Teeming with life, the Great Barrier Reef lies off the coast of Northeast Australia. We left our cruise ship on a ship sponsored excursion and boarded a smaller boat 
which took us to a pontoon at a specific area of the reef.
They provided suits at no additional cost because it was “jelly season.” Figure flattering, aren’t they?
The sun here is brutal. Our cruise director always recommended spf 9000%! From the pontoon, we could snorkel, seawalk, scuba, sit in an under-water viewing theater, or take a glass-bottom boat. Scuba and sea walking were an extra charge, but all other activities were included. Also included was a buffet lunch.
I expected lots of vibrant colors, but that was not the case. It has something to do with the amount of sunlight that reaches the coral.
We purchased an underwater camera, and hubby took it snorkeling. 
A large manta ray swam directly under him. Hubby said it was probably six feet long, but he only managed to photo a small portion of it.
I tried sea walking. What a great experience! As I descended the stairs and water was up to my neck, a helmet was set on my shoulders. A hose continually forced air into the helmet and allowed me to breathe naturally underwater.
I look a little lopsided as the helmets were one-size-fits-all, and my shoulders are not very broad. I could wear my glasses, and my hair stayed dry as I walked around looking at the fish. There was one scuba diver for every two participants. They guided us as we learned how to walk underwater. I had assumed we would see coral, too, but that was not the case. We walked along a metal platform, and the divers fed the fish to attract them. I did not really see much variety, but the experience was still enjoyable.
The glass-bottom boat captain explained some of the coral formations and we saw large clams.
This all-day excursion prevented us from actually seeing Cairns. If I ever get a chance to return, I would like to see Cairns and some of the available resorts. There were several reef tours offered from there, and if we stay in Cairns some day, I would like the opportunity to snorkel near the reef from an island next time.
Next Port, Darwin, Australia