Another GBR "first dive" entry....

[dhornick]

Hello, very first post on this board. While I've been a certified PADI diver for nearly 40 years, I don't dive but about once every 10 years or so and that only amounts to a 1 day (2 dives) reef dives in the Florida Keys.　


Wife and I are planning a trip to Australia Cairns/Port Douglas) in Sept 2017 and of course want to dive the GBR. One immediate concern is it seems the only way are live aboard trips. We are 100% not interested in that. There is far to much to do and cover in Australia than spend a week on a boat diving the GBR.　

Is this true? Its this the only way to dive the GBR? If so, I would have to ask why is that? Why are there no day trips out and back with just a couple or three dives?　

When diving what is the normal depths of the dive(s)? Are there any wreck dives or just strictly reef dives? What are the currents like? Are there any drift dives?　

 

[WetPup]

I don't know where you got your information from...lol

Cairns and Port Douglas are full of day trip boats. The reef is about a 2-3 hour trip each way from the mainland, so it's a long day. They all offer 2-3 dives. Look up Tusa, Pro Dive, Deep Sea Divers Den...2 minutes on Google would give you at least a dozen options.

That being said, you won't get to dive Ribbon Reefs, the Cod Hole, or Osprey Reef on a day trip boat. It takes half a day just to get up there from Cairns, hence the reason they require a liveaboard.

Normal depths range, but for the day trip boats, they are suitable for OW divers. Nothing deeper than 24m.

No wreck dives on day trip boats off Cairns or PD - strictly reef diving. There are wrecks around, but much further away, and not suitable without at least AOW certification.

Currents are generally negligible (remember they take uncertified divers out on the day trips for discover scuba tryouts, it has to be easy by default).

Again, drift dives are not going to be found on the day trip boats, only on liveaboards.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Deep Sea Divers Den give the best briefing:

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

I agree with WetPup, you really need to read a few posts on here or just use Google!

Loads of options from over night trips ranging form 2 days 1 night to 7 day safaris to the Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea.

Loads of day trips out of both Port Douglas or Cairns.

If you don't dive much and just want to do 1 or 2 dives what are you actually looking to do?

Most trips are out of Cairns and range from smaller boats like Reef Day tripper that take small numbers and motor / sail out, to dedicated dive trips like Tusa, and then trips like Reef Magic which go to pontoons and have diving, snorkeling as well as lots of other activities off of the pontoon.

Outer Reef dive sites usually don't go much deeper that 30m / 100ft and the average depth is around 15m / 45ft

Closest wreck dive is Ayr (Yongala).

 

[dhornick]

I don't know where you got your information from...lol

Cairns and Port Douglas are full of day trip boats. The reef is about a 2-3 hour trip each way from the mainland, so it's a long day. They all offer 2-3 dives. Look up Tusa, Pro Dive, Deep Sea Divers Den...2 minutes on Google would give you at least a dozen options.

That being said, you won't get to dive Ribbon Reefs, the Cod Hole, or Osprey Reef on a day trip boat. It takes half a day just to get up there from Cairns, hence the reason they require a liveaboard.

Normal depths range, but for the day trip boats, they are suitable for OW divers. Nothing deeper than 24m.

No wreck dives on day trip boats off Cairns or PD - strictly reef diving. There are wrecks around, but much further away, and not suitable without at least AOW certification.

Currents are generally negligible (remember they take uncertified divers out on the day trips for discover scuba tryouts, it has to be easy by default).

Again, drift dives are not going to be found on the day trip boats, only on liveaboards.

Funny thing is, I got my info right off here. So, that's why I just wanted to to verify. Thanks for setting me straight.