Barrier Reef - Arriving from the centre of Australia into Cairns on the East coast was a bit of a shock to the system as you could almost cut the air with a knife it was so humid. After a while though you kind of get used to it and it reminded us slightly of the tropical climates we experienced in South America.

We had come over to Cairns as its really the best place to visit the Barrier Reef and we were due out on the sailing vessel Vagabond on the Sunday.

Saturday was spent mooching around cairns dodging rain showers, drinking the worlds most delicious smoothies (well we thought so anyway) and taking a free didgeridoo lesson in one of the many shops selling these aboriginal instruments.

Sunday soon rolled around and we were up bright and early to board the Vagabond. The boat was a 65 foot sloop and was captained by Aussie Paul. Also on board were Rafi the French galley slave and Frank the German dive instructor. We were two of 11 paying guests from a mixture of Germany, Australia, Sweden, Austria and the UK so it was a real UN boat trip! We slowly started to introduce ourselves and got chatting during our 3.5hr sail out to the outer reef. Well it was more of a motor assisted sail really as the wind wasn't exactly howling!

I along with 4 other people we to be diving 6 dives during our 2 days on board and the others were either doing a couple of intro dives or snorkelling.

It wasn't long after we turned up at our first spot on Thetford reef that we were all kitted out and thrown in the water with military precision. Katie was off snorkelling the tops of the coral heads with a very enthusiastic young German and I was diving below down the drop offs and through the canyons with 2 other guests and Frank.

On returning to the boat we both said that the coral and amount of fish seen were amazing no matter what depth you were which I was glad to hear as Katie really wanted to be diving with us but due to her "condition" it meant that she would miss out.

After a relaxing buffet lunch it was straight back in the water for dive number two. After Katie had said that she was seeing a lot of life near the surface she took the camera and off she went with Ben to explore and I some how had been selected by Frank to lead the other two divers on our second dive… He obviously hadn't seen my complete lack of directional skills on land but never the less I accepted the role of the leader so he could take the Intro to Scuba people down for their first dive. Whilst down around 15 meters we encountered a giant clam. These bury themselves in the floor and the only part you can see is the electric blue innards as they gape back up from the ocean floor. I was so busy trying to get the clam to shut by wafting it with my fin that the other two in our dive group kind of took over as the leaders. Responsibility shirked quite well there I think!

Upon surfacing it was apparent that even though we were seeing amazing coral and fish down below it was from the surface that you got to see the really great stuff as Katie said they saw a turtle just cruising by but Ben's over enthusiasm meant that he simply had to dive down and chase it so it soon scuttled off before any photos could be taken.

It was up anchor and off to our second dive site and also our mooring for the night. This next site was still in Thetford Reef and aptly name 360 degrees as it allowed the boat to swing an entire 360 degrees on its moorings without hitting any of the fragile coral below. As soon as we got there and we had had a suitable amount of time out of water to avoid nitrogen narcosis we were back in on a guided dive and the snorkelers were off exploring the coral bommys in front of the bow (or pointy end as the captain referred to it). Our dive was different to the last one as we were to encounter a few more pelagic fish and there were a couple of coral bridges and caves to explore. The scenery below the water was amazing and one patch of anemones revealed of 20 clown fish all hiding in amongst the waving tentacles. Not only had we found Nemo but we had discovered his entire extended family.

After dinner it was time for another dive. Same site as before but the difference being the sun was no longer providing any light as it had set for the night. All that we were able to see was what fell in front of our really rather weedy torch beam. This was a little un-nerving at first as we jumped in the water with our torches clutched in our fists and a small glowstick attached to the air valve on our tanks. Once I had clattered my way through under the coral bridge and got stuck in between to coral walls for a minute or so the other three were all looking in a cave shining their torches on the bottom. I joined them but couldn't see anything. It was only after we had surfaced did I find out that there had been a sleeping turtle in the bottom of the cave and my myopia had let me down again!

Not only did I not really see anything on the dive but whilst waiting to get out of the water at the stern of the boat I was stung on the leg by a small jellyfish. I hopped out of the water and the captain poured vinegar down my leg over the sting and to my disappointment there was noting to show for the sting! I don't think I will be doing another night dive after trying that one but who knows…

The rest of the evening was spent playing games on board the boat and drinking a well deserved beer or two. Everyone crashed out around 11pm because we had another two dives to the next morning.

Up at 6am for the sunrise, a pre breakfast snorkel for me and Katie and then scrambled eggs on toast before heading to our third and final dive site.

The crew of Vagabond really had been saving the best until last. The sheer amount and variety of fish on these last two dives were amazing from both a diving and snorkelling point. Katie did of course have to out-do me again by spotting a huge Eagle Ray. Our dives started around 12m below allowing us to swim around the coral walls and into caves and then we slowly came up to around 5m where, unknown to me, everyone else was snorkelling above me. Katie was swimming around above me whilst I was busy photographing below. She wanted to come and get in the way of one of my photos unbeknownst to me she dived down and was so busy trying to get my attention she shoulder barged the coral and covered her left shoulder in a coral rash of tiny little cuts. It wasn't until I got out and Katie was sitting there with her shoulder covered in brown betadene that I realised anything was wrong!

After our last dive all we had to do was to sit down for another lunch and sail back to Cairns relaxing in the sun after two amazing days on the Great Barrier Reef.