Diving the great barrier reef

[Aquapro Dive Services]

I'm a Cairns local and have been a pro diver here for many, many years! So first off Cairns is considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and as a consequence, there are many options of trips you can take.

See here for an explanation of the different areas of the Reef, and here for overnight trips.

The Reef is making a comeback and is still a fantastic place to dive so don't believe all of the doom and gloom stories. The best areas are the Ribbon Reefs in the far north and the Coral Sea (30m / 100ft viz and deep waters with a lot of pelagics - shark feeds etc). Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom are the 2 trips that run twice a week but book out months in advance so get in early if you want to dive the Ribbon Reefs.

The best time to dive the Ribbon Reef areas is June to September (our winter) when it's Minke Whale migration, so you get to dive with these creatures. Amazing experience.

From a weather point of view, the best 2 months are September and October when the seas are very calm, it's coming into summer but not humid yet. Warm water, calm seas, and really good viz. It's still off-peak tourist season so lots of availability and for the Outer Reef there are a lot of options.

Late November is the start of the monsoon (rainy season) so hot and humid, but still beautiful out at sea. getting pretty busy, and December is very busy with some boats charging Xmas surcharge of $100 around Xmas day etc.

Outer Reef is always nice and for all levels of diver. You can do 2 day 1 night, up to 4 or 5 days out at sea. Most do 3 day 2 night trips where you get around 11 dives. These trips run daily so will fit into most travel schedules.

Further down the coast the Yongala runs out of Ava Beach (close to Ayr) and is an amazing wreck dive, but not the GBR so would be a dedicated trip just to dive the wreck.

We had the first cycle in around 5 years here a few weeks ago which was a fizz. It's the following rain and floods that wiped us out and that's rare.

Cyclones are not that common and again having lived here for over 30 years I can count the number of cycles affecting me directly in Cairns to be about 6. Low pressure systems in the Coral Sea can form rough conditions at this time of year, but it's rare trips cancel unless the winds get up to 30 knots (again not that common)

Feel free to drop me a DM if you want more info about the Far North or Cairns even if it's not diving related. Happy to help out.

 

[Thrasherg]

Many thanks ACHiPo, that is really helpful and gives me a lot to think about.. seems like we should plan on coming earlier in the year!! I will definitely take you up on your kind offer and pick your brains further.. as stated we have never been to Australia so want to do as much as we can when we are there.. many thanks.

 

[beachfan]

I'm a Cairns local and have been a pro diver here for many, many years! So first off Cairns is considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and as a consequence, there are many options of trips you can take.

See here for an explanation of the different areas of the Reef, and here for overnight trips.

The Reef is making a comeback and is still a fantastic place to dive so don't believe all of the doom and gloom stories. The best areas are the Ribbon Reefs in the far north and the Coral Sea (30m / 100ft viz and deep waters with a lot of pelagics - shark feeds etc). Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom are the 2 trips that run twice a week but book out months in advance so get in early if you want to dive the Ribbon Reefs.

The best time to dive the Ribbon Reef areas is June to September (our winter) when it's Minke Whale migration, so you get to dive with these creatures. Amazing experience.

From a weather point of view, the best 2 months are September and October when the seas are very calm, it's coming into summer but not humid yet. Warm water, calm seas, and really good viz. It's still off-peak tourist season so lots of availability and for the Outer Reef there are a lot of options.

Late November is the start of the monsoon (rainy season) so hot and humid, but still beautiful out at sea. getting pretty busy, and December is very busy with some boats charging Xmas surcharge of $100 around Xmas day etc.

Outer Reef is always nice and for all levels of diver. You can do 2 day 1 night, up to 4 or 5 days out at sea. Most do 3 day 2 night trips where you get around 11 dives. These trips run daily so will fit into most travel schedules.

Further down the coast the Yongala runs out of Ava Beach (close to Ayr) and is an amazing wreck dive, but not the GBR so would be a dedicated trip just to dive the wreck.

We had the first cycle in around 5 years here a few weeks ago which was a fizz. It's the following rain and floods that wiped us out and that's rare.

Cyclones are not that common and again having lived here for over 30 years I can count the number of cycles affecting me directly in Cairns to be about 6. Low pressure systems in the Coral Sea can form rough conditions at this time of year, but it's rare trips cancel unless the winds get up to 30 knots (again not that common)

Feel free to drop me a DM if you want more info about the Far North or Cairns even if it's not diving related. Happy to help out.

We are in Australia now, and will be in Port Douglas in January 15. I know it’s not a great time of year for GBR, but great for Tasmania, where we’ll be before. Luckily, we missed last months cyclone.

We are looking for a fast catamaran from Port Douglas out to GBR for snorkeling (me ) and diving my wife. We are/were both intermediate divers, but I haven’t Kept my skills up and prefer to snorkel.

Prefer PADI 5* or equivalent. My wife last five 14 months ago. Will they want a more recent dive before they let her go or just certification and log book (170+ dives)?

Recommendations would be great. Speed and quality of dive/snorkel operations most important, don’t care much about food.

Also, I didn’t bring gear (one day out if 7 weeks, no took in luggage). I have very wide feet. (11 6E in US sizes). Any chance of renting dive booties and fins in my size? If not, will they have slip on fins in my size?

Of course, if given recommendations, I can call myself.

We’ll be staying at the Sheraton if that matters.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Catito]

I'm a Cairns local and have been a pro diver here for many, many years! So first off Cairns is considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and as a consequence, there are many options of trips you can take.

See here for an explanation of the different areas of the Reef, and here for overnight trips.

The Reef is making a comeback and is still a fantastic place to dive so don't believe all of the doom and gloom stories. The best areas are the Ribbon Reefs in the far north and the Coral Sea (30m / 100ft viz and deep waters with a lot of pelagics - shark feeds etc). Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom are the 2 trips that run twice a week but book out months in advance so get in early if you want to dive the Ribbon Reefs.

The best time to dive the Ribbon Reef areas is June to September (our winter) when it's Minke Whale migration, so you get to dive with these creatures. Amazing experience.

From a weather point of view, the best 2 months are September and October when the seas are very calm, it's coming into summer but not humid yet. Warm water, calm seas, and really good viz. It's still off-peak tourist season so lots of availability and for the Outer Reef there are a lot of options.

Late November is the start of the monsoon (rainy season) so hot and humid, but still beautiful out at sea. getting pretty busy, and December is very busy with some boats charging Xmas surcharge of $100 around Xmas day etc.

Outer Reef is always nice and for all levels of diver. You can do 2 day 1 night, up to 4 or 5 days out at sea. Most do 3 day 2 night trips where you get around 11 dives. These trips run daily so will fit into most travel schedules.

Further down the coast the Yongala runs out of Ava Beach (close to Ayr) and is an amazing wreck dive, but not the GBR so would be a dedicated trip just to dive the wreck.

We had the first cycle in around 5 years here a few weeks ago which was a fizz. It's the following rain and floods that wiped us out and that's rare.

Cyclones are not that common and again having lived here for over 30 years I can count the number of cycles affecting me directly in Cairns to be about 6. Low pressure systems in the Coral Sea can form rough conditions at this time of year, but it's rare trips cancel unless the winds get up to 30 knots (again not that common)

Feel free to drop me a DM if you want more info about the Far North or Cairns even if it's not diving related. Happy to help out.

…and the saltwater crocs?

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

We are in Australia now, and will be in Port Douglas in January 15. I know it’s not a great time of year for GBR, but great for Tasmania, where we’ll be before. Luckily, we missed last months cyclone.

We are looking for a fast catamaran from Port Douglas out to GBR for snorkeling (me ) and diving my wife. We are/were both intermediate divers, but I haven’t Kept my skills up and prefer to snorkel.

Prefer PADI 5* or equivalent. My wife last five 14 months ago. Will they want a more recent dive before they let her go or just certification and log book (170+ dives)?

Recommendations would be great. Speed and quality of dive/snorkel operations most important, don’t care much about food.

Also, I didn’t bring gear (one day out if 7 weeks, no took in luggage). I have very wide feet. (11 6E in US sizes). Any chance of renting dive booties and fins in my size? If not, will they have slip on fins in my size?

Of course, if given recommendations, I can call myself.

We’ll be staying at the Sheraton if that matters.

Thanks in advance.

Ok first off welcome to Australia!

Not sure if you aware but we had a cyclone (you call them a hurricane/tornado) come through here followed by intensive flooding, so the road to Port Douglas from Cairns is cut off.

At this stage the main Bruce Highway won't be open until late January. You can get there by an alternative inland route (3 hours) or a twice daily ferry ($50) from Cairns.

Once in Port there is only really 1 decent day trip boat to cater for experienced snorkelers and divers and that's Silversonic which at this stage has plenty of availability - not too busy on Port right now! It's part of Pro Dive & Quicksilver which are PADI 5-star centres, and would be my personal preference, especially for diving.

There are not many options for day trips out of Port (Cairns has the bulk) so the alternatives are Calypso Dive or Quicksilver (a big boat that goes to a pontoon and has glass bottom boats, semi-subs etc - more geared up for touristy things and families).

Equipment is included on these trips but fins are all full foot fins.

Your wife's dive credentials will be fine.

PM me for specific info (prices, transfers, itineraries etc)

 

[clownfishsydney]

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

Not much left! Very inaccurate statement. The hull of the ship is still basically intact, but the superstructure is mostly gone. However, you do not dive it because it is a wreck dive, you dive it because it is a reef, with the most amazing fishlife I have ever seen. I have done at least 10 dives on it and plan to do more.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Agree with clownfishsydney. Yongala is arguably one of the best wreck dives in the world with incredible marine life.

 

[KenE]

I agree that the Yongala is wonderful dive, the ship is decaying and not worth diving to look at the ship, you are diving for the marine life! I did not mean to imply that it was not a worthy dive, just not a true wreck dive, more of a marine life dive. The hull is there but not much else of the ship, lots of marine life.

 

[Pressurehead]

just not a true wreck dive, more of a marine life dive. The hull is there but not much else of the ship, lots of marine life.

How much " true wreck diving" have you done in salt water?
You are really putting a restriction on what you consider a 'wreck dive', it is a wreck, a real wreck, wrecked in a storm, not a ship scuttled for the pleasure of RECREATIONAL scuba divers, like so many around our coast [one of them I served on], plenty of fish life on them, but not the same history.
Same as some of the wrecks off Sydney, plenty of history and the really good ones are beyond RECREATIONAL scuba divers at > 50m.
I digress , sorry, I was on a roll.
Back on topic.
This the way.

 

[happy-diver]

Ha ha ah ha ha ha ha

Where's Wally ha ah ha ha ha ha ha