Cairns Solace

After a sour end to our Carnival job we took the bus to Cairns from Townsville. We arrived in Cairns looking for a new start. We checked into a Hostel on the Esplanade and relaxed for a week or so before beginning the hunt for more work. Myself, Marc and Shaun signed up with a job agancy and began working as waiters at the local Casino and Restaurants. My patience didn't last very long before turning up late for a shift and not being offered work again.

Cairns' Marina

My next venture was aboard Ocean Quest. I signed up as a Deckhand on a liveaboard dive vessel. A fantastic opportunity to eat, sleep and dive for free in return for a little painting and carpet laying.

Ex-Prawn Trawler, Ocean Quest

I managed to notch up over 50 dives on the Great Barrier Reef without spending a cent. It was also a great opportunity to test out my camera underwater with my underwater housing.

An Adult Bat Fish on The Great Barrier Reef

I've a total of 64 dives on the Barrier Reef, each one tells a different stroy. The Great Barrier reef was a little disspointing for me. I was expecting diving like I've never seen it before. Out of this world marine life and visibility. I think I spoiled myself by diving on the Similan Islands in Thailand, which were so spectacular. However, in its defence the Great Barrier Reef is stunningly massive. It's area far greater than that of England.

I've swam Sharks (Black and White Tip Reef Sharks), Turtles, Clownfish, Angelfish, Batfish amongst all the other scores of marine organisms. When I arrived in Cairns it was Mid-Winter, the air temperatures dropped as low as 20 degrees C at night. This meant colder waters and I felt the bite instantly. I had been used to diving in bath-warm waters around the 30 degrees C mark. They were around 23 degrees here, sounds alright but the 7 degree drop is quite a shock.