CAIRNS - DAY 2 OF 7

On the morning of Day 2 (Sunday, April 11), we drove to Port Douglas which was about an hour drive from Trinity Beach. The drive was spectacular as the road winds along the coast with the Coral Sea as the backdrop. Port Douglas is one of the popular departure points for trips to the Great Barrier Reef.

We were traveling to Agincourt Reef, at the very outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, via the Quicksilver cruise ship. Special reefs known as "ribbons" run parallel to the Continental Shelf. These ribbon reefs are recognised as the most pristine eco-systems in the reef's environment. The Great Barrier Reef extends for 2,300 km along the north-eastern coast of Australia. It is not one large reef, but a network of about 2,900 individual reefs with the same area as the United Kingdom.

After a 90-minute cruise on the ship, we arrived at the Quicksilver Platform which is the largest platform on the Great Barrier Reef. Our day included morning and afternoon tea on board, a reef presentation by a marine biologist, a buffet lunch, snorkeling equipment, and the opportunity to ride in a semi-submersible vessel to get an underwater view of the reef.

Because it was currently jellyfish season, they recommended renting Lycra suits which we did. The Lycra suits not only offer protection from jellyfish and the corals, they also offer complete protection from sunburning! Okay, I might have used a snorkel when I was a child - that was ions ago! I was rather nervous about the whole thing so opted to wear a life jacket just in case.

I mainly stayed by the ropes, which sectioned off the area where you could go. They helped me pull myself along. Once I was able to relax and just float, it was a magical experience. I saw all types of corals - mushroom corals, plate corals, staghorn corals and brain corals to name a few. I also saw some giant clams that can grow to one metre and can be at least 50 years old. And the fish were amazing and beautiful, swimming right along beside us.

After an exhausting day of snorkeling, I opted to return to the marina via helicopter so I could get a birds eye view of the Great Barrier Reef. The trip was amazing. I sat next to the pilot and he pointed out the Batt Reef where Steve Irwin was killed by the stingray. We actually saw three different rays in the water along with a couple of large turtles. Because I got back approximately 90 minutes earlier than Scott and Juliet, I had time to visit the shops and galleries in the village. It was a day I'll never forget!