After a breakfast of lemon raspberry yogurt we got on to the bus that would take us to the gbr. On the way the bus stopped at other hotels motels and holiday inns where people boarded the bus to go to the GBR too! When we got to the port we were informed that we would be riding on the boat named calpyso 10. When we got on the boat we were asked to take off our shoes. Then we were called in to the main deck. We had been warned that the front would be soaked and if you had sea sickness you should sit on the lower deck. Although Lu sort of has motion sickness she decided to to sit on the second deck. (She is a bit crazy) and as we got onto the ocean the guide told us that the boat was much less shaky than the crew had expected, although it was still shaky. Then the guide told us that the back part that was outside would be soaked! So then we moved to the back and waited for the inevitable as you might be pondering was going to the reef and being dropped of to look at the reef. I realized that saying the tour dropped us off sounds like they left us there for an hour. Luckily they did not do that. 
The reef was amazing. They gave us noodles and a wetsuit to swim with. We swam out and took a look at the reef. Before we went in the guide had told us how to use the snorkel and the brown patches were the reef and the blue patches were the ocean. We swam towards what looked like the brown parts. First, we saw this giant thing of coral that stuck out like a thumb from the reef that showed as blue water because it was farther below. It was really amazing. You could compare it to Ayers’ rock. A few meters forward you came into the actual reef. It seemed like it was two feet below you and there were fish all around you. After a good look, lu and i decided to swim back but mom decided to stay out a bit. 
When we got back in, we heard a rumor that food was being prepared for lunch. We got fairly happy at the thought of that but learned we would only get lunch at the second stop. At the second stop, Mom told us it would be better to swim out much farther as we would see more. And one of the guides was giving a marine tour so me Mom and Lu decided to follow the tour. He told us about the coral and the fishes and I felt like that was really helpful and combined with the botanical talk that the other guide gave us during lunch. I gave my noodle to Lu and tried to swim without it but the waves were really choppy and I couldn’t stay afloat so I had to go back to the ship super soon. 
Our third and final destination was probably the most fun I had. Me and mom and lu went out together to explore the reef. We went super far out but then Lu decided to go back and Mom accompanied her so I waited for Mom to come back so we looked through it and there were these clouds of small teeny fish like a blanket. I’m surprised none got into my suit! When we finished we went to the third level of the ship and thought wow! We should have come up earlier. It was windy and dried off our suit earlier and we could see where the reef patches were. 
Then we headed back home. 

-hf