Australia 2004

This was our second visit to Cairns and this time we stayed at the Colonial Club

The Great Barrier Reef

We traveled north again to Port Douglas to join the Haba dive boat that was to take us out to the outer reef.  Most trips do not take you this far out and we had chosen a particularly windy day (25-30 knots).  The size and power of the Haba boat was welcome as many other companies cancelled for this day due to the wind and 3 metre swell)

Laurie prepares for his first dive of the day.  It's still very rough and several people are 'unwell'.  

He is wearing a 'stinger suit' not a wetsuit.  This protects from potentially fatal jellyfish stings.  It is currently the jellyfish season.

It's nice down here and the water temperature is 28C.

All underwater images © Visions Aquatic

a sea cucumber

Laurie (right), and his dive buddies.

This first dive was 'OK' with a lot of nice coral and a few fish, in particular a fairly large trigger fish.  The visibility was about 10m, which was hampered by the incoming tide and the wind.

Kairen contemplates whether to go snorkelling

Ready for the second dive.  The sea has now calmed down quite a bit and the visibility improved.  We have moved to another site on the outer reef.

A lot more fish, including a big potato cod and many more smaller fish.  A much better and rewarding dive.  The tide was receeding and we were sheltered from the wind and swell by the reef at this site.

He's found another sea cucumber!

A clown fish plays amongst the coral

Kairen's in!!! and she's nursing a sea cucumber!

The eyes give it away...not sure how much fun is being had here (but she did it).

(maybe slightly over the top with the bouyancy aids?)

Who's a brave girl then???

Ordeal over...but she snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef.

The guys who helped her do it.

(Doug, Richard, Richard)

...and Doug  still hangs on to his sick bag...

Safely back on land and home.

'I've got a certificate to prove I did it!'