We chose the biggest enterprise, Quicksilver, for our tour as they provide a variety of activities for the whole family on the reef. They actually have a platform out on the Agincourt ribbon reef, part of the outer Great Barrier reef.
The company operates a large fleet of catamarans on different tours. We take the Quicksilver 8, sistership of the Quicksilver 5 which is shown below.
The ship can carry up to 450 passengers - today we were about 350.
The day starts sunny but will soon become much more cloudier with even some rain in the afternoon.
So we leave Port Douglas and we head towards the reef.
The kids enjoy the 1,5 hours boat trip.
Arriving at the platform there is a large choice of actities, many of which are included in the (quite expensive) cruise price. For the whole family of 5 we paid about 650 AU$.
Joshua and I will go for a snorkel swim. To be absolutely safe, although no marine stinger season, we wear stinger protection suits.
The platform has a very comfortable swim platform and snorkeling gear is provided for free.
Joshua does not like the snorkel after his first snorkeling last time.
Snorkeling right at the platform already offers a variety of marine live...
Joshua enjoys the swim...
And after lunch the kids go in a semi-submarine tour - all on their own!
(this activity is also included in the price)
They skipper said they had been "angels" and indeed Jonah clearly seemed to have enjoyed it:
I then go on my booked guided one hour snorkel tour out on the reef.
Taking the hired digital underwater camera with me - so all photos I am posting here have been taken by myself.
Besides the coral and the fish, we see some giant claws...
There is also a professional camera man with us...
The tour is a real big fun and so much fish and coral.
There is one species of coral that can be picked up without destruction.
On the snorkel we even found Nemo, the clownfish, in his home, the anemone...
They always come in pairs as many of the reef fishes who stay together for the whole of their lifes.
At the end of this blog I will add some more photos of the snorkeling tour, here a view from the reef on the platform:
While I was on my tour, the kids were allowed to feed the fish from the platform...
...and so much fish came along...
Swimming everywhere between your legs...
...Jeremia had so much fun...
Take a look at some more of my underwater reef pictures in the second part of this blog...
—-- Artikel wurde erstellt auf meinem iPad
Position:Agincourt ribbon reef, Australia
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