Bobbing along, bobbing along on the bottom of the beautiful, briney sea...

Today I went to the Great Barrier Reef. Well, to be honest, only one island in the Great Barrier Reef which, in total, is 2,300 km long (so I couldn't do it all even if I wanted to - could you imagine how wrinkled my fingers would be at the end of it?).

The island is called Normanby Island and is part of the Frankland Islands. Normanby Island was originally a coral reef which was dstroyed through natural causes, the coral decayed to sand and other soil, vegetation floated in (or was carried by birds) and an island was born. It is still surrounded by coral reef, both soft and hard coral and, of course, where you get coral you get fish. Parrot fish (very colourful and seem to use their fins like wings), damsel fish (small, bright blue and very easily scared), sweetlips fish (with Mick Jagger's mouth), box fish (very square) and fusilliers (the first in there when there's food to be had).

I also saw a turtle resting on the coral and, during the island walk, held a spiney starfish (long, thin, Jerry Hall legs) and barnacle covered crab (small but with sharp feet). We even saw a whole host of sea cucumbers (which don't look at all like cucumbers).

In the afternoon I went snorkelling on my own and I now believe the art of a good snorkel is floating silently. Once you've been there for a couple of minutes the locals ignore you and swim around you, up close and personal, seeing you as just another animal to be avoided. I didn't take my camera today as I wanted a photo-free day (sometimes you just have to stop seeing the world through the lens) but the next time I go out to the GBR I will be taking one of those disposable underwater cameras.

Next time I actually hope to find Nemo.