Day 14 (September 23, 2015)   Great Barrier Reef: Inner reef

Before   

Barrier Reef Cairns area






   We’ve got a tour with Seastar to snorkeling at barrier reef. It will take us to two spots where enjoying watching the amazing sea life at Great Barrier Reef.

   The spots marked at map are:

 1- Michaelmas Cay

 2- Hastings Reef

After

   We cannot take advantage of the hotel’s breakfast as we’re picked up so early for it: at 7:10 AM. Once at the boat, scheduled for leaving at 8 AM, we’re offered coffee or tea and blueberry muffins. They have all the equipment one can need and I wear a neoprene swimming suit to avoid getting burn as happened in The Caribbean Sea.

View of Cairns from the sea
Seastar's boatEquipment at Seastar's boat

















   We take almost one hour to reach Michaelmas Cay, which is just a lonely bank of white sand full of birds. The sea is surrounding it with all the tones of blue it can show in this part of the world.

Michaelmas Cay

  We’re taken to the cay to start our two hours and a half snorkeling session here. For the first 30 minutes we’re going around with a guide, who is showing the place and giving us indications about the local fauna. The other two hours are for exploring this reef by our own.

Michaelmas Cay's Reef
Michaelmas Cay's ReefMichaelmas Cay's Reef
Michaelmas Cay's Reef


  I’m amazed about what I’m seeing underwater and I come back to the boat to get my wife out with me, as the way coming here made her dizzy and wanted to wait a while before being at the water. As she is feeling well now, we explore the reef together.

Michaelmas Cay's Reef
Michaelmas Cay's Reef Michaelmas Cay's Reef
   Time flies and we’re called to lunch at boat when I still thought we had a lot of time. It’s the best moment, as the place is getting full of boats ready to get all their groups out there. We could be alone here this morning enjoying the wonders of this reef.

   Then we set sail to the next snorkeling spot: Hastings Reef. The first place is a low deep beach of white sand with blocks of reef here and there, but this second place is a wall coming up from the deep until almost getting the surface.

Hastings ReefHastings Reef















Hastings ReefHastings Reef

















   The first 30 minutes we all follow the biologist who is showing us the channels to go through with astonishing views and find the animals to show them to us, as a green turtle.
Hastings reefGreen turtle on Hastings reef
   Then we look for these views by our own until we go back to the boat with time.

Hastings Reef
Hastings Reef
Hastings Reef
Hastings Reef


  We’ve got enough time for having a ride in the bottom glass boat. We can see a reef shark on it.
Seastar's bottom glass boatSeastar's bottom glass boat
   We’re back in Cairns around 4 PM ending this fantastic tour by being delivered in our hotel. We then take a bus to the shopping area. Tickets are 2.40$ each.

   We take our dinner close to the hotel, in a pizza place. Pork ribs for me and gnocchi for Eva by 30$.