Australia in Early November

[WetPup]

The only time I would recommend people doing the Yongala trip from Townsville is if they've got time up their sleeves. As in, they're in Townsville for 2-3 weeks at a minimum, so if it gets cancelled on their original date, they've still got alternative dates to do it. The trip only runs twice weekly, and it's not always a pleasant journey out regardless of the weather - it's a shade over 3 hours each way. I've seen it get cancelled 6 weeks in a row (earlier this year). It's not a bad way to do it, the boat from Townsville is nice, and fairly large - whereas Yongala Dive has smaller boats that bounce around a lot.

There's nothing wrong with Adrenalin Dive who run the Yongala trip from Townsville, it's just that it's unreliable due to the weather around these parts. If you've only got a day or two, you're best off going to Alva Beach and diving the Yongala from there. It's at much less risk of being cancelled, a far shorter 40 minute boat trip out, and the conditions are generally calmer on the way.

 

[linkdeb]

The only time I would recommend people doing the Yongala trip from Townsville is if they've got time up their sleeves. As in, they're in Townsville for 2-3 weeks at a minimum, so if it gets cancelled on their original date, they've still got alternative dates to do it. The trip only runs twice weekly, and it's not always a pleasant journey out regardless of the weather - it's a shade over 3 hours each way. I've seen it get cancelled 6 weeks in a row (earlier this year). It's not a bad way to do it, the boat from Townsville is nice, and fairly large - whereas Yongala Dive has smaller boats that bounce around a lot.

There's nothing wrong with Adrenalin Dive who run the Yongala trip from Townsville, it's just that it's unreliable due to the weather around these parts. If you've only got a day or two, you're best off going to Alva Beach and diving the Yongala from there. It's at much less risk of being cancelled, a far shorter 40 minute boat trip out, and the conditions are generally calmer on the way.

I have not three weeks to be waiting in Townsville so it definitely will book from Alva Beach. Thank you!!.

One more thing...

I have read that a good alternative to Cairns and Townsville is diving from Mission Beach since access to the coral reef is faster and the coral is best preserved. Is this true?

 

[WetPup]

Yes. But it's not a viable option.

I have friends who live in Mission Beach, so I pass through occasionally, and the dive shop there is no longer operating. It got trashed during Cyclone Yasi a few years ago and hasn't reopened. Disappointing, but as almost everyone in Mission Beach discovered the hard way, their insurance policies weren't what they thought they were.

 

[linkdeb]

Yes. But it's not a viable option.

I have friends who live in Mission Beach, so I pass through occasionally, and the dive shop there is no longer operating. It got trashed during Cyclone Yasi a few years ago and hasn't reopened. Disappointing, but as almost everyone in Mission Beach discovered the hard way, their insurance policies weren't what they thought they were.

k:Thanks!!