Did you know you can go scuba diving without any previous training? I didn’t either, but that’s just what a few friends and I did on our adventure to one of the most iconic underwater worlds on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Great Barrier Reef is highly accessible via a multitude of day-long boat tours that dock in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. 

Our tour was with Tusa Dive company and the were very competent, experienced, and communicative. We boarded our boat, the Tusa T6, early in the morning and were welcomed on board with a cheerful photographer waving a giant camera. As soon as we were on board the crew started going through their paces to get us checked-in and settled for a welcome presentation. They worked like clockwork getting us prepared for the days events and the boat ready for the one hour journey out to the reef. 

Over half of the guests on board were only going to be snorkeling for the day and did not have to sit through the half-hour scuba instructor presentation. So, they headed out to the back deck to get fitted for their snorkel gear while the rest of us sat and learned the basics of scuba diving and signed an extra form (or two). I recall working very hard to focus on everything our dive instructor was telling us as my stomach was feeling very ill despite taking Dramamine that morning. Ugh. 

I pull through and soon the boat arrives at our first anchor point of the day and we are all yanking and wriggling into our soaking wet and freezing cold wet suits and getting heavy tanks and weight belts strapped to our backs. And, just like that, we plunge into the water and are immediately expected to demonstrate we remember everything our dive instructor told us. 

Don’t panic. 

Keep a cool head. 

Think.

Whew. 

We all get it and I recall the first few minutes I realize that I haven’t had to go to the surface to breathe. 

How odd. 

Soon we are descending into the depths, all linking arms and looking at each other like

What.

The.

Heck.

Slowly we adjust. I keep having to clear my ears. One of my friends is having to clear her mask, and the others are just smiling. When we finally reach the reef, I start to get my bearings. And then the instructor lets us go and we are swimming around all on our own! After the initial odd feeling of not feeling as safe, I gather my wits and remember that I am scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, enjoy it! My eyes begin to wander and start to take it all in. 

This reef is huge and, for some reason, it surprises me that it looks like a barrier, a wall, a living jagged wall running along the depths of the ocean floor. Duh. We then start to explore the spools of colorful tiny fish, the free flowing tubers of the anemone, the slightly scuzzy coral clusters with parrot fish pecking at them, and these big vibrant blue starfish hanging out on the corals. We have to kick our flippers out behind us to move parallel to the reef to get closer looks, but don’t touch!

At this depth everything is dim as the water above us filters out the sunlight above. Absolutely everything is unfamiliar and it’s incredibly difficult to take in this new underwater world, especially since all that can be heard is the sound of your own breathing. What an amazing setting to dive into and explore. One of my friends wanders too far and the instructor wraps hard on her tank with a metal clip, a sound that carries through the water, and so we cluster back together. 

Too soon we are drawn toward the boat anchor rope, which I had no idea was anywhere near us. My trusty sense of direction was completely lost and, slowly placing hand over hand, we climb the slimy rope back to the surface, clearing our ears again along the way. 

I did it.

We made it.

Hooray.

That went fast.

That was different.

As I head to the back of the boat, the crew is lightning fast at assisting me in getting out of my gear. One gal grabs my flippers from my feet, another guy unstraps the tank from my back and hauls it aboard. We all stand on deck together, dripping wet and looking at each other and smiling over the silent experience we all just shared. It felt like it lasted for 10 minutes but we were underwater for over a half hour. Well, time to get back in the water and go snorkeling!

Admittedly, snorkeling was a much brighter and more relaxing and social way to experience the colorful Great Barrier Reef. We were out there for hours looking around and pointing out all of the cool things we were seeing so others could see them too. 

We all clambered back aboard the boat in the middle of the day for an educational reef talk and lunch as the boat moved to a new location. I didn’t end up have lunch because I was sea sick on the back deck.

Sigh.

Oh well.

At least I felt better afterwards.

Our afternoon snorkel took place over a different area of the reef and we found it equally enjoyable as the first spot. We were swimming around for hours and feeling quite tired by the time we climbed back aboard for the hour ride back to Cairns. 

The only way this day could have been any better was if it had been more sunny and less raining as both contributed to the water being a bit less than crystal clear. Overall it was a very tiring, fulfilling, and very memorable day and the crew, the itinerary, and the reef was fantastic! Explore more of Australia and New Zealand with this 16 day itinerary.