Worthwhile Flying to Cairns for a Day of Diving?

[outofofficebrb]

I would wait a few years and wait until Mrs. is certified and interested to make it more of a trip. The GBR is also experiencing a tough bleaching event right now, so this year might not be the best to go anyway. It's quite a trek and as others have mentioned, the day trips don't hit the best places - your best bet may be a liveaboard where you go out more.

Now, if you asked me if you should go to the SS Yongala....Yes!!!! But it is also a trek. You would fly into Townsville instead and then take a bus down to Ayr/Alva Beach. I think that is worth the trouble - but if you intend to come back in a couple of years, wait until then...It will be there!

 

[Altamira]

We did a one day dive trip from Cairns to the GBR two years ago, and did not think the dives were worth the cost of the boat trip to the reef, much less having to pay for a flight to get there. It would be different if you were alrady at Cairns, and just wanted to dive. I would not go there again unless I could go on a week long liveaboard to the outer reefs.

 

[WetPup]

I'd be more inclined to go find the weedy seadragons off Flinders Pier in Melbourne.

Cairns is a long way to go for a day trip from Melbourne. Only potentially redeeming factor would be the timing...August you might see minke or humpback whales on the reef. I still say save your money though.

 

[Darnold9999]

Had about 50 more dives than you when I did a day boat dive from Cairns. Thought it was a good dive, but not great. Could tell it had seen way too many divers. Did make me want to see the unspoiled reef though so took a liveaboard trip to the ribbon reefs and it was spectacular. Now that I have done a fair amount of Southeast Asia diving would just rate it as fair to pretty good, but at 100 dives or so it was some of the best diving I had done to that point.

Would I recommend a long flight just to do a one day trip, absolutely not, unless there was no way ever you were going to get back to Australia ... and even then probably not. Personally I would dive locally and try my best to see weedy seadragons, but they are on my must see list and "have only seen in pictures and an aquarium" so I would actually travel from Cairns to Melbourne to do that dive.

 

[MA]

Conincidentalky, Here's an article in a Melbourne paper this weekend. It might give you some insight as to why a few of us are suggesting to dive in Melbourne.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...e/news-story/9ef2ddd362a5a437ac1b2edf0cd6d502

 

[MA]

That didn't work. Second attempt. If this also fails, the article basically says melbourne diving is better than the barrier reef

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/news-story/9ef2ddd362a5a437ac1b2edf0cd6d502

 

[Dan]

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.

No it is not. A lot of rubbles, dead corals. Sad. I was there in last November. Took the Mike Ball's Spoilsport 4D/3N Fly to & Dive in Code Hole. A lot better & more bang for the bucks by going to Raja Ampat, instead.

 

[Seymour Fisch]

Wow, you all are amazing! Thanks for all the great advice!

I think I will try to do the Great Barrier Reef on a proper trip in the future. I also hadn't realized Melbourne diving was so interesting. I had seen sea dragons in an aquarium before, and was utterly amazed, and I'd be thrilled to see them in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, my cold water diving skills are still rather suspect, but I'll see what conditions are like, and maybe see if there's a dive shop offering guided dives...

 

[Russjstewart]

Don't be surprised to see water temperature of around 10 or 11 degrees Celsius in August, but with the right wet suit it should not be a big problem.
Weedy Sea Dragons can be regularly seen at Flinders jetty or Blairgowrie Pier, although I would suggest Flinders is more reliable. Both dives are quite shallow and both are about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Melbourne depending on where you are staying.

Good luck, and aI hope you see your Sea Dragons, they can be hard to spot, but seem to be tolerant of divers if not chased

 

[MA]

Not at blairgowrie bit definitely at flinders! And should see a smooth Ray or two as well. There are plenty of shops doing guided dives on weekends. Try ocean divers or diveline as a start. It is great. Especially if conditions are good.

Look up redboats if you're interested and amazing colorful wall dives or wrecks.