Worthwhile Flying to Cairns for a Day of Diving?

[Seymour Fisch]

Hi Folks,

I have a work trip to Melbourne in August. I've never been to Australia, and I've always wanted to dive the Great Barrier Reef. So, I'd love to tack on a diving vacation to this trip.

However, I recently got married, and Mrs. Fisch doesn't dive, doesn't snorkel, doesn't particularly want to go to Australia, and doesn't really like it if I'm away too long. But, she's OK if I took a BRIEF bit of extra time on my own for something I really want to do.

So..., do you all think the diving from Cairns (or would you recommend starting elsewhere) would be worth it to fly in from Melbourne, do a day trip the next day, and then fly out late the day afterwards (to get enough of a fly-after-dive surface interval)? Or should I just wait a few(?) years until Mrs. Fisch is certified, and we can do a proper trip together?

Any opinions would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[CaptainCalamari]

Make it 2 days of diving and do it

 

[clownfishsydney]

No. Better ways to spend that much money for one day's entertainment. Fly to Sydney for a couple of days.

 

[MA]

I agree too far. You could try a day or two diving in Melbourne if it coincides with the weekend. But it will be cold and subject to winds.

 

[BazzaB]

No. Get one or two dives around where you are and look for the leafy/weedy sea dragon.

 

[Damselfish]

IMO the diving accessible on day trips from Cairns is not worth that much trouble or money. It may technically be the GBR, but it's not the good part. We hit that area on the last day of a liveaboard returning to Cairns and I was pretty underwhelmed.

 

[Lorenzoid]

My very first dive after OW certification in California was a day boat from Cairns. I only dived one day. To me, it was spectacular. In my mind, it was like diving in an aquarium. It all depends on what prior experiences one has to compare with. Of course, that was 19 years ago, and for all I know the reef is not what it was then.

 

[Damselfish]

When/where we went everything was pretty beat up and sand/silt covered. Some interesting fish and critters but I'd say most average/decent Caribbean diving is much better that what we experienced there. It would be one thing if someone was already going to be in Cairns, may as well get wet. But I can't see flying there for a day just to do that. (And erroneously thinking you'd really seen the GBR.)

 

[Lorenzoid]

They dropped us on Flynn Reef in 10 m of water, and I was like "wow--a giant clam--like the kind in the movies that swallow divers!" It would have been interesting to know whether I would have been as impressed had it not been pretty much my first real dive anywhere. I haven't been back, and it will remain in my memory as being much better than what I know of the Caribbean. At this point, I don't really want to return and spoil that memory with reality.

 

[Damselfish]

Giant clams are always a good thing.

Gonna see some different critters there for sure. I guess I'm thinking more in terms of general reef health, which was a miss for me. Since I could hardly see any reef.