The Great Barrier Reef aboard Reef Magic
This blog is dedicated to our wonderful children Bree and Luke. We
both Thank you for your generosity and giving us treasured memories of a
fantastic day out on the reef.
So let's back track here... Bree is a Helicopter Attendant working
for a company called Reef Magic. Luke managed to get the day off (mid week) and
the three of us stepped aboard Reef Magic at 9am, all excited for what the day
would present. We were welcomed aboard with a great big hug and smile from
Bree.
I was enjoying watching Bree at her new job, encouraging the tourists
to book a helicopter flight. Feeling pretty relaxed, I was really excited about
the day. I presumed that we would spend most of it snorkeling around the
pontoon.
Little did we know that our darling daughter had booked our whole day
up with adventure...
First we had a 10minute helicopter flight. This was amazing looking
down over our Great Barrier Reef from above. It was like watching the beginning
of a documentary of the reef... they normally start with filming from the sky
looking over the reef with all it's beautiful colors of aqua to dark blue…
spotting turtles and stingrays.
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| Our daughter, Bree is the Helicopter attendant on Reef Magic |
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| On the way to the Heli pontoon. |
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| Back on Terra nearly firmer. |
We were still reeling from our flight and before we stepped foot back
onto the pontoon we were told we had to run to get a wetsuit fitted cause we
were now booked to go on an introductory dive...well...OMG...as quick as
flicking a switch, nerves are now eating my stomach. I look over at Steve and he
has already gone a pale shade of grey. Luke was all excited (why wouldn't he
be...he IS a dive instructor, so this is a walk in the park for him… with his
eyes shut). I felt really nervous.
It was like suddenly everything went into
high speed. Before I knew it I was asked to sit in front of the tank on a bench
seat while they secured it around my waist. All done, snorkel on, regulator
tested, flippers on, all I had to do was walk 2 meters to the pontoon steps to
descend into the ocean. I went to get up and nothing happened. I was pinned to
the bench seat. The weight of the tank including the weight belt around my
waist I could hardly move. I felt even more fear as several arms reached out to
help me get up, legs felt like lead. The only thought in my head… OMG I don't
want to drown (just quietly, have always had drowning as one of my fears). Next
we were told that we had to conquer a mask clearing exercise and had to remove
and replace the mouth regulator several times, all under water. Steve has gone
completely quiet!!!
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| Getting rigged up for the introductory dive. |
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| Diving with "Wally" |
Very apprehensively we both descended down the stairs into the water
now standing on the platform hanging on to a thick rope, skin gone white over
knuckles. I simply couldn't wooss out even though I wanted to. What would my
kids think? Oh god please do I have to do this. Dive instructor is now saying
put my head under water and breath with the regulator in my mouth! Hmmm, ok,
that's no too bad. Slowly, as he showed us how to do each of the exercises and
I managed to achieve and pass the tests, some of the fear was dissipating.
Maybe I COULD do this.
At this stage I had descended down about 2 meters and
was asked to hold another rope so he could go back for Steve. He was now trying
to pry Steve's fingers from the rope up above. Steve was feeling panicked and
claustrophobic with all the gear on. To his credit, he too found the courage to
dig deep and slowly down he came to meet up with me.
We are now swimming with arms linked with the instructor. . Eyes wide
open, all the senses on high alert, breath thru my mouth, don't panic, equalize
ears, oh and I think I'm ok. This is not too bad.
The instructor pointed to a sandy spot on the bottom, this was to be
the photo area. Down we went. I was so caught up with all my senses on high
alert that I had completely lost sight of Luke. He and an underwater
photographer suddenly appeared along with a massive Mari Wrasse called Wally.
Wally was obviously used to the limelight and I was completely taken
by surprise when the photographer reached out, put her hand on Wally’s head and
pushed him into position for a snap shot. This fish loved being pushed this way
then that way, click, click.
I was now feeling very excited and was amazed at his size and how he
felt, he seemed to love the human contact. His colours where amazing.
I'm starting to relax. I remember thinking about how I
could now understand the attraction both ours kids had to diving. It was
another world down there. Being up close and personal with a massive fish like
Wally and swimming amongst the other fish was awesome. My eyes felt like they
were about to pop out of my head. My brain was smiling but I dare not move my
lips. Don't want that regulator falling out of my mouth.
I was really getting into all the fish swimming around us when the
instructor with arms linked in ours started to head of into deeper water. The
deeper we went, the more uncomfortable I became. I ended up feeling quite
panicked. Water kept seeping into my goggles and it seemed to get harder to
draw breath through the regulator. I needed to get up to the surface and quick.
Once we broke thru the surface of the water the instructors attention
was on Steve. I hadn't known that we had both given him the sign at the same
time to go up. We slowly made our way back to the security of the pontoons
platform. It was over. We did it. What an experience.
That one definitely got both of us out of our comfort zones. Overall
it was great. I totally admire my children for their adventure and courage to
dive as much as they do. I would love to have another go one day. Next time to
go nice and slow and not feel quite so rushed.
After shedding the tank and all the gear we raced over to the queue
for a smorgasbord lunch. I felt exhilarated from our heli flight and the
diving.
Bree came to join us for a quick lunch and said that we had 10
minutes before we were each booked in for a massage at 2.30.
Then, she had also booked us into an Outer Reef Snorkel Experience
with the marine biologist. I was itching to get into the water for a snorkel so
I gave up my massage.
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| Luke and I on the adventure snorkel. |
The weather was perfect and the day was perfect. The Outer Reef
Snorkel Experience was the highlight of my day. There is so much life and beauty
down along the reef where it drops off into the deeper water. We spent
ages drifting along the reef wall listening to the Marine Biologist and
learning all about the Eco systems.
The trip back to Cairns went very fast because for most of it all I
saw was the inside of my eyelids. Feeling very happy and content having had a
day full of adventure and fun.
It was such a beautiful day out there and the generosity of both our
kids touched us both cause we didn't put our hand in our pockets for one thing,
THANKYOU both for an amazing day out. Bree when you read this I want you to
know that you are so, so very special. You worked so hard organizing all this
for us and we just loved every second of the day. Thank you my darling.
Leanne
Ludemann
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| Luke, Bree and Leanne during a fun day at the Great Barrier Reef. |
