Since getting my PADI scuba certification back in November when we were in Dahab, Egypt, I had completed 21 dives before arriving in Cairns, Australia in June. I was fortunate to dive on beautiful reefs in many countries during those 7 months, including: Thailand, Vietnam, Bali and the Gili Islands. However, due to her many ear infections when she was little, Amy is relegated to snorkeling while I scuba dive. Sometimes, like in the Red Sea, this arrangement worked out great. There was good visibility, calm seas, and plenty of shallow coral and fish for Amy to see snorkeling while I dove. Other times, like in Thailand off of Koh Tao, the sea was rough, currents were strong, visibility was low and most of the reefs were 10 meters (33 feet) or deeper. These conditions make finding trips that work for both of us more difficult.
While doing my research on day trips to see the Great Barrier Reef I was looking for a company that would be able to provide a great experience for both of us. After looking into numerous options, I am very happy we went with Ocean Free. The boat was an excellent choice. The small group and beautiful sailboat provided a relaxing and luxurious first experience for both of us out to the Great Barrier Reef. The trip to Green Island from Cairns got under way at 8am and we were offered fresh coffee and muffins as soon as we stepped on board. As we motored out of the harbor I was introduced to my dive instructor and Amy met her fellow snorkelers. The 14-person group on the boat that day was about 2/3 snorkelers and 1/3 divers.
Once we arrived to the anchorage point off Green Island I went on one of two dives for the day. While the reef was not the most spectacular I had seen (that title remains with the Red Sea) it was colorful with lots of marine life. And after the dive I was able to drop my scuba equipment on the boat and jump in to snorkel with Amy before lunch and snap these pictures.
After a delicious lunch on board the boat, the captain ran us over to Green Island in the dingy so that we could take an hour and walk on the nearly deserted beautiful white sand beaches. We finished the afternoon with another snorkel and dive before starting the trip back to Cairns.
Perhaps the best part of the trip with Ocean Free was the sail back. Since the wind was with us we were able to hoist the sails, kill the engine and peacefully cut through the small waves rolling across the blue water of the Coral Sea. All the while being offered wine, cheese and fruit as we chatted and lounged with our fellow tourists with the sun sinking ever lower on the horizon.
My decision to go on the Ocean Free was reinforced the next day when I went alone on a high speed catamaran for three additional dives. While the diving was great, the location was not ideal for snorkeling. Many of the best sea life and coral was too deep for the 60 or so snorkelers that made up the majority of the nearly 100 people on board this much larger boat. And while the high speed, larger boats offer divers a better chance to see sections of the reef that are further from Cairns, the Ocean Free was a trip we both could enjoy.
Amy and Lewis
In case you did not see it on Facebook, we are back in the States. While in Australia, we received the news that my stepfather, Lewis, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Two weeks later we were on a 27-hour plane ride from Sydney to New York and the next day we caught a flight visit Lewis in Charlotte, North Carolina. For now, we’re bouncing between family and friends while we figure out our next move. We still have stories to tell from our three weeks in Australia, so stayed tuned for tales of catching our first waves, wining and dining our way through the Hunter Valley and cheering on Australia’s Union rugby team.
“Take me out to the ballgame…
I am not a sports girl. But ever since I read this article about baseball in Japan I have been obsessed with seeing a game firsthand. With tickets in hand thanks to JapanBall, I got my chance to watch the Seibu Lions battle it out with the Yakult Swallows.
Getting to Seibu Stadium, however, was a little bit of a journey. 
Unfortunately we were staying on the opposite side of Tokyo, so it took two subway lines and two commuter trains to reach the game. The beauty, however, of the Tokyo trains is that they are fast and almost always on schedule, and the station is just meters away from the stadium entrance.
We arrived at the domed stadium just in time for the singing of the national anthem and opening pitch, finding our seats along the first base line close to home plate.
Take me out with the crowd…
The crowd was a mix of men in business suits, kids in t-shirts and fans of all ages in their favorite team’s gear. While far from a sell out, the enthusiasm radiating from the stands was palpable. A cacophony of cheers and clapping surrounded us, interspersed with moments of intense umbrella waving. Yes, you read that correctly, umbrella waving. I’m not sure how pastel plastic umbrellas became the foam finger of Swallow fans, but there you have it.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack…
I know this is totally un-American, but we snacked on neither peanuts nor Cracker Jack. But we did have hotdogs. And soba noodles. Between the French fries and chicken tenders, we also could have indulged in sushi, tempura and other Japanese culinary delights, but we had to make sure to save room for the beer.
Beer delivered to our seats.
By cheerful girls in pigtails.
With kegs strapped to their backs.
Keith’s never really been a huge baseball fan, but I think he may have found his new favorite sport.
I don’t care if I never get back…
We did get back to our teeny-tiny bunk bed room in Tokyo, but really, there’s not much else to say about the ride home.
Let me root, root, root for the home team, if they don’t win it’s a shame…
In the US, when the crowds get really riled up, say, in the bottom of the ninth with a tie score, you might get a “Let’s go!” chant going in the upper decks. If the crowd is really, really into it, you might even get a wave. But here in Japan, all it takes is a new player up at bat and the cheap seats go crazy. I’m talking jumping up out of their seats waving Canadian flags while singing at the top of their lungs crazy. In fact, each player has a unique cheer that doesn’t end until that player either strikes out or gets a hit. Foreign players get their home country’s flag in the air while Japanese players get signs that are, well, in Japanese. No one in the outfield seats sits when their team is at the plate.
Oh, and the home team did win. In the bottom of the ninth the Seibu Lions hit the winning run, making for a very exciting game.
For it’s one, two three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!”
Great game. Delicious food. And grown Japanese men jumping around like three year olds with pixie sticks. What more could we ask for?
After a delicious lunch on board the boat, the captain ran us over to Green Island in the dingy so that we could take an hour and walk on the nearly deserted beautiful white sand beaches. We finished the afternoon with another snorkel and dive before starting the trip back to Cairns.
