GBR Liveaboard Trip from Cairns - which one to choose?

[Aquapro Dive Services]

not going to Osprey Reef because of the strong southerly winds

Never heard that one before. Osprey is far out in the Coral Sea and it is possible for SOF and MB to not go there is the weather turns bad but its rare and usually around the monsoon season.

If your chasing whales then you don't want to be at Osprey anyway. Shark feeds and deep water diving with 30m plus viz and big pelagics is the draw of the Coral Sea areas.

 

[David Novo]

If you are doing the GBR as soon as you arrive, I recommend a Minke Whale liveaboard from Cairns. I did it last summer (4 nights to Cod Hole) in the end of June/ beginning of July (middle of Minke Whale season) and it was fantastic. At least 16 whales at the same time in Lighthouse Boomie. I guess neither Mike Ball nor Spirit of Freedom go to Osprey reef while on a Minke whale trip but I can be wrong. Below some of the main points of my trip (copy/paste from a non-related thread):

- Minke whales everyday for several hours, with a peak of 16 at the same time - Dr Alastair Birtles from James Cook University, who studies minke whales was on the boat (as far as I got, there is always someone from his team in these minke whale liveaboards in June/July) and gave us presentations after dinner on the minkes and the behaviours we had observed.
- Very nice coral specially at Steve's and Lighthouse Boomies;
- Great night dives with sharks, specially at Challenger's Bay (several white tip reef sharks and at least one grey reef shark);
- Turtles everywhere;
- Large potato cods in Cod Hole as expected;
- Really enjoyed everything on the boat;
- Very scenic low level flight from Lizard Island to Cairns, going through the main highlights of the GBR.

P.S.: If you want to check the best diving Australia has to offer, do not forget the Yongala wreck.