Tuesday, July 19, 2011


The Great Barrier Reef

Monday, July 18, 2011

After much anticipation and excitement, we cruised tothe Great Barrier Reef, a trip of almost 2 hours. It was largely a sunny day with intermittent periods of dark clouds which seemed to threaten the planned activities once we arrived. B
ut the clouds did not prevail and the day was mostly sunny with blue skies. The water was very choppy and unpredictable resulting in the boat having to stay close to the shore when possible to avoid more swells than necessary. This choppy and irregular up and down motion did not sit well with some of the boat‘s passengers. As the ride continued, it became apparent that some of our group would not have an easy day! But, giving much credit to their determination and fortitude, they did not miss out on an adventure of a life time! They went snorkeling…a number of times…despite the overwhelmingly unsettled stomach, headaches, and general malaise they were experiencing. A hearty and respectful“Congratulations!” goes out to them!



The fascination with the reef and the wildlife that takes up residence there spans all generations! There were infants and toddlers to senior citizens on this trip. We spent the day on the reef snorkeling, on the glass bottomed boat, relaxing in the sun, and scuba diving and generally enjoying the opportunity to be part of the largest living organism on the planet.


Between the salt water, the sun, and the activities it was an exhausting day and the trip back to Cairns provided a much needed chance to rest and sleep. I decided to preserve the dignity of our group by not taking photos of them in this state but couldn’t resist including photos of people we did not know. Aaahhhh…the human condition!


Mater continues to make friends and is thoroughly enjoying himself! He hung out with Pete on the deck of the boat and met Mitch and Mike from Melbourne, who were envious of his travels!


Lest I forget to report Ken's encounter with a creature of the briny deep. While mindi
ng his own business (which is questionable, at best!) Ken reports that he was "attacked" by a fish who bit him and he has the scars to prove it...and here they are! You be the judge! :)







We ended our day having dinner in various restaurants, including Outback Jack’s. Our waitress was from Canada and was pleased to have our table because we were from the states. The food was delicious, including the crocodile skewers, we returned to the hotel after a long day as we prepared to continue our adventure tomorrow in Tangalooma.

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