The captain brings the ship to a halt in the middle of the high seas — no land in sight in any direction — and orders the passengers into the ocean, one by one. This scene may well have been a nightmare for hapless voyagers in days gone by, but in the balmy conditions off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the present day, it is pure bliss.

From the moment I jumped into the warm water, I knew this was an experience I would treasure. The brightly colored fish of various sizes and shapes, crystal-clear water, spectacular coral and the peaceful silence that snorkeling in a balmy sea produces combined for a magnificent experience.

I felt at one with the ocean, as much at home there as the fish that swam blithely past me, showing no fear of a fellow ocean dweller. It was as if I had just dived into a giant aquarium. Such are the delights visitors can expect on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, one of the most unspoiled and charismatic spots on the planet.

The sun sets on another beautiful day.

There are several ways to experience the reef, including from the air, scuba diving or in a glass-bottom boat, but my wife and I opted for snorkeling — by far the easiest option. Snorkeling is a skill that can be learned in only a few minutes, and is the ultimate way to explore all the reef has to offer.

There are many ways to get to the reef; we decided on a voyage on the Reef Endeavour, a small cruise ship with a capacity of only 160. The intimate size of the ship is a welcome alternative to the giant cruise liners that also travel up and down the coastline, and personal service is an added feature.

Sailing out of the city of Cairns, in far north Queensland, the Reef Endeavour has two weekly cruises — a four-night trip north and a three-night journey south — or a combination over seven nights, to which we treated ourselves.

The Reef Endeavour sails to some of the most picturesque points on the reef, and passengers simply jump into the water with snorkeling or scuba equipment.

Regarded as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Great Barrier Reef is the only living organism that can be seen from outer space. Stretching some 1,500 miles (2,414 km) along Australia’s coastline, it dates back 240 million years and is one of the highlights of any trip down under.

The reef is comprised of 2,500 individual reefs, and is home to 2,000 species of coral, many with spectacular fluorescent colors.

Trying to find “Nemo,” or the clown fish as he is officially known, has been a favorite “sport” for snorkelers since the Disney movie. One of the more shy fish on the reef, Nemo can be found hiding discreetly in cracks in the coral. We were lucky enough to spot him more than once.