Prompt: Write about your Great Barrier Reef experience (summary included in prompt).
In one word, the Great Barrier Reef was incredible. That was exactly what I kept describing it as. The hour and a half boat ride was perfect for anticipation to build up, and the sunny eighty degree day was a nice touch as well. We were able to soak up some rays without it feeling like an "are we there yet?" ride. Once we arrived at the reef and docked on the pontoon, it was so easy and quick to grab snorkel equipment and just jump on in the water. It was just the right amount of cold mixed into the warm sea, and I was ready to go. The last and only other time that I have ever snorkeled was in Disney World, and I was utterly terrified. Today, nothing could stop me; all I wanted to do was explore. I was running on pure adrenaline and just wanted to see as much of the GBR as I could. I saw coral in blues, oranges, yellows, and neutrals, and they were all mesmerizing. The shapes they formed were so abstract, ranging from what looked like branches to what looked like pasta or Tostito's scoops chips.
The fish, which typically tend to freak me out, were gorgeous. My favorites were what I called the rainbow fish. Never did I see two that looked exactly alike. Every fish had different colors, mostly consisting of greens, blues, purples, pinks, and sometimes even oranges. They were seriously beautiful. But I saw tons of other fish as well, and Mr. Schagrin and Mr. Ewen even got video footage of a small shark swimming through the reef (they were absolutely elated, by the way). I got to touch a sea cucumber and even held a small starfish that only spanned across about three fingers wide at most.
The sea cucumber felt like a slimy blob, which is exactly what it looked like, too. I got the chance to ride in a glass-bottom boat, which was really cool. It probably would have been even better had it not been low tide, with coral peeking out of the water, which prevented us from driving over it, obviously. But it was still awesome anyways. Underneath the boat, I could see
entire communities of fish and coral cooperating together. It reminded me a lot of "Finding Nemo," when the schools of fish stop for one another at underwater intersections. The fish relied on the coral just as much as the coral needed the fish, for things like shelter, food, and protection. While on the boat, I also caught a glimpse of a sea turtle; that was awesome. I immediately wished that I would have been able to snorkel with one, because one of the GBR guides said that if you were friendly to the turtles, they would most likely follow you for the rest of the day. Still, I had an absolutely terrific time in one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It was an utterly gorgeous day in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and an experience that I will never forget.
In one word, the Great Barrier Reef was incredible. That was exactly what I kept describing it as. The hour and a half boat ride was perfect for anticipation to build up, and the sunny eighty degree day was a nice touch as well. We were able to soak up some rays without it feeling like an "are we there yet?" ride. Once we arrived at the reef and docked on the pontoon, it was so easy and quick to grab snorkel equipment and just jump on in the water. It was just the right amount of cold mixed into the warm sea, and I was ready to go. The last and only other time that I have ever snorkeled was in Disney World, and I was utterly terrified. Today, nothing could stop me; all I wanted to do was explore. I was running on pure adrenaline and just wanted to see as much of the GBR as I could. I saw coral in blues, oranges, yellows, and neutrals, and they were all mesmerizing. The shapes they formed were so abstract, ranging from what looked like branches to what looked like pasta or Tostito's scoops chips.
The fish, which typically tend to freak me out, were gorgeous. My favorites were what I called the rainbow fish. Never did I see two that looked exactly alike. Every fish had different colors, mostly consisting of greens, blues, purples, pinks, and sometimes even oranges. They were seriously beautiful. But I saw tons of other fish as well, and Mr. Schagrin and Mr. Ewen even got video footage of a small shark swimming through the reef (they were absolutely elated, by the way). I got to touch a sea cucumber and even held a small starfish that only spanned across about three fingers wide at most. 
The sea cucumber felt like a slimy blob, which is exactly what it looked like, too. I got the chance to ride in a glass-bottom boat, which was really cool. It probably would have been even better had it not been low tide, with coral peeking out of the water, which prevented us from driving over it, obviously. But it was still awesome anyways. Underneath the boat, I could see 
entire communities of fish and coral cooperating together. It reminded me a lot of "Finding Nemo," when the schools of fish stop for one another at underwater intersections. The fish relied on the coral just as much as the coral needed the fish, for things like shelter, food, and protection. While on the boat, I also caught a glimpse of a sea turtle; that was awesome. I immediately wished that I would have been able to snorkel with one, because one of the GBR guides said that if you were friendly to the turtles, they would most likely follow you for the rest of the day. Still, I had an absolutely terrific time in one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It was an utterly gorgeous day in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and an experience that I will never forget.
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