Australia - Great Barrier Reef - July 2013 - Page 3
Link to Sydney & Cairns 2013 - Page 1
Link to Rainforest 2013 - Page 2
Link to Rainforest 2013 - Page 2
Link to Sydney & Cairns 2013 - Page 1
    Kendra and I decided that the
    "learn to scuba dive in 10 minutes
    and go sit on the bottom 33 feet
    down" was a little too dangerous
    so we got into diving helmets and
    went down about 15 feet.  Lots
    of fish and clear water
    To get to the Great Barrier Reef, we took a pretty fast catamaran and it took 90 minutes to get the 50 km to the outer barrier reef where
    we tied up to a platform anchored beside an offshore diving platform and a helicopter pad.  We spent 6 hours snorkeling, swimming,
    eating, taking a helicopter tour and boat tour and then helmet diving.
     
    Its hard to explain the diving platform, look at the 3 pictures below.  The large boat was tied to the platform and several hundred yards
    away was another platform that was an offshore helicopter pad.  We did wear wet suits as 6 hours in the water would have been a bit
    much.  Remember, it is winter time in July.                                                   
    We started off snorkeling and took a guided snorkel tour to find out
    about the coral reef, the outer reef wall, the fish and the plants.  A very
    large fish named Wally hangs out there at the diving platform and
    comes by looking for food.  We got some good pictures of us trying
    to get away and then later trying to touch the fish.  Felicia took a glass
    walled submersible tour and got a lot of good pictures. She and
    Susie then took a helicopter ride to see the reef from up high and
    to get a good view of how big it is and see all of the different colors
    of the water, coral and sand.
Great Barrier Reef
    The divers at the diving platform took the nice pictures of us in the water and the turtle and colorful fish.  
    Their cameras were a lot nicer than our underwater disposable camera so I have used about 6 of their
    coral and fish photos.  It was not a cheap day, but we learned a lot and had a lot of fun, I would recommend
    spending a day on the reef if you get the chance.  
Link to Port Stephens & Bondi Beach 2013 - Page 6
Link to Blue Mountains 2013 - Page 4
Link to Blue Mountains 2013 - Page 4
Link to Wildlife Park 2013 - Page 5
Link to Wildlife Park 2013 - Page 5
Link to Port Stephens & Bondi Beach 2013 - Page 6
 Click on any photo to see a larger view