Diving the great barrier reef

[Thrasherg]

I apologize in advance if this has been asked before, and I am sure it has.. my wife and I have wanted to dive the Great Barrier Reef for a few years, but the Covid travel bans to Australia made it impossible. We hope to travel towards the end of 2024, but are reading about how quickly the reef is dying, having never been to Australia before, I was hoping to ask for some suggestions, we plan to spend a week in Australia (to really just dive the reef) and then 2 weeks in New Zealand to see a very old friend that I haven’t seen in 20 years. So where would people recommend we stay for the week in Australia, and are there any recommendations for a good dive shop? I assume we will need to be on a boat dive (not shore diving) to dive the reef, both my wife and i are PADI advanced rated and have all our own gear, will just be renting tanks. We dive with full face masks And have been diving for almost 30 years. Would welcome all suggestions of places to dive/visit and things to do, it’s probably the only time we will go to Australia, so want to make the most of the short time we will have there.

regards Gary

 

[Dan]

I went to Cairns and had fun diving with Mike Ball Dive Expedition - Spoil Sport to Cod Hole / Lizard Island / Coral Sea.

 

[MB NZ]

As above. I wouldn't recommend shore diving in northern Queensland as you will be eaten by a saltwater crocodile.

 

[Pressurehead]

We hope to travel towards the end of 2024

October through to the end of April is cyclone season in North Queensland , if you can , plan your trip May- Sept, I have been lucky diving Oct - Apr , but I am not traveling from the US.

 

[Pulmcc]

We got our OW certification last year on the GBR on the Reef Encounter liveaboard. I think you can do up to 5 dives in a day which can include night dives. You can dive in your own or get a DM if you want. Food was plentiful, nothing fancy, but quite good.

 

[KenE]

We stayed on Maggie Island (Magnetic Island), it makes the boat trips a bit shorter each day. We went pre-COVID and used Pro Dive for rentals and boat.

 

[Pressurehead]

We stayed on Maggie Island (Magnetic Island)

Did you dive the SS Yongala ?

SS Yongala Wreck – Pro Dive Magnetic Island

prodivemagnetic.com

 

[KenE]

Did you dive the SS Yongala ?

Yes, not much left but still there. There is a resident bull shark as well. Great dives!

 

[Russjstewart]

I agree with Dan about doing a Mike Ball liveaboard. My only experience with day trips to the reef was out of Airlie Beach and it was underwhelming, the boat was catering for try divers.


Cyclone season here is officially November to April so you may want to get here a bit earlier in 2024

 

[Thrasherg]

Thanks everyone, we are thinking of arriving in December 2024 (but can come earlier if the diving is better earlier in the year), but was not sure what the best time of year would be to go diving (will cope with the cyclones if that is the best time for diving), the live aboard sounds very interesting, will look in to that.. but open to all suggestions..

regards Gary