Like every other week of this trip, this week was none the less of amazing. So much has happened and we even became open water certified scuba divers.We had an interesting, unexpected turn of things at the beginning of the week when our flight from Alice Springs to Cairns wan cancelled. Which actually ended up being a treat because Quantas Airlines paid for everyone’s overnight accommodation along with $50 for our meals. The night was spent exploring the hotel, going to the pool, room service, movies, the casino, and hearing Abigail’s life story. Our flight had been rescheduled to the next day,　which ended up pushingour scuba diving experience back a day.
The next morning we were picked up by an airport shuttle to take us to our rescheduled, departing flight to Cairns. We arrived around 10:30am and somewhat had the rest of the day to explore and get settled in and got distributed our perdiems for grocery and food for the week. On the morning of the 22nd we began our scuba diving course! There was a total of 10 of us because Michelle and Teddy have already been Open Water certified so they don’t have to take the classes again. Our class consisted of five videos and training in the pool with equipment and practicing skills. After completing all the pool training, videos, knowledge reviews and quizzes over the span of 2 days, we took our final exam, all passed and were just four dives away from being certified!!
On the morning of the 24th we were picked up at 6:45am and boarded the boat to take us to FitzRoy Island.The ride was roughly an hour long but our final destination was a gorgeous resort right on the cost of this beautiful island (no one was expecting this). Our group split into two groups. One of six, consisting of: Stevie, Bronson, Tara, Jacky, Melanie and Kevin. Then the 2nd group of four: Kate, Giovanna, Abigail and Zach. While we were waiting on our rooms to be ready, Ethan took group one out on their 1st dive and the 2nd group snorkeled while waiting for their turn to go. After 30 minutes the groups switched and now then group of four went out on their 1st dive.　Once everyone was back from their dives they all had a prepaid, delicious lunch at Foxy’s. After lunch, the groups went out for their 2nd dives, our　instructor, Ethan, said how what we saw today is going to be like nothing after comparing it to the two dives we will be doing the next day. It was still so fun and beautiful to witness the ocean in a whole new way and swim with the sea life.
After we completed our dives for the day, we all met up in the resort and were assigned two people per room, randomly selected by pulling names from a hat. The rest of the night consisted of a wonderful dinner together, movies, hanging out in the room and listening to Giovanna’s life story.
We had to be up, checked out and on the boat the next morning by 8:45am to take us further into the great barrier reef where we docked to another boat and began to set up for our 3rd dive. This time the group of four was going along with a new instructor, Liam, he was a radical dude and great teacher. The other group of six stayed with Ethan. I was personally on the dive with Liam and had the most amazing dive, we even saw a small reef shark! The dive lasted roughly 35 minutes, but, it only felt like 10.
None of us wanted to get out of the water. But, once we were all loaded back on the boat and had all of our gear disassembled a spectacular lunch, with pasta, fruit, salad and meat was waiting for us..YUM! Everyone scarfed down their food and waited impatiently for for the next and sadly, final dive.
We were putting our gear on and doing buddy checks, because only the best divers do, when we were told that we had to do a few more skills under and above water and then after that we will be certified divers!!! We eagerly jumped in the water and descended instantly to the stunning underwater world waiting for us below. After we completed the skill we had a bunch of free time to explore the beautiful sights that the reef contains. Anywhere you looked you were taken by its beauty. Whether it be looking straight and feeling like you are defying gravity, looking down and seeing the communities of sea life entangled in an aura of colors given off by the coral, or up and feeling the bliss of the sun piercing its way through the ocean’s surface and reflecting off the air bubbles the diver’s released, it was all breathtaking. As the dive quickly came to an end it was sad to take all of the gear off not knowing when I will be diving again.
Once everyone was back in the boat we departed for our 2 hour boat ride back to Cairns, everyone was pooped and fell asleep. We arrived to the hostel and met up for a meeting, the rest of that day until the next night at 8pm we had free time to do whatever you wanted:explore the city, get food or ice cream, shop, etc the opportunities were endless. Once 8pm on the 26th rolled along we all met in the girls room of the hostel for meeting and our first PSU presentation, given by Hannah, on the sweat lodge we experience in New Zealand and the history and belief of them. (P.S. your presentation rocked Hannah!!!!! Good job!) We then changed our weekly roles and went to sleep finishing off such an incredible week. I know I speak for the majority of us when I say I will definitely be going diving again!
Thanks to everyone who helped make this such an amazing, unforgettable week/experience!
-Giovanna Scandone 🙂