The wet world downunder

After Harry's been doing two days diving practice in the pool in Cairns, we're ready to head out to the Great Barrier Reef. We board the fast catamaran Seaquest, that bounces on the big waves to the magic place. Plenty of people getting sick on the way there (I'm one of them) , but as soon as you get down in the clear blue/green water, you just forget everything. First all the divers get ready at the back platform. After they disappear in the deep, the snorkelers jump in. It's another world; so tranquil and colorful. The reef is just under the surface, so for a snorkeler it's almost as impressive. Seeing the coral in the beams of the sun and all its amazing inhabitants. Following a crazy patterned parrot fish biting bits of coral. Drifting over steep depths to other patches of surfacing reef. Finding yourself surrounded in a school of small glittering fish going one way and turning all together the other way.

After a second time in the water, the catamaran lies alongside the overnight ship. Here we spent Christmas eve. The certified divers go for a night dive. The lights at the back of the ship attract small fish. These attract the big ones and we get a spectacular show with first some travellis and later some pretty big sharks. I'm happy I'm not one of the night divers swimming between these animals.

The next morning Harry has his first dive at 6.30. I go in the water after breakfast and get to see a white tip shark, pretty close! Pity I didn't see the turtles when snorkeling. I did see Harry though, with his diving buddy Felix, moving around way under me. That was fun!