Is it possible to have something on your bucket list but not even know it? I believe it. I have always always wanted to be a diver but there’s this thing with the pressure in my head. When I try to pop my ears the air just comes out my eyes so I’m never able to. When I get into a swimming pool and try to reach a 10 ft. bottom if my sinuses aren’t just right then the pressure in my head builds up and it takes over my whole face.

I don’t have a dive license yet, but I fear that the odd pressurization in my head will prevent me from qualifying, so I’ve been very good at procrastinating for this reason. When I originally found out that we were going to Cairns Australia, no bells rang because I didn’t know that was one of the closest cities to the Great Barrier Reef. Now don’t get me wrong the Great Barrier Reef is composed of over 2,900 separate reefs but apparently Cairns is one of the stepping-stones to the reef. It also is just an hour away from Green Island which got its name because of all of the green grass surrounding it that attracts 100s of sea turtles each year.

Anyway, the moment I heard word that Cairns could get me to the Great Barrier Reef it was time to put a plan in action. We did our research, and this time I had a large bit of help from my friend Jess who was on it lickety split. She researched all of the different tour groups and Quicksilver Tours seemed to have everything we wanted and more so she signed us up and our only objective was catch the boat before it leaves the pier. I’ve been doing that for the past four years, haha, so we got up early, checked in and walked aboard the Quicksilver just a few minutes before she left. Come with me on an Adventure to the Great Barrier Reef:

We got underway efficiently and in just a few minutes, a little bit of a big difference compared to our warship. As soon as we got underway I could tell it was going to be a bumpy ride and even though I’ve been on the high seas for quite some time now, I still fall ill to the raging seas. I immediately regretted not taking the motion sickness pills. ugh.

Behind us is another tour boat on their way to the Reef as well.  That’s exactly what our boat looked like.

For those of you who find the humor in vessel names, I Gotcha Covered. Being on the water for a long time, let’s you appreciate the little things.

Yep, she was feeling it too. Probably from the drinking but I give her props for not throwing up on the way.

Our first stop at Flynn Reef. I just can’t wait to get under the water!

Wow, holy shit, this is everything I ever imagined, times ten!

Yo Krista, work it girl!

Although I was snorkeling and not diving there were plenty of spots that were very shallow because of the tide, so it made no matter. There was so much to see!

There’s Jess, the trip planner! She was diving deep trying to see the fish of fishes.

It’s definitely a different world down there. I’m not going to lie, I was out there the most out of the day. I would just get completely lost under the water. They would blow the whistle because we would swim so far out, but it was so exciting, I was on a one mind track. Find a sea turtle!

These two clown fish were trying to hide from me, but I got them after all.

Now this guy I had a hard time getting on camera, but the Gods were with me because in just the right lighting I think I captured him well enough. I’m not sure the type of fish but he kind of reminded me a little bit of a barracuda. grrr. Do you know what type of fish this is?

A school of fish that I swam through seconds after taking this picture. They weren’t ready for me. haha.

I really liked this guy I was weaving and spinning through the reef behind him but he out smarted me and went where I wouldn’t have been able to fit. I also was trying my hardest not to touch or scrape any of the reef.

There’s a little bit of a water smudge on my camera, but this was our boat.

And this is what it looked like just under the surface, can you believe that?

Now these guys are not clown fish, but they live in sea anemones just the same. They were also pretty aggressive little buggers, when you swam too close they would bolt out and try to deter you from coming closer.

Yep, this is what it looked like just on the surface. What a beautiful sky to behold that afternoon.

I was wearing a blue suit at first to protect myself from the reef, but after awhile I decided to take it off and just swim in my bathing suit. When you go on the tour the suit comes as part of the excursion.

A rainbow fish. I’m surprised with this picture because I could not have anticipated it turning out so well when I was down there!

Here comes Nigel!

Now this here is Nigel. He’s the Alpha Male of Flynn reef and good friends with one of the divers. He was a huge fish and clearly the dominant. The other fish steered clear of him.

Hey Nigel, how’s it going?

My bubbles! My bubbles! These bubbles were coming at me from somebody’s dive tank, I thought I’d just capture them.

This is one of my favorite photos of the day. It depicts how I feel about the underwater world before me. A huge adventure.

And there I am, in my blue suit, diving deep and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. Never would I ever have imagined doing this. It’s so surreal.

These guys were here first, but I couldn’t see them very well as I was swimming by so I think I scared them, but I think they scared me more.

A giant clam. One of the divers showed us how if you sweep your hand over the clam just right it will chomp shut. I couldn’t imagine being a poor unfortunate fish that happens by unawares. Then again, exploring under the water is the best ecosystem you could observe… in my opinion. There’s a bunch of fish, just under the surface. Another one of my favorites.

There’s Alex, he’s one of the Officer’s on my ship, just chilling at the bottom of the ocean. If you look behind him to the left you’ll see that black thing lying on the ground, that’s a sea cucumber.

And I guess its time to head back home after 6 hours on the reef. What an amazing day, one in which I will not soon forget! Have you been to the Great Barrier Reef? I didn’t get to see a sea turtle, which I had my heart set on, but what did you see while you were out there?

This article appeared first on The Cassey Excursion.