Beattys Overseas

We have been planning our time in Cairns since this birth of this trip.  Cairns (pronounced as kaens) is on the northwestern coast of Australia, and is one of the main cities that bring visitors close to the Great Barrier Reef. 
One of the "ribbons" of the ReefThe Reef is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, can be seen from space, and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Unfortunately, the intricate string of coral reefs and sandy islands are in danger of damage, thanks to - you guessed it - climate change and global warming.  Some marine biologists estimate that the Great Barrier Reef will diminish completely within the next 40 years.  This, we simply HAD to see and experience on our trip. 

We had long been planning a visit to Cairns so that we can get Scuba Dive Certified here, then dive the Great Barrier Reef, where some of the most amazing ocean life can be viewed just a few meters under the surface.  We signed up with ProDive, who we later learned is like the Rolls Royce of diving schools in Cairns.  And, believe us, there are a ton of dive schools.  
Cairns marina at dawn, seen from our hotel roomThe whole town, from a newcomers point of view, revolves around the tourist industry that is the Great Barrier Reef.  There are a bunch of other things to do here, which I'll talk about later, but the Reef is Attraction Numero Uno.   

ProDive's 5-day Learn To Dive  course starts with 1/2 day in the classroom, then a 200 meter swimming test and a 10-minute treading water test in their training center saltwater pool.  We both passed with flying colors, and our David-Beckham-lookalike instructor, named Warren, then put us into our scuba equipment for the first time.  The concept of breathing underwater is very foreign to humans, and for me - having never even snorkeled before - it was more difficult than expected.  John took to breathing through his mouthpiece in 3ft of water fine, but I kept panicking and swimming to the surface.  Not good - Warren told us, "The Surface is Never the Solution!"  And it's true, when you're under the pressure of a few meters of water, bursting up toward the surface can cause serious injury to a diver.  However, I couldn't rationalize with my instinct that I had a huge tank of oxygen attached to my back and if I just kept breathing through my mouth I'd stay alive.  So, in short, I quit.  Diving is not for me, for now... 

But, John continued in the course and is currently out on the Great Barrier Reef, on ProDive's sleeper boat where students go out for 3 dives a day, and are completely certified by Day #4 of the course.  I am currently planning a day of snorkeling tomorrow on a different section of the Reef with our friends Paul & Lorna who are in Cairns now as well.  Paul and Lorna are travelling the world also, although their itinerary and route greatly differs from ours (they're doing a whole year, and they're doing tons of Asian nations!).  It's great to see them, and to have some buddies with us.   

- Whitney