Day 80 - The Great Barrier Reef & Aussie Adventures

Wow—Day 80 already. Time really has flown by. Today we arrived in Cairns early, and we were on the first tour out at 7.15am. Mr C was not impressed by the early start, but credit where it’s due—he got up and made it out on time.



We were heading to the Great Barrier Reef, which felt incredibly exciting. Once we left the port, we were told we’d be walking to the marina to board the catamaran. Mr C was even less impressed when he realised there was no bus involved—but onwards we went.

We boarded the catamaran and headed out to the reef, where we spent the next few hours on a pontoon, which turned out to be a fantastic setup. Today it was just our group, so there was plenty of space and lots of options for how to spend the time.



Joe wasn’t too happy at first, as he’d thought we were heading to a beach to snorkel and wasn’t keen on being in open sea. Instead, we opted for the semi-submersible, which was brilliant. We saw colourful fish, coral, and were lucky enough to spot a beautiful sea turtle gliding past us. One of the marine biologists was our guide, and she was incredibly knowledgeable, explaining both the reef ecosystem and the conservation work being done.



There were lots of other options too—glass-bottom boat, snorkelling, diving, the underwater observatory, watching fish feeding, and visiting the marine research centre to learn more about how they’re protecting the reef and its marine life.



We were treated to a lovely buffet lunch on the pontoon. Joe was pleased to see alcoholic drinks for sale, so he tried another Aussie beer—only to discover it was low alcohol. That discovery didn’t go down particularly well!

Soon it was time to head back, and as if on cue, the heavens opened. Torrential rain came down, but thankfully by the time we reached Cairns it had eased, and we made it back to the ship without getting too wet.

Joe was delighted to be back in time for trivia, where his team came second today. I caught up with the crossword and had a chat with Jane as we finalised plans for tomorrow. I am so excited to be seeing the Robinsons—it’s been far too long, and I can’t wait to spend the day together.

Dinner tonight was at Compass Rose, which was lovely as always, and then an early night for us as we get ready for a very special day tomorrow.

🌿 Daily Reflection

Being out on the Great Barrier Reef was a powerful reminder of how precious and fragile our natural world is. Seeing the care and dedication going into protecting it made me feel both hopeful and deeply grateful to witness it firsthand.

⭐ Highlight of the Day

Spotting a sea turtle on the semi-sub—quiet, graceful, and completely magical 🐢✨

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