Finding Nemo!

(this is me and Aidan - my SCUBA instructor)

OMG - what an amazing day - I found Nemo!!!!! Today I went out to the Great Barrier Reef on the Quicksilver - a smaller snorkel/dive boat out of the Port Douglas Marina. There were about 50 people on board with the split being pretty equal snorkelers vs. divers. I decided to try my hand at SCUBA diving as they were offering an introductory sessions . . . let's just say that my first session didn't go well. I LOVE the water and I LOVE snorkeling but I am also very claustrophobic. I have no problem breathing under water and I did very well on the skills portion of my first dive. There I was, under the water about 4 metres down waiting for the next person when I started to have a panic attack (or at least what felt like one) and ended up going to the surface and gave up on that dive. I ended up snorkeling at that part of the reef and to be honest, was very disappointed by what I saw or in this case, didn't see. I felt that I had seen much better fish in both Mexico and Hawaii. I wasn't about to be defeated though. When we got to the 2nd location, I thought "f*%k it - I may only get here once so I had better suck it up and conquer this mind over matter thing" and then I prayed. I prayed A LOT. Seriously, I put turned to my faith in God and I let him guide me through this journey and what a journey it was! The world under the sea is absolutely amazing! Once again, I shed some tears in my snorkel mask (seems to be happening a lot of this trip) and counted my blessings. I am so very lucky to have been able to come down here and to experience the Great Barrier Reef. I ended up going for 2 dives and my deepest depth was 10.6m.




This is Four Mile Beach

It is currently pissing down rain here and is about 30C still. It is supposed to rain like this for a couple of more days up here. . .I guess Cyclone Helen just passed through the north end of the state and this is the reminants of here. The weather in Perth is smoking hot right now and I am so looking forward to some more sunshine. Yesterday it was somewhat overcast and my lily white skin managed to get some colour.


I have included yet another nasty fashion picture. . .this one was taken this morning when I was waiting for my bus for my trip. Gotta love the silver shoes. . .I am sure I am going to get struck down by a bolt of lightening one of these days, but at least I am going to happy when it happens!!!!!



Yesterday was market day here in Port Douglas. I guess every Sunday they set up a market down by the water where the local peddle some of their tacky tourist wares. In amongst all of the tackiness there were a few gems to be had.

I also took a quick drive up to the Mossman Gorge which is up in the Daintree National Park which happens to be a tropical rainforest. On my way there I passed through an Aborigine village. I also realized when I was there, that once again I hadn't let anyone know where I was going and all I could think about were the salt-water crocodiles that live in the rivers and thought that what if one eats me. . .how will anyone know? Will I be able to fight it off? Oh the thoughts that run through my head when I am in the bush! Here is a self portrait of me in the forest. . doesn't do it justice. . .maybe tomorrow pics will be better!
Well I gotta run. . the lady is cleaning up around me and I guessing that my time is almost up. Once again, a most fabulous day. . .probably one of my best in my life! AMAZING!!!!