GBR diving advice reqd

[Godzillaaa]

Hey guys,

Spent a year in Oz about 25 years ago, loved FNQ and port D.

Now im old (older) and scuba dive, been a few places, raja am, forgotten islands, sipadan, palau etc, 200 dives.

What i want to know is, will the GBR wow me still? Did`nt dive when i was in oz before, would love to return and GBR is on the bucket list but i hear she aint so healthy nowadays?

If its still a great place where would be best?

Cheers

Alan

 

[krist3l]

I came here to post the same exact question. I will be in Sydney for work Dec 8-12 and am considering spending 3-4 days diving somewhere in Australia between Dec 13 and 23.

I've done some remarkable dives throughout Southeast Asia, with the best memories from a week-long liveaboard in Komodo, Indonesia last summer.

Is the true "Great Barrier Reef experience" is still available somewhere? If not, are there other reefs/locations I should be looking at? Or am I likely to be underwhelmed after being to some of the other places (for less $)?

For what it's worth, I'm AOW with 70-80 dives logged but no unguided diving experience.

Thank you so much!

 

[WetPup]

To really see the "best" the GBR has to offer, you need to get on one of the 2 liveaboards out of Cairns that go out to the Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef (Coral Sea).

Your options are: Spirit of Freedom or Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. People will have their personal preferences on which is better, but honestly, they're both the same exceptionally high standard.

It is absolutely still worth seeing. I'm not burying my head in the sand and pretending the reef doesn't have problems - it does and it's depressing. But that being said, the skippers on the boats know where the problem areas are. They're not exactly taking tourists there - it doesn't do them or you any favours.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Whilst I agree that Mike Ball and Spirit do offer the best trips to the Ribbon Reefs this is not always the most affordable or fit into everyone schedule. These trips leave twice a week (Monday and Thursday).

Krist31 is looking at December but when are you looking at coming Godzillaaa?

If its during June - September then there are other trips to the same area that cover the Minke Whale migration (e.g. Ocean Quest).

Consider some of the Outer Reef trips as well out of Cairns as they do offer a decent variety of sites. Was on a day trip out on Sunday and pleasantly suprised how good it was (and after 27 years diving here it takes a lot )

 

[Godzillaaa]

Since writing that post i looked around a bit on here and i see you have been asked the same question plenty of times! Thanks for having the patience to reply once again.

I am thinking of coming jan/feb 2018.

Its very hard to sift out the truth with diving locations because apparently everywhere is the best diving in the world!

Do any liveaboards leave from Port D? I seem to remember some boats used to embark from the marina mirage when i worked there back in the day?

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

No live aboards out of Port Douglas only day trips.

Port is 60km north so not really commutable.

Parts of the GBR are the best I have dived and lots is average but depends what you compare it to.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

I would say do consider Ribbon Reef trips first (these book out months in advance by the way) and as second choice look at Ocean Quest or Scubapro as the top 2 Outer Reef trips.
I linked to these in the earlier post. Also has Ribbon Reef trip details

 

[Damselfish]

Personally I would skip trips from Cairns advertised as "Outer reef". I was very underwhelmed by that area and suspect anyone comparing against Indonesia and many other places in the region would too. I dove that area and the Ribbon Reefs from a liveaboard, and what they call the Outer reef there does not compare well. You want to get further north, the Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea. If I lived locally and wanted a little getaway it would be one thing. But if I found myself in Australia and my only option was one of those outer reefs trips, I'd probably pass.

 

[outofofficebrb]

@WetPup gave excellent information.

I went on Spirit of Freedom in October 2016 after diving Komodo in September 2016 on another liveaboard. The diving was very good, but it was not the jaw dropping diving Komodo was. It's different and I think still worth going to. Everything is relative, right?

Another idea for you if you don't want to plunk the money down for Spirit or Mike Ball or if they are full and can't add you on the trip is to go dive the SS Yongala. That was an aaaamazing wreck. It's a trek to get there from Sydney (plane, bus, dive shop pick up) but it is incredibly worth it. It's worth the hype!

 

[Godzillaaa]

Hmmm, maybe give it a miss and go back to indonesia again? I want to be wowed!