Fooling around this summer, Take 2

From Sydney we flew to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. My idyllic image of diving there was shattered by cold temps, 25-30 knots of breeze and 6 foot waves. After an hour and a half trip to the outer reef aboard a large and comfortable dive boat with maybe 12 divers and 25 snorkelers, I would say a third were seasick (not us). The divers definitely had the better trip though. Dressed in double layer wetsuits, we were comfortable and the water below was calm. Highlights included giant clam shells that opened and closed for plankton, tons of fish, sharks, a very friendly sea turtle and a most unusual underwater landscape of coral, unlike anything we've seen in the Caribbean. A tour of the rainforest north of Port Douglas followed the next day. We had lunch at little place inside the rainforest with the best Baramundi (local fish) so far on the trip!

Divemasters gearing up with 6 foot seas

Rocking and rolling. See the pitch?

Cocodrile!

Kingfisher

Feed me!

Kangaroo with an attitude

Cassowary crossing