We have both travelled widely. This turned out to be not just another trip. It was an experience; one of the very best kind. There is the reef. Amazing coral, amazing sea life small and large – some very large – and the time over 5 days with 14-15 snorkelling (or scuba) occasions each in different places allowed an appreciation of the complexity of the marine ecosystem. For example, I had never heard of a cleaning station and the sight of shark after shark coming in for “cleaning” attention from small fish was awesome.
However, this would have been simple, pretty, one dimensional sightseeing without the crew’s depth of knowledge and passion for this area. Before each dive / snorkel we had a briefing on why we were in that particular place, what we might see and why we might see it. As well as the marine life there were shipwrecks and we had the history of those before we went into the water. As we looked at them through our masks, it was sobering to think about the history and the circumstances.
The attentiveness of the super friendly and helpful crew, the amazing food, the comfort of the boat itself, and the skipper’s flexibility and adjustment of the sites we stopped at made the trip an experience of the very best kind. Their passion for this area was infectious.
Michael and Jan, Dulwich, South Australia