much to take in.  But picture yourself in a huge aquarium with every shape, color and size of fish swimming below you, through this maze of colour that is the reef itself.  Can’t describe it.  No picture could ever show you how really beautiful it is.  You just can’t look at it from the boat.  Put on the gear, get out in the ocean, and see it for yourself.  Guaranteed you’ll see stingrays, clown fish, parrot fish, turtles, etc., etc.   And, color, color and more color.

When you swim back on board, you take a deep breath, wonder how the heck you ever got here, and sit down to a gourmet lunch. Then, I bask in the sunshine out on the sundeck until it’s time for my next foray into the ocean.  There are three snorkels today in clear turquoise water and a dinner to die for.  I’ll sleep tonight.

Before I sleep, I’m out on the deck, looking for the Southen Cross in the middle of the zillions of stars shining on the water.  No waves, just water gently lapping at the sides of the boat.  DREAMLAND!!!!

Day 2.  Early in the morning we slip away from our first mooring and move to the Whale Bombie which is separate from the reef  and actually shaped like a whale!  It’s about 22m deep and just breaks the surface.  I stay on the surface but we have divers who are going straight down--- trying to find Nemo???  On my snorkel I can see Gorgonian fans, giant clams, more parrot fish and these corals that are like giant underwater flower gardens- waving to me as I pass by.  Absolutely amazing.  OMG!! There’s a shark.  Luckily the divers are between me and him and their showing no concern. 

We pull anchor again and move to Flynn Reef and Tracy’s Bombie which is a high coral wall and those sharks again resting on the ocean floor. Just keep your eyes off me!!  One more snorkel today in the coral mazes of Gordons Mooring, and then the divers go on a night dive.  Three pods of divers, about 7-8 in a group, with their night lights which you can see as they move below you deep in the ocean.   

Day 3.  Time to start the voyage back to Cairns after breakfast. But a visit to Coral Gardens Bombie and more snorkeling along the way with schools of Sweet Lip and pelagic fish.  They just glide by like you weren’t even there.  Two more stops at Thetford Reef with its giant clams, butterfly fish and angel fish and Pellowe Reef at the edge of the continental shelf where there are larger fish life. 

The food on board is the ultimate in cuisine. Another tasty lunch.  Then soak it all in as you sail back to shore.  Indescribable!  I haven't seen so many colors in one place in my life - from the fish to the corals to the sea.

Just go and do it!