The Great Barrier Reef

On arrival at tropical Cairns straight away it was clear it was totally 
different to anywhere else we've stayed in Oz. Like a seaside town 
with all the usual suspects regarding shops, bars etc all overflowing with tourists which sometimes isn't always a good thing. It was clear that this place had lots to see and do and our wallet was going to hurt! 

 We jumped onto our boat, Silverswift, that was taking us out to the 
Great Barrier Reef. 80 minutes of slightly choppy water, with plenty of 
sick bags on the go, we get to our first reef site. We practiced our 
usual theory - don't be first in or last out!  Throughout the day we anchored at various spots: Flynn, Pellowe, Milln and Thetford reefs all just off the edge of the continental shelf.

The reef at a glance:
Larger than the great wall of china
The only living thing visible from space
It's one of the seven wonders of the world
It stretches for 2300 kms from the Torres Strait to north of Bundaberg (that's approximately the same distance as London to Athens)
It pulls two million visitors per year generating $2 billion

Everyone entering the water is encouraged to wear a stinger suit, a sexy
tight fitting little Lycra number, now with added mitts and hood, 
nice.  This is because of the jellyfish are such a problem.  Once suited up and masks and snorkels at the ready we jumped into the deep. Your first reaction is a mighty big one. With water as warm as a bath but not a coastline in sight, masses of fish and the most well known coral going just sat there 1 metre below the surface. The coral, especially the soft moving corals, were just amazing. Crazy in colour as well as in shape. 

Back at the backpackers we'd met a great couple from the Netherlands, 
Richard and Carolina, we'd gone halves the hire of a underwater 
camera which was great fun. At one point it started to rain and when 
you were under the surface you could actually hear the rain drops 
hitting the sea. Plenty of marine life spotted; reef shark, turtle and 
fish galore. Pleased to say that we came home with limbs in tact and only one 
jellyfish spotted.