We woke up bright and early for our expedition to the Outer Barrier Reef and Upolu Cay. After grabbing a yummy breakfast of syrupy French toast and a scalding mocha latte, I checked us in for our tour at the Ocean Freedom’s desk. We proceeded down to the Marlin Marina and met our crew on the Freedom. I have to say that from the moment I met this charming team, I never stopped smiling. The camaraderie the crew shared was so unique, and it is obvious that each person working there loves sharing the Reef with Cairn’s visitors. The first thing we did was grab coffee, as it was a bit chilly on deck. As we left the dock, there was a light rain and the sky was cloudy. Mist covered the tops of the mountains, hiding the lush rainforest from our view. It was an eerie but beautiful sight. I was thankful that the sun eventually showed up as we made our way to our dive location. Our first stop was part of the Outer Barrier Reef. We geared up and sat through an informative yet comical briefing on how to use a snorkel and not carelessly destroy the coral. Then it was time to make the jump, flippers (child-size) first! In doing so, I landed on top of a school of huge angel fish and was immediately immersed in the Reef. Words cannot accurately describe the wonders of the Reef, and I know I only brushed the surface of all the treasures it holds. Intricate coral formations hid brightly colored fish as I watched from just below the waves. After a few tries, I learned how to dive down a few more feet and get up close with the real-life cast of “Finding Nemo”  as well as swim side-by-side with sea turtles. Every time you went back up to clear your mask or flag down a buddy, you quickly wanted to immerse yourself again in the beauty of the Reef. We snorkeled for a few hours, trying to take it all in before it was time to board the Freedom once again for lunch. It was an all-you-can-eat affair of chicken legs, salad, sandwiches, coleslaw and more. There was not a disappointed tummy on the boat! After lunch, the crew took us to the lovely Upolou Cay, where we were split up into small groups and led on a snorkel safari. Meet my safari leader, Joey – a rather handsome guy (I was reminded just a bit of actor Owen Wilson) who did everything he could to ensure we saw the most on our tour. He took us to see giant grouper hiding under coral ledges and pointed out the clownfish hiding in the anemones. We also saw large rays snuggled in the sand and a few members of the tour even saw a few white-tipped reef sharks. Joey went above and beyond by taking my underwater camera on his own dive, and returning with incredible photos that I was unable to take on my snorkeling journey. He even brought back a few pictures of the deadly lionfish, which I was thrilled by. A few other new friends I made on the journey included a fun group of English backpackers (Emma, Natalie, and Sally) and a lovely Canadian by the name of Annie. The five of us stuck together for most of the trip and laughed more than was probably necessary. It was a fantastic tour, and I had no qualms about recommending Ocean Freedom to everyone I met in Cairns that night. Huge thanks to Carrie, Joey, and the rest of the charming crew for one of the best days of my life! You provided more customer service, delicious food, and one-on-one attention than I could have ever expected. And most of all, you provided every person on that tour with an adventure on the Reef that they will never forget.