Finding Nemo

Today was our snorkeling trip to Uluru, a section of the Great Barrier Reef. We were pretty unfortunate with the weather, there was loads of wind and consequently the waves were ginormous. When we were in the water it was like being stuck in the middle of a storm. And when your trying to float on top of pretty sharp coral, you don't really want to be pushed about by the tide. Elena came in for the first snorkel but stayed in the boat for the second, which was a shame as the second was in shallower waters and the current has calmed down a bit. We were guided by the crew, which was great as they showed us all the cool stuff. I followed one of the crew memebers for quite a bit and it was just us, good news for me - I got to heold 2 different types of star fish: one hard and blue, the other slimy and purple. I also held a sea cucumber, which is a kind of fat worm that feeds on sand, take the nutrients out and then poohs it back out again. Nobody else wanted to hold it I wonder why... And, the great news, we finally saw Nemo! For my parents, who might not know that Nemo is a character in a Pixar animated film, Nemo is a clown fish, or an anemone fish, as it lives inside anemones. We saw abour 5 of them and they're really tiny and really cute. I then went off on my own and saw another turtle (a green one, beautiful) and some huge fish hiding behind the coral. Amazing stuff, just a shame about the weather.
The crew was really friendly and there was loads of food which is always a plus. Now we're back in Cairns, and gonna use some vouchers to get some free meals. We are trying to make the most of everything as our packpacking days here are coming to an end, and we're missing people we've met and places we've seen. I difintely have a thing for Magnetic Island, it must be the name... It's been pretty great living out of a backpack - you really don't need that many clothes, we've worn the same thing most of the time - and you know you're a true backpacker when you make your sandwich in the middle of the street, using your finger to spread cheese on the bread as opposed to a knife. Good times.