Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

by Anders Bruihler / Mar 04, 2013 / 0 comments

I’ve loved snorkeling since the first time I went in Tanzania. When we went to Australia, I couldn’t wait to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef.  We went out of Cairns on a nice sunny day.  Although it wasn’t as spectacular as what you may think, it was still amazing.  We rented an underwater camera so I could take pictures of this great day.

We went on the Falla, an old pearl lugger boat that was built in 1958.

 

Falla, Great Barrier Reef

The Falla

 

It took about an hour and a half to get to our first stop.  As soon as I jumped into the water, this big fish greeted from right under the boat. 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

One of the other animals I saw next was this giant clam.  That’s my dad swimming up to it.

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef - giant clam

 

We also saw many other sea creatures too. 

 

Sea creatures, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

And here’s the Falla again. 

 

the Falla, Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

One of our guides carefully picked up this starfish, and we all had a chance to hold it. Then we let it drift back down to the bottom. 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Here’s a video of me swimming along.  You can see lots of coral and fish.

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

This was one of the more colorful fish we saw. 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

After a delicious lunch, we went to our second snorkel site.  Our guides call it ‘the aquarium’ because of the many kinds of fish.  Here I am diving into the shallow water.

 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

Here I am swimming!  My dad took the camera for a while here, and dove down closer to the coral and fish. 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Here's some more video. 

 

 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

We also saw another giant clam, and when my dad swam up to it, it clamped shut.

 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

As we finished our snorkeling for the day, look what was at the boat again!  I wonder if it was the same fish we saw at the start. 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

My brother got to climb up the rigging on the way back. 

 

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

 

And here we were heading back into Cairns.  It had been a wonderful day! 

Great Barrier Reef - heading back to Cairns

 

 

 

Anders Bruihler is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program.

 

 

All photos courtesy and copyright Anders Bruihler