An amazing day out (The Great Barrier Reef)

Member Name: jenniferjain

Product:	The Great Barrier Reef
Date:	02/01/09 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very comprehensive visit, amazing sights

Disadvantages: Maybe not good if you get seasick!

We visited the Great Barrier Reef in November 2007. My husband and I went on a day trip with Great Adventures, which we booked the day before at the ticket desk on the wharf in Cairns. It's also possible to book at the tourist office in town.

We chose a trip which included a stop at Green Island on the way out to the reef. This was an excellent decision. Neither of us had snorkelled before, and at Green Island you have the opportunity to practice snorkelling from a gently sloping sandy beach rather than just being tipped out onto the somewhat daunting reef. There wasn't a huge amount to see in the water here, although perhaps we didn't go out far enough. However the setting was beautiful and the island had plenty of facilities, we were even able to have a shower before getting back onto the boat.

Then the boat travelled to the Outer Reef and moored next to a permanent pontooned owned by Great Adventures which offered a number of activities.

Firstly we went on the semi-submersible boat which took a smaller number of visitors at a time. It was amazing, there was so much sealife just below the surface. We went alongside a giant wall of coral, huge and formed in different shapes. There were all sorts of beautiful fishes, mostly in large shoals. Over a deeper part of the reef I saw a reef shark. We had a live commentary from the boat operator explaining what we could see.

Then we had a small lunch from the buffet selection. We are vegetarians so stuck to the potatoes, pasta salad and fruit, but there was a wide selection of seafood on offer (which didn't seem quite right somehow considering what was swimming around under our feet below the pontoon!).

Then it was time to collect the snorkelling equipment and jump off the side of the pontoon into the water. It was quite choppy, but not as deep as I had expected (although still a bit daunting to a novice!). There were floating rest points at intervals, so you could swim between them and stop for a rest and just to look downwards. You could get very close to the coral at some points, and it was fascinating to watch the fish swimming in and out. A lifeguard was keeping an eye out for everyone (although there were a lot of people in the water to watch!).

Back on the pontoon we were able to have a quick freshwater shower, there weren't that many though and we were lucky to be early enough to beat the queues. The water just went straight out through slats onto the reef, so you couldn't use any soap. There were no toilets on the pontoon so you had to return to the main boat to use the ones there.

We also stopped briefly in the underwater viewing observatory which was a large window looking out with pictures to identify the fish. Even here there was no escape from an ever present photographer swimming around outside. There was an opportunity to view and purchase these photos on the return journey and they were also available on the internet for some time after our return home.

For us, as novice snorkellers, this was the best way to see the reef. The trip was very well planned and organised, and nothing was missing. We had a wonderful day, and really felt that we had experienced something special.

Summary: The Great Barrier Reef is a once in a lifetime experience