After the games, I flew up to Townsville, a mostly desolate & dry military town in the middle of the Queensland coast.  Townsville was the departure point for a 3 day dive trip to the reef, including a wreck dive.  Townsville is a long fucking way from the reef - like 5 hours overnight in a cabin on top of an uninsulated diesel engine.

The water was an exceptional azure blue, and the sky was that brilliant sky blue that one finds in the tropics.  Beautiful  environment.

We did a wreck dive at the SS Yongala.  We were regaled with stories of a car-sized grouper that chomped on some idiot's head, but no such luck.   At the Yongala site, we became aware of the barrier effects of the reef - much bigger swells out in the open ocean.  Some folks did not quite enjoy the sea as much as I. 

Better living through chemistry, I say.

Pictures have been temporarily removed to save space.

Sorry, no links to the dive company.  Can't recommend them.