The Yongala wreck is a spectacular dive for marine life far-and-away the best of my short diving career and its sorta surprising that there arent more reports, from people more qualified than I am, on this board. This is a great place to dive; I did four dives (May 20, 21), and would have done six if I hadnt awakened with a sinus headache on the third day. Two dives really dont scratch the surface here.
DIVE OP. I used Yongala Dive (YD) out of Alva Beach QLD (10 miles from Ayr, which is about 60 miles south of Townsville; about 1.5 hour drive in rent car) because of the relatively short boat ride to the wreck (30-45 minutes, depending on the seas, versus 2.5 hours from Townsville, or being on a liveaboard), and relative ease of having multiple dive days. See www.yongaladive.com.au for particulars about the boat, operation, costs, etc. I really liked the people and the operation. Steve, Bas, and Fern did a great job in the water, as did John (boat captain). The dive briefing is held at YDs shop. Steve gave the briefing both days, and was very, very good, with much emphasis on safety. It helped me to see YDs drawing of the wreck, buoys, etc. Since the wreck is at about 50-90 feet, the briefing suggests staying at about 60 to increase bottom time; thats a good idea, but if I had all to do over again, Id take a reduced bottom time on one or two dives because there are some things on the bottom that arent clearly visible at 60 (hence the desirability of a lot more than 2 dives).
ACCOMMODATIONS. YD provides a list of accommodations in Ayr and Alva Beach. The latter has only the Alva Beach Tourist/Caravan Park; unless you like walking out to the showers and toilets (I dont), get one of the en suite cabins, which are modest but roomy, and have a kitchen area. Its not a terribly long walk from the caravan park to YDs office, but I wouldnt like to make it while carrying scuba gear. Since there is absolutely zero in Alva Beach, consider staying in Ayr even if you have a rent car, but particularly if you dont. YD will pick you up in Ayr, and take you back at days end; it also picks up at the caravan park. For internet access in Ayr, try the library or Ten Pins Amusements.
BOAT RIDE TO THE WRECK AND SI. We had pretty good weather, so the ride out and back wasnt too rough. I did find that surface interval a bit trying on the second, rougher day. YD has food and water; it also has a cooler of some noxious sweet something-or-other energy drink? that, for me on the second day, brought on a good case of feed-the-bat-fish.
DIVES. There are permanent buoys moored to the bow and stern of the wreck. The dive boats tie a line to those buoys, and the divers descend to the wreck following the ropes (gloves arent a bad idea). The dive plan basically is to descend to the top of the wreck, then go from one end of the wreck to the other, swimming into the current going out, and riding it on the way back, and then doing the safety stops and surfacing along the ropes. We enjoyed mild current both days, so the dives were not difficult or tiring. The air usage rules were to begin the return leg at 120 bar (1800 psi?), and be on the surface at 50 bar (750 psi?). In addition to this conservatism, the shop ties a spare tank on the rope going from the wreck to the surface buoy in someone does run out of air. YD does not require that the divers stay with the DM; I did, but several divers did not. The wreck is completely coral-covered and, while some things are easy to pick out (thanks to the briefing), others are not, and I would have missed them if not for the DMs help.
I used a 5M suit. I did chill a bit on the second dive each day, and wore a hood on the second day.
Normal visibility is 30-60 feet. We were blessed with the 60 viz on the first dive of the first day. As I pulled myself along the rope before descending, I could look down and see the bow of the wreck, as well as the many, many fish swimming around it. That was a memorable sight. Other dives had lesser-but-still-acceptable viz.
See rimskis report for better details on the many types of marine life. Some of my highlights included: (1) a large female bull ray that pretty well blocked out the sun when she swam over, and had five, much smaller, males on her back; (2) shark (a white tip, I guess, but couldnt see too well) on the bottom under the wreck; (3) angelshark on the bottom; (4) several other large rays; (5) numerous turtles, all pretty tame, and one of which swam under me close enough to snag my octopus hose between its neck and flipper; (6) sea snakes; (7) the incredible quantity and diversity of fish life.
DIVE OP. I used Yongala Dive (YD) out of Alva Beach QLD (10 miles from Ayr, which is about 60 miles south of Townsville; about 1.5 hour drive in rent car) because of the relatively short boat ride to the wreck (30-45 minutes, depending on the seas, versus 2.5 hours from Townsville, or being on a liveaboard), and relative ease of having multiple dive days. See www.yongaladive.com.au for particulars about the boat, operation, costs, etc. I really liked the people and the operation. Steve, Bas, and Fern did a great job in the water, as did John (boat captain). The dive briefing is held at YDs shop. Steve gave the briefing both days, and was very, very good, with much emphasis on safety. It helped me to see YDs drawing of the wreck, buoys, etc. Since the wreck is at about 50-90 feet, the briefing suggests staying at about 60 to increase bottom time; thats a good idea, but if I had all to do over again, Id take a reduced bottom time on one or two dives because there are some things on the bottom that arent clearly visible at 60 (hence the desirability of a lot more than 2 dives).
ACCOMMODATIONS. YD provides a list of accommodations in Ayr and Alva Beach. The latter has only the Alva Beach Tourist/Caravan Park; unless you like walking out to the showers and toilets (I dont), get one of the en suite cabins, which are modest but roomy, and have a kitchen area. Its not a terribly long walk from the caravan park to YDs office, but I wouldnt like to make it while carrying scuba gear. Since there is absolutely zero in Alva Beach, consider staying in Ayr even if you have a rent car, but particularly if you dont. YD will pick you up in Ayr, and take you back at days end; it also picks up at the caravan park. For internet access in Ayr, try the library or Ten Pins Amusements.
BOAT RIDE TO THE WRECK AND SI. We had pretty good weather, so the ride out and back wasnt too rough. I did find that surface interval a bit trying on the second, rougher day. YD has food and water; it also has a cooler of some noxious sweet something-or-other energy drink? that, for me on the second day, brought on a good case of feed-the-bat-fish.
DIVES. There are permanent buoys moored to the bow and stern of the wreck. The dive boats tie a line to those buoys, and the divers descend to the wreck following the ropes (gloves arent a bad idea). The dive plan basically is to descend to the top of the wreck, then go from one end of the wreck to the other, swimming into the current going out, and riding it on the way back, and then doing the safety stops and surfacing along the ropes. We enjoyed mild current both days, so the dives were not difficult or tiring. The air usage rules were to begin the return leg at 120 bar (1800 psi?), and be on the surface at 50 bar (750 psi?). In addition to this conservatism, the shop ties a spare tank on the rope going from the wreck to the surface buoy in someone does run out of air. YD does not require that the divers stay with the DM; I did, but several divers did not. The wreck is completely coral-covered and, while some things are easy to pick out (thanks to the briefing), others are not, and I would have missed them if not for the DMs help.
I used a 5M suit. I did chill a bit on the second dive each day, and wore a hood on the second day.
Normal visibility is 30-60 feet. We were blessed with the 60 viz on the first dive of the first day. As I pulled myself along the rope before descending, I could look down and see the bow of the wreck, as well as the many, many fish swimming around it. That was a memorable sight. Other dives had lesser-but-still-acceptable viz.
See rimskis report for better details on the many types of marine life. Some of my highlights included: (1) a large female bull ray that pretty well blocked out the sun when she swam over, and had five, much smaller, males on her back; (2) shark (a white tip, I guess, but couldnt see too well) on the bottom under the wreck; (3) angelshark on the bottom; (4) several other large rays; (5) numerous turtles, all pretty tame, and one of which swam under me close enough to snag my octopus hose between its neck and flipper; (6) sea snakes; (7) the incredible quantity and diversity of fish life.
