The day began early, waking up to the sounds of birds chirping and the wind blowing in the early morning while the sun slowly rose of the Gladstone streets. One by one, myself along with the other students began to emerge from the rooms at our hostel. After getting breakfast, signing a few last minute forms, and packing up all of our luggage, we all got driven out to the ferry. Upon boarding the ferry, the realization that I was truly in Australia and now embarking on this amazing journey that will provide me with a once in a lifetime experience is actually happening. I have always enjoyed being on the sea and around the water, but this particular ride out to the island pulled out a feeling from deep inside my mind. That feeling was complete freedom.
When the boat reached the halfway point in between the mainland and the island, the view was nothing but vast open ocean. 360 degrees of water with the sun sparkling off the surface. While standing there on the top deck of the boat, wind rushing past and the warmth of the sun on my skin, a feeling of absolute freedom and a release of any worries in life had overcome me. Aside from freedom, I can best describe it as pure peace and happiness. I never would have guessed that being surrounded by nothing could be everything. The waters surrounding the island were crystal clear, I could not wait to jump in the water. When exiting the boat onto the dock, the staff were nothing but friendly to us students. I felt very welcomed and excited to be a part of this amazing opportunity. After a brief over view of the station from one of the friendly staff members, we were able to move into our rooms. The eight bed dorm style rooms are actually quite cozy and a lot nicer than I expected. There is enough room to store all of my roommate's and I's belongings. After settling in for a few minutes, it was time for lunch. What I thought was going to be pre-made lunch packs turned out to be a fresh salad and a large sandwich made by a chef on the island. The man's name is Pat and he is a super friendly and approachable guy. Pat has also been here at Heron for around thirty years! After finishing lunch, Ed and Trisha gave us an introductory lecture to let us know the rules of the island and what to expect through the duration of the course. That lasted about thirty minutes give or take, and then an impromptu afternoon snorkel was scheduled! Once everyone got changed and got to the meeting spot, we were assigned our snorkeling buddy and headed off to the beach. The view alone from the beach was nothing but crystal clear waters and shimmering colors reflecting off the reef. The water was perfect for a wet suit, not too hot but not too cold. It does not matter what you see on the internet or T.V., nothing does the beauty of the reef and it's wildlife justice. We snorkeled around the shallows of the reef for about an hour, seeing all kinds of marine life and coral formations. The must abundant creatures I saw aside from coral were sea cucumbers and parrot fish; however, some of our classmates saw a turtle at the end of their swim! We ended the swim around four clock in the afternoon. With the sun due to set at five, we quickly changed out of our wet suits and went out to the dock to watch the sunset over the calm waters that stretched out to the horizon. The only thing as beautiful as the reef out here, is the sun that sets over it. We ended up spotting a few stingrays, turtles, and even sharks! I cannot wait to experience that view during the nights to come. Dinner was again a delicious meal served by Pat. He prepared personal lasagna bowls for everyone along with a side salad and vegetables. The dessert was a delicious pastry in what tasted like a syrup sauce with an orange slice as a garnish. In short, Pat knows how to make a great meal! The first day has now come to a close on the island and I have to tell you, I have never been more excited for school in my life. The experiences that I am going to go through on this island are going to be ones that I will remember for the rest of my life! I am in aw of this beautiful place, and it is only the first day.
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