14.11.2015 Great Barrier Reef

Turtles, sharks, and colorful corals

5:30 am in the morning. Breakfast will be ready in half an hour (toast, fruit, cereal). The exciting 'water day' should start at 6:30 am. Last night we stayed in a beautiful bay (we can't remember the name). The qualified divers (we had 4 people on board who had already dived several times) were taken further out to sea with Candy to go diving. The rest of us were divided into groups (4 people in each group) and could slowly prepare for the diving.

Jenny had total stomach problems due to excitement :-(. Before diving, we were all allowed to snorkel with our beautiful stinger suits. Brandon transported us to the corals with a small inflatable boat and then it started. Jenny was very afraid and had stomach problems too.. :-(. She received a swim noodle from Brandon to calm down and focus only on the underwater world without having to worry about swimming. By the way, we all also got fins.

As soon as we looked down, we saw all the colorful fish coming towards us! Beautiful! Colorful corals, colorful fish, and we even found Nemo and Dory. After half an hour of snorkeling, our group was called back to the boat. The diving was about to begin.

Equipped with weights, a dive vest, and an oxygen cylinder, we were taken to the edge of the bay. Of course, we couldn't be allowed into the open sea right away, as we had never dived before. So it started, inhaling and exhaling oxygen. We went underwater until we could only just stand. We all sat on the seabed to practice breathing. It was so exciting to breathe underwater. Candy then went through the steps with each of us individually, such as what to do if water gets into the mask or the hose.

Unfortunately, Jenny couldn't do it because at one point, she gets a little water in her mouth and nose at the same time, and she absolutely didn't like that. After three attempts, Jenny had to go back to the boat. Mike went diving with the others. Diving is not for everyone. When Mike returned with the others, he said that diving is a great feeling, but you can see just as many beautiful things while snorkeling.

Jenny had to calm down from all the excitement in the water, but she quickly felt better. After a cake snack, we set course to the Great Barrier Reef, where we would also spend the night.

We had another 30 km (another 3 hours) ahead of us. During this time, we were given a snack of fruit and also had lunch (salad, fruit, bread, and cold cuts). Then we put on our stinger suits and fins and went snorkeling again. In the middle of the sea... we were so hoping to see a turtle =)=) Mike also hoped to see a shark. The qualified divers were taken further away again to dive with Candy.

Until their return, the others could decide whether they wanted to dive again. Mike wasn't sure (from the second dive, you also have to pay). We were allowed to snorkel until 5 pm! So, we spent the whole day somehow in the water.

The day was just perfect, everyone who didn't dive went snorkeling together, and we saw turtles and sharks :-). The turtle swam towards Jenny, so cool. We followed the little turtle and swam with a turtle, how amazing is that? We could touch it, and the feeling was simply beautiful.

While snorkeling, it feels as if the underwater world is so peaceful and calm, the fish don't swim away, and everything is so colorful! Jenny was exhausted after a while, and Mike continued snorkeling with Elad. They saw three sharks! In the evening, we had chicken with rice and sauce, as well as salad and fruit, really delicious.

Showering was only allowed in the evening, not in between or in the morning. Candy offered both of us to meet with her again on Monday and practice diving for Jenny in a pool, without any payment. We wanted to think about it again. The evening was very cozy again, the sunset on the open sea is much more beautiful than from the land. The Israelis had Uno with them, and we all played together.