Week 8: Surrounded by nature

I greedily gulp in the salty ocean air and relish in the lull of the waves crashing against the side of the boat. The large white cruiser with Cairns Dive Center scribbled across the back is my blissful home for the next four days as I escape the noisy chaos of the city for a scuba-diving adventure. Having grown up in a small town, I immediately feel at ease with the quiet and my mind, body and spirit are rid of the pressures of everyday life.  I gear up each day for a series of four dives and each time plunge into the deliciously warm water. Each day is a different adventure and learning experience. I learn about the plethora of fish that waft around us divers, curiously nibbling at our fins and wet suits, the slow and steady sea turtle that loves to have its shell starched and the stingray that is to be respected due to its vicious sting. Between the dives, the boat produces only a quiet hum, while storm clouds pass through periodically each time bringing the threat of rain. However, always at the breaking point of a downpour a few rays of sunshine stream through the clouds and the water is illuminated as a stunning turquoise blue.

Photo credit: Katherine McCusker