Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation, Magnetic Island

The Great Barrier Reef was everything that is was worked up to be. We went for a day tour on Sunday. A big boat picked us up at 7:30 in the morning and we headed out to sea. It was looking a bit choppy and of course I was a little worried ( I tend to get a bit sea sick). Boy was I right. I felt sick the whole day. Even Heather was starting to feel a bit sick before we got to the reef. Once you are in the water it feels a lot better though. Thank God!
We were suppose to get an intro dive with our package, but it turned out we would not be joining those fish at the bottom of the ocean. Apparently if you are on Antibiotics or have fainted a couple times in your life you can't dive. So we had to settle for snorkeling, but the view from the top was breathtaking. Heather said she felt like she was in an aquarium. There were so many bright fish and she even saw a shark. I missed it because of all the commotion. There were even a few finding nemos to be found. so cute!
I have to say that the sea sickness was totally worth it. I have never seen anything so amazing. Needless to say we were both so tired and cold by the end of the trip that is was an early night.

Monday a Kiwi man (New Zealand man) came and picked us up in a tour bus. We took off in a hurry toward the rainforest. This man was crazy. The roads are so thin and so windy and he was driving as though we was late for his wedding. Heather dosed off a few times, but woke up pretty fast with her head rocking back and forth. Wales (the tour guide) took us to a crocidile river for another tour. This boat drove around until it located a crocidile and then followed it for a while. The one we saw was 75 years old and 1000 KG. We also saw a baby one. He was only like 12 inches long. He looked very cute, but we knew better then to reach out and pet him. Where this is a baby there is a mom.
Next we went up to the rainforest and took a very brief walk. Heather and I both wish it was longer and that we saw more. I can't describe home beautiful this place was. I have never seen so man trees. The smell was even amazing and the humidity does wonders for your skin. (not forHeather's hair though).
We stayed at a place called the Beach house for the night. It sounds luxurious, but it really wasn't. It was basically like camping in the middle of the rainforest. Heather and I loved it. It was quiet and beautiful. The other city girls (American) we were with did not feel the same way as us. We heard a lot of complaints about the dirty, buggy environment. Kind of funny. Oh and then it rained for a whole 3 minutes and we heard about the "down pour" and how "cold" it was for another few hours. Some people are just hard to please.
Wales picked us up at a ripe hour of 1 and we were off again. This time we made a few stops. First to a look out point where we could see all of the daintree rainforest and then off in the distance the sight where Steve Irwin died. Next we stopped in Mossman and went up to the most beautiful, natural freshwater swimming hole we have ever seen. The water was so familiar in the sense that it was freezing just like canadian water, but it was so hot out that it felt wonderful. Heather even had the pleasure of running into a very venumous snake all by herself. Isn't she lucky. She didn't know that it was dangerous at this point so she stuck around long enough to snap a few great photos.
Here we are on Magnetic Island. We are staying right on the beach and the ocean can literally put us to sleep. We are in heaven. Tomorrow we are going to go for a nice hike up to a look out point and then figure out our next stop (hint: we are thinking the Whitsundays might just be in order)
until next time
miss you guys
Ashley (Heather is sitting here promting me)