I had been excited to see this natural wonder and spend the day in the blue waters only seen in pictures. We took a charter but to Port Douglas about an hour away to catch the Quicksliver Wavepiercing Catamaran to the outer edge of the Reef. The weather was warm, overcast so the sun wasn't beating down on us and very little wind. All in all it was perfect weather. At the Reef, Rick and I went on the semi-sub to get a view of areas not accessible to snorklers. The colors, shapes and sizes of the corals were amazing. There were huge corals they estimate to be 600 years old! They came in every color in the rainbow. The fish were just as brilliant. I was awestruck at the natural beauty all around us and the measures that are taken to preserve the Reef while still sharing its beauty. When we were ready to snorkle, we donned a couple of lycra suites that covered us from head to toe - including our hands. This suit provided protection against the sun and jellyfish. Since it had been raining the day before, the top water was a little murky, so while we were putting on the rest of our gear, we could only see the small fish that swam at the surface. Once we jumped in the cool (but not cold) water and put our faces under WOW!! The entire underwater ocean came into full color view! There were tons of fish in all shapes and sizes swimming all around us. It was an underwater paradise ~~ Upclose and personal!

We took a bunch of underwater pictures, some that came out and some that didn't. I'll put them when I can.