Barrier Reef recommendations

[TSandM]

My husband and I are going to Australia in November, and we plan a couple of days of diving in the vicinity of Cairns. We are looking at two possible charters: Poseidon cruises or Ocean Spirit. Apparently one goes out to some keys just offshore, and the other goes further out into the reef proper.

Anybody with experience with either operation, or any other recommendations? We will be staying at the Kewarra Beach Resort.

Thanks!

 

[Damselfish]

Boy, you're not wasting any time catching up, are you?

 

[caymaniac]

My husband and I are going to Australia in November, and we plan a couple of days of diving in the vicinity of Cairns. We are looking at two possible charters: Poseidon cruises or Ocean Spirit. Apparently one goes out to some keys just offshore, and the other goes further out into the reef proper.

Anybody with experience with either operation, or any other recommendations? We will be staying at the Kewarra Beach Resort.

Thanks!

Go as far north as possible, go to the outer reefs for the most variety in coral and fish life, and the best visibility. If you can get from Lizard Island and north you'll have some great dives.
We enjoyed Australia two summers ago, PNG does have the GBR beat for diving in our opinion, but there were allot of things that we saw in Oz that we didn't see in PNG. In Oz we saw bigger clams, we saw whales, flashlight fish, hunting white tips. In PNG the coral in health and variety far surpassed Oz, there were more fish and greater variety in PNG. Top side, Oz has PNG beat by along ways.

 

[TSandM]

As far as not wasting time catching up, this Australia trip was the whole reason for getting certified to dive! It was an impulse purchase at a charity auction after a little more Pinot Noir than was good for me, but once we were committed, my husband insisted that if we were going to Australia, WE WERE GOING TO DIVE THERE!

Thanks for the geographic information. I'll have to get the maps out and figure out where Lizard Island is with reference to where we will be staying.

 

[almitywife]

map and info on Lizard Island

http://www.lizardisland.com.au/location/

enjoy!

 

[slipslop]

Ocean spirit cruises go out to Michaelmas Cay (key) its a beautiful location with spectacular coral gardens right off the beach and is fantastic for snorkeling. I didnt dive there as it was quite shallow and the snorkeling was so good. i saw lots of huge giant clams, reef sharks, rays, and thousands of fish and colorful staghorn corals etc.
its well worth doing this trip. I have done it 3 times. there are 27000 nesting birds on the cay.

Poseidon is one of the premier dive vessels operating out of port douglas to various outer reef site. i havent been on it but have heard great things about it.

 

[britkiwi]

You may wish to peruse the Dive Oz Forum which is a great resource for Australia based diving www.diveoz.com.au/

My first ever (try) dive was off the Ocean Spirit in 1994. A great opportunity to have a go at diving, and I remember that it was very colourful a viz was great. Bit of a blur as it was a suck-it-and-see. However it got me hooked and I was soon learning to dive off the English South Coast!! A great day out, most memorable by my wife thinking that she was being chased by sharks (she never did learn to dive and is currently in counselling after watching Open Water!).

I imagine that there may be more pure diving day trips as this was very much a tourist boat ride and the divers (qualified) were holiday divers rather than diehards.

Enjoy.
Roger

 

[Andrew Jones]

Hello from Cairns 19/8

Weather is 25knots followed by 20, 15, 10 ,10.

Have done Michaelmus about 30 times over my life and is a great day to relax... not to dive.

Poseidon have done about 10 times and rate it up there with Quicksmart and Haba.

Staying at Kewarra Beach isnt a problem for any day tour to the reef.

My site is www.scubadive.com.au

All day boats are on it.

Need to book before u get here, why would you when you cannot forecast the weather
Kind Regards A.J