Dive the Great Barrier Reef

Not great I have to say. Everything was dead and grey. It was a bit of a buzz to be there at the famous Great Barrier Reef but other than that, the actual dive was pretty average. I did a dive at the Whitsundays Islands, just south of the Barrier Reef, a couple of years prior, and it was ten times better. No other boats and everything was alive, bright and beautiful.

Trips to Hastings and the Normandy Reefs are a must for anyone visiting the Barrier - you can also fly back over the reef by helicopter for about $200 a person - shark, turtles and rays are clearly visible from the Jet Bell Ranger. Another absolute must!

For people who wear glasses, never let that be an excuse NOT to try scuba diving at the Reef. I almost gave up the notion till someone suggest special goggles for me. Just the sight of all that underwater beauty is enough to make one forget about one's worries. The fish were darting around and the corals were dotted with so much life that one doesn't know where to begin to take it all in visually. If nothing else, one should have this experience. You'll never feel the same again.

It is a different world out there: the most gloriously coloured fish, fabulous corals, beautifully calm see... one of those things that you simply must do in your life once, and then do again repeatedly!

Having dived only in Koh Tao and the Great Barrier - I won't pretend to be an expert. However I can't imagine a better diving experience than when we dived an hour off Magnetic Island in North Queensland. the water is fantastically clear - we could see for 40 metres - and the sea life is breath taking.



There was some coral bleaching and also an invasion of the Crown of thorn's star fish which was eating some of the coral but hat's off to the divers that were trying to combat this threat.



I would thoroughly recommend this experience - do it now!

Amazing amazing amazing! And you don't have to be certified.