Am going to GBR April 2003. Planned to stay in Port Douglas. Did PADI OW in October 2002 & would like 4 day-ish dive package, maybe live aboard. My friend snorkels. Have seen lots of trips out of Cairns - is that a better base? Is it better to book in advance or could I get something on the spot? Thought maybe pre-booking not great idea if weather's bad (rainy season?) Any suggestions? Thanks.
GBR for first time
- Thread starter katelyle
- Start date
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Normally I'd recommend the Undersea Explorer out of Port Douglas to the Coral Sea. However, it's a 7-day trip, and I'm not sure how much your snorkeler friend would enjoy the two deep days at Osprey reef.
Taka Dive out of Cairns might be more to your liking, operating 4-day and 5-day trips as they do. This is not a Mike Ball-level luxury cruise, however, so make sure you're aware of conditions aboard and manage your expectations accordingly.
I haven't tried Taka myself; I'm basing this on what I've read here and on other sites, but primarily on the polar-opposite experiences of two acquaintances (one of whom's expectations were woefully unrealistic).
Whatever you decide, I'd highly recommend getting AOW certification before going so you can dive the deeper sites...especially out at Osprey.
Taka Dive out of Cairns might be more to your liking, operating 4-day and 5-day trips as they do. This is not a Mike Ball-level luxury cruise, however, so make sure you're aware of conditions aboard and manage your expectations accordingly.
I haven't tried Taka myself; I'm basing this on what I've read here and on other sites, but primarily on the polar-opposite experiences of two acquaintances (one of whom's expectations were woefully unrealistic).
Whatever you decide, I'd highly recommend getting AOW certification before going so you can dive the deeper sites...especially out at Osprey.
Stone
Contributor
I have done the 7 day Coral Sea trip with the Nimrod Explorer, but they also have 3 and 4 day excursions to the North GBR. I can confirm the diving is better in the Coral Sea, but most people agree that the North GBR is better than the GBR near Cairns.
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