Snorkelling: Great Barrier Reef, Cairns AUSTRALIA

Off to Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
No, not Sandy, but it is the Great Barrier Reef
Donning Wetsuits

Disembarking at Cairns Marina
Beautiful Cairns

OK Murray, what steak will we have? Decisions, decisions...

Outback Jack Rack (Ribs & Bibs)

We woke to a humid, overcast morning with low lying clouds shrouding the nearby mountains. A new cyclone is brewing, but that didn't stop Joe Bill & Sandy putting on their bathers and packing their bag for a day trip to snorkel the waters of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world. It is 1200 miles long and is home to 400 species of coral and 1500 species of fish. At 8.30am we accompanied them to the marina and waved them off, and we were there at 4.30pm when they berthed. They had a great experience and saw the colourful coral and vibrantly coloured fish and met some lovely people. Needless to say they were very relieved that the cyclone stayed away.

Tonight we dined like kings at Outback Jack's restaurant not far from our hotel. Just as well, as the monsoon rains were fairly heavy at 6pm. The delicious ribs were not enough for our hearty appetites, so we wandered down the street and each ordered a different flavoured gelato. Yum!