We found nemo!

After a short drive from Mission Beach, we made it to Cairns... the so-called backpacker capital of OZ... and there are plenty of backpacker options here...This one is named after a nice van we left in NZ.


Oh, and Kate put up a shopping mall... (she was bored)


We soon found a live-aboard diving operation we liked and went over to the office to book. The fluffy, lazy cat likes the printer there...


We went with Reef Experience... they have a boat that goes out to the reef every morning and back in the afternoon, while Reef Encounter stayed out at the reef, only moving from reef to reef.


Here we are about to be transferred boats...


Here's Reef Encounter... our home for the next 3 days... unfortunately they wouldn't let us jump off the top.


During the course of the next 3 days, we lived in the ocean... I did 12 dives (2 night dives) and snorkeled 4 times... and to be honest... it was great. I hadn't dove for a while, so it was a great feeling to be under again. However, I'd say half the sites were better for snorkeling. There were some great dives, don't get me wrong, but there were many sites that you probably saw more snorkeling... and I was diving just to dive.


Off to do my first dive in like 8 years...





It was a great thing that we went snorkeling in the Whitsundays before coming here... as we saw a LOT more fishies, turtles, coral, etc...


I think we saw 6? or more... no matter how many you see, they're still amazing.


A coral with bite marks from parrotfish.


Freddy... he's a Maori Wrasse that hangs out whenever the Reef Encounter is anchored at the Fraser Reef, and loves to be petted.




Saw lots of sharks, but they are difficult to take pics of as they usually take off... that is unless the cook is feeding them.









... this morning made waking up early for the 6 am snorkel/dive session well worth it.








Look... and here he is NEMO! Officially a clown anemonefish


And a video of the little guy.


Some of the other fishies...


A pufferfish getting cleaned by a cleaner wrasse... these guys are great... some of them start pecking at your body if you go to one of their "cleaning stations."




Giant Clam... they close up when you touch them..


And my favorite reef... in the shape of a fish


Here's Kate diving for the first time...

Turtle!


Giant Clam...


After getting off the boat we had our last dinner with Katie, and went to bed still rocking. The next day, we headed off to Japan.