May 20 -- Snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef

Today was to be a big part of the reason we came to Australia -- to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. Although we met that goal, I have to say it was a challenging and somewhat disappointing day. 

The good news was the bus didn't leave til after 9 so we got to sleep in vs. getting on a bus at 7 or earlier like the last few days. AND we learned that the hotel will make omelets to order, so I even got eggs I enjoyed vs. a choice between mass-produced scrambled eggs (Yuck!) and hard-boiled eggs (Dull). However, it was pouring down rain as we left for the boat and it was pretty windy. The weather forecast said rain all day and winds dying down. Apparently it DID rain all morning in Port Douglas, but sometime on the way out to the reef, the sun came out. 

Even though the seas were pretty heavy, my dose of ginger and arm bands did a pretty good job of keeping me ok. The cabin crew, however, was kept pretty busy by other people who had issues. The boat took us out near the eastern edge of the reef, not that far from the end of the continental shelf to an area called Agincourt Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is actually a huge collection of nearly 3,000 smaller reefs. The company we toured with, Quicksilver, with says that the outer reefs have better visibility because they are constantly being replenished with ocean water and no runoff. They have a 300 passenger catamaran ('that slices thru the waves' -- not!) that ties up to a 2 level platform with tables on both levels and a canvas-type roof on top. In addition to a snorkeling and a diving area, they also have an underwater viewing area so you can stay dry and get a peek at things, plus a couple boats they call 'semi-submersibles' -- they float on top, but they have a narrow below-water-level seating area and take a spin around the reef with a guide to give you a clue what you are looking at. You can find them on the net to get a better idea of what it was like: http://www.quicksilver-cruises.com/

View from inside the cabin on the way out

After we got to the sunshine

The activity platform, our home for 3+ hours

Once we got there, we collected our gear, changed to suits, and some of us rented lycra body suits -- they are protection from jelly fish stingers but also add a layer of warmth, though not as much as a wet suit. The water was rougher than I have snorkeled in before, but I was set to give it a chance. Interestingly, they had a half submerged platform to start with – this was where we sat on benches to put on fins and the crew checked our goggles and snorkel before we sat on the edge and just sort of floated off instead of having to deal with jumping in. It was also too deep to stand up in the water.

The mad dash for equipment

Vic, our guide in Australia, showing how great the lycra suits can look.

Right away, I knew this was different than my previous experiences, and not in a good way. Little bits of salt water kept getting in the snorkel because of the waves, and when I kicked to move around, I didn’t go much of anywhere. I float easily and normally can snorkel until I get chilly, but trying to move around, it felt like I was in a head wind and I tired quickly. The coral was disappointing and there weren’t that many fish either. Plus we quickly got away from the areas where the coral was near the surface and the bottom was 20 feet below and just sand. I much prefer the bottom to be closer to 10 feet away. All this was so stressful and tiring to me, that I totally wilted and gave up after only 15-20 minutes. I thought I might try again later, but the wind came up and I conceded that I was not up to it. Jim stayed out for another 20 minutes or so until he felt like he had seen what was there.

Back on board, we walked down into the platform viewing area and saw a few fish, then after lunch we took the semi-submersible ride. This seemed like a fine idea, but I had not allowed for the waves on the top which made the lower viewing area swing around a lot. With no watch on, I had no sense of the time, the area was crowded and claustrophobic, and a spoiled 3 year old screamed most of the time because she really wanted to be anywhere else but on the boat. We did see a lot more coral, but a lot of it looked dead, and again there were few fish.

The semi-submersible we rode on pulling into the platform

Top level of the platform

   

The ocean beyond the edge of the reef and continental shelf

Back to the platform finally, we changed back to real clothes and went aboard the boat for the sail back. I was feeling kind of peaked after the submersible ride and was ready to be gone. Once we got underway, the ride was sort of like being in a washing machine – a lot of side-to-side and up-and-down action, so I slipped into my sort of a snooze mode to endure it. The spoiled 3 year old carried on for over an hour a few seats ahead of us til she finally conked out. Meanwhile, Jim was talking to one of the marine biologists on board who said that a lot of the coral was damaged by the cyclone they had about two months ago, and that starfish are exploding in population due to the warming ocean and they are devastating the coral too.

It felt really good to get back to the hotel and shower off all the salt and get ready for dinner.