Great Barrier Reef in Dec

[jnylaw]

Anyone has dived the GBR during Dec? My husband and I are
planning to go there during mid Dec, but we are worried
about the conditions there - wind, swell, visibility, and the
weather - since the rainy season starts in Dec.

We would like to go on a live-abroad for 3 days, don't know
if it is a good idea if it is raining. Any recommendation on
any good charters?

Thanks!!

 

[QldDiver]

October and early November is the best time to go, but generally visibility is good year round on the outer reefs. I just did a liveaboard in mid June and the seas were a little rough with some rain but the diving was still excellent. I went on the Nimrod Explorer, www.explorerventures.com and would highly recommend them.

 

[jnylaw]

I think we will do a 3-4 days live-abroad.We will arrive on
Wed morning, so we could go on the boat Wed evening
or Thurs morning. Any recommendation?

About the weather... any experience in Dec is greatly appreciated!

 

[Aussie Diver]

Expect it to get windy during summer. Also, stingers can also be a problem.

 

[71%]

Expect it to get windy during summer. Also, stingers can also be a problem.

oh no! me and my wife planing to go during christmas! Will there be any problem to dive at GBR?

Btw when is the right season to dive at GBR?

 

[TX101]

My wife and I went to the GBR in early Jan this year. Vis was great, sea was calm, except for one day where I got seasick - but I'm very prone to get seasick. There was no wind when we were there.

There was a no-swimming warning for shore based swimming because of jellyfish, but there was no problem on the reef. You can't dive from the shore anyway (nothing to see). We did Green Island for one day, which I enjoyed but my wife didn't (I dive in the UK where if you see one fish it's a good dive, she only dives in the tropics). Green island was close enough to the shore that you got stung a little bit. We wore 1/2mm stinger suits and they sprayed you with vinegar after the dive if you thought you were stung anywhere.

On the first day, I wore my 5mm full wetsuit, but this was overkill in the extreme. On the last two days, I wore nothing except shorts & t-shirt. Max depth was 18m. I was a little cold at 18m but if we stayed shallow (which is where most stuff is anyway), I was fine.

 

[aussie_shark_bait]

The stingers are a problem from late in the year oct/nov through to apr/may not just at xmas time. This year our wet season didn't start until feb/march it hardly rained at all in december/january, the wind is slight up here in Cairns unless you have a tropical low forming, there is no swimming from thebeaches unless you do it in the stinger nets, which to be honest i still don't go - it just isn't work the risk.

Expect to get some rain so your aren't dissappointed if their is but if this xmas is like the last you won't have much at all.

 

[Aussie Diver]

Generally winter's the best time to dive in Queensland. I did dive GBR in November a few years ago, was a little windy, and the vis was 15-20m. Having said that, apparently the day before was near perfect conditions. Def worth doing though.

 

[71%]

Generally winter's the best time to dive in Queensland. I did dive GBR in November a few years ago, was a little windy, and the vis was 15-20m. Having said that, apparently the day before was near perfect conditions. Def worth doing though.

may i know what's is the water temp during winter?

 

[Aussie Diver]

Not to sure about up north, but here in Brisbane in a minimum of 19*c. It's only going to be warmer up there.