Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

Before I flew from Darwin to Cairns I went to the famous Deck Chair Cinema. It is a great place for an open air cinema experience sitting in a cosy deck chair and sharing the movie with bats and possums (that are actually more interested in the food the spectators brought along than the movie). The actual film was a original version danish movie called Prague and the funny thing about it was that it was filmed partly in the hotel where I stayed for a convention. As the cheapest option was flying over Brisbane I had first flew down there and then got a connecting flight to Cairns where I arrived early in the morning (saved a night's accomodation). Just after checking in at the YHA Central in Cairns I went in search for a suitable diving course, and I found one which was to start soon. To fill the 1,5 remaining days before the PADI Open Water course was about to start I did what you ought to do on holidays, relax, at least for half a day. The next morning I made my way to the Botanical Garden as I was told that there is a nice bushwalk close to the airport. So I walked the Red and Blue Arrow walk, a 7,5 km track going up the hill through bush and wildlife giving a great view over the bays and the airport. While walking I had an encounter with a snake, I can't tell who of us was more scared, the snake or me, we looked at each other holding the breath (at least I did) and then the snake was the first to move, fortunately away from me. Later I asked what kind of snake it could have been and I was told that probably jus a tree snake which is not dangerous at all and not the brown snake that can kill you within hours. After walking for 1 hour and 50 minutes (didn't take me the 4-5 hours stated on the sign with the description of the track) I had a nice fruit shake in the coffee shop of the botanical garden where I met 2 English and a German girl I knew from my Alice Springs to Darwin trip. We had dinner together that same night and also went for some beers to the famous Woolshet.

Next day my diving course started. We were a group of 12 and got divided into 2 groups. The first two days we had to listen to the theory, do some tests and pool training. I was a bit scared about breathing under water but I have to say it was the most natural thing to do, once you stick your head into the water, at leat if you don't want to suffocate. The group was really nice and well mixed nationality wise. The first evening we went to Reef Teach where we learned about the fish and the other marine animals we might encounter down in the ocean. The most valuable lesson learned was probably: if something is specially pretty or ugly, don't touch it.

Then the third day we finally went on to the Reef on our Boat the Scubapro III with 32 divers on board (certified and also us the students) The fist time I ever really dived was like a revelation. There is a whole new world down there and it is really amazing how colourful and lively it is on the Reef. It is just amazing and hard to describe, especially the feeling of floating through the water, having colourful fish swim next to you and not being afraid of you at all. After 4 dives where we had to do technical stuff, such as taking off your mask and putting it on again, breath from your buddies air etc. we were certified as Open Water Divers. Great feeling. As sometimes the dive sites are deeper thatn 18 m, I also went for the adventure divers certificate which included a deep dive to 30 meters (No, I didn't get any nitrogene narcosis, unfortunately. It's like being drunk and dissapears once you go a bit higher) a night dive and a boat dive. The night dive was really spectacular. You go out into the dark water and in the beginning I was really nervous, knowing that the bigger fish like sharks hunt at night, but once you are in the water, it is just great and due to the white coral sand on the ground not as dark as exected. We saw a lion fish and finally at the end of our dive not far away from us a Reef Shark. He didn't even care about us and went on with his business, so nothing to be scared about. Well anyway, I could go on a blab about diving on and on, but I don't want to bore you. Just one more thing, food on the boat was great and so was the group. We had a nice night out all together once we reached firm land again. It is funny, but even on land again, it felt as if the ground was moving just as the rocking of the boat. And closing my eyes I always saw ocean and fish.

Me and my 2 diving Buddies Velle and Peter