Cairns: One More Dive − 23 October, 2000
"Oi! Divers! Get up!" Damn, but that bitch has a piercing voice. I really shouldn't call her that; she's a fantastic dive master and has made sure everyone was taken care of on this trip.
After another great breakfast (the meals have been extremely good), we suited up for our 7am dive (Flynn's Reef, "Coral Gardens"); this would be our final dive of the trip, so I planned to savor it.
Once again, we sank into the warm, clear water and followed the mooring line to the bottom. We slowly made our way around the area, alternately marveling at the coral and fish, and simply reveling in the weightlessness and sensation of flying underwater.
All too soon, it was time to surface. We slowly hauled ourselves back onto the boat and began the tedious process of gathering and packing our gear. Well, shit. The party's all but over now. It was a bittersweet ride back to Cairns for everyone: we had a few fantastic days of diving, but now it's time to get back to land-lubbing. I'm even going to miss our tiny little bunk. A little. Ok, not so much. We all gathered on the deck for photos and a few of us exchanged contact information, knowing full-well we'd probably never follow-through with letter, e-mail, or phone. Vacation acquaintances...
It was surreal getting off the boat onto solid ground. I had become used to the gentle, continuous rocking of the boat; now it felt like the solid ground was swaying. I have to say, it freaked me out a bit until everyone else said they felt the same sensation.
Swaying and stumbling like a couple of drunks, my wife and I made our way back to the hotel to clean up before dinner. If I thought just being on solid land was a bit disorienting, then standing in an enclosed shower sent me into a fit of vertigo. I had to brace myself against the sides of the shower to keep myself from leaning back and forth and smacking my head. Fuck... how long does this sensation last?
The crew from the boat said that after a dive trip they always go to the Cock and Bull for dinner and drinks, and we were all invited to go along. In hindsight, I'm willing to bet they got some sort of kickback for getting a big group of people there on a regular basis. But, the food was good and the beer was cold. My wife and I mostly talked to each other, though; I have a feeling it will be a long time before we get over our awe of having actually gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
After another great breakfast (the meals have been extremely good), we suited up for our 7am dive (Flynn's Reef, "Coral Gardens"); this would be our final dive of the trip, so I planned to savor it.
Once again, we sank into the warm, clear water and followed the mooring line to the bottom. We slowly made our way around the area, alternately marveling at the coral and fish, and simply reveling in the weightlessness and sensation of flying underwater.
All too soon, it was time to surface. We slowly hauled ourselves back onto the boat and began the tedious process of gathering and packing our gear. Well, shit. The party's all but over now. It was a bittersweet ride back to Cairns for everyone: we had a few fantastic days of diving, but now it's time to get back to land-lubbing. I'm even going to miss our tiny little bunk. A little. Ok, not so much. We all gathered on the deck for photos and a few of us exchanged contact information, knowing full-well we'd probably never follow-through with letter, e-mail, or phone. Vacation acquaintances...
It was surreal getting off the boat onto solid ground. I had become used to the gentle, continuous rocking of the boat; now it felt like the solid ground was swaying. I have to say, it freaked me out a bit until everyone else said they felt the same sensation.
Swaying and stumbling like a couple of drunks, my wife and I made our way back to the hotel to clean up before dinner. If I thought just being on solid land was a bit disorienting, then standing in an enclosed shower sent me into a fit of vertigo. I had to brace myself against the sides of the shower to keep myself from leaning back and forth and smacking my head. Fuck... how long does this sensation last?
The crew from the boat said that after a dive trip they always go to the Cock and Bull for dinner and drinks, and we were all invited to go along. In hindsight, I'm willing to bet they got some sort of kickback for getting a big group of people there on a regular basis. But, the food was good and the beer was cold. My wife and I mostly talked to each other, though; I have a feeling it will be a long time before we get over our awe of having actually gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
kalinda dive group
