The Great Barrier Reef February 1992
I confess I had had a bit of a crush on my diving instructor, so I have edited most of those bits out.
We travelled 3 or 4 hours by boat to reach Michaelmas Cay. I had time to have a little snorkle. Little jellyfish stung me slightly, so I rushed back to the shore to survey the damage and I then decided it was nothing serious, so I headed out for another snorkle. It was really easy and really good fun.
I had snorkled in the Red Sea previously. It was also an amazing experience. However I had fought with my mask, snorkle etc. I don’t know why I had struggled so much with snorkling initially, my children seem to have been born knowing how to snorkle.
The reefs were soft coral and there were many medium -sized fish swimming around.
Don’t expect photos from me, I had lost about every camera I had ever had.
At 11:15 sharp I was called for my dive. My dive instructor had explained everything to us and had allowed us a good 10-15 minute practice in the shallow water. Three of us decided to go for a dive. We got deep very gradually. I did not really realise how deep we were until I looked up. It’s a bit creepy to see all that water over your head. What can I say? It was mind-blowing. The diving instructor had made me touch things. I held a sea cucumber and even swam through a gap in the coral. I was really scared all the time… I even put my hand in a giant clam. They take a long time to close.
Fortunately it is not like in the cartoons where these beautiful creatures suddenly slam shut and hold you in a vice-like grip.
Some of the coral looked like it was bright blue. I’m amazed.
Somehow I hadn’t panicked even when my mask had come off mid-dive. I think that was largely due to the lovely, patient instructor I had had. (I told you I had had a bit of a crush.
)
The main thing I did not like about diving, was the thundering noise of the bubbles in my ears and so sometimes I had forgotten to breathe out for a while.
No this is not me. He looks way too proficient.
Oh and yes I did have a fish attack me. Ok so it was about 5 inches (12.5 cm ) long but I am sure it was trying to eat me. (It was more like a tickle than a bite.)
It had finished perfectly with a peck on the cheek from my diving instructor apparently.
I really don’t remember that..
On the way back they had set up a net off the boat and we had been able to experience something called boomnetting. The boat travels along while you hold onto the boom net.
Source:Mel Mel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGy-vjfWG9RkFGivzntp0iw
A very sedate version of water skiing.
I think at the time, I must have considered it a perfect end to a perfect day.
While up in Queensland we had also gone on a glass-bottomed boat called The Yellow Submarine.
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