Great Barrier Reef: Water Temperature at Depth

[AuroraCeleste]

Hello, ScubaBoard! I was referred here by someone on the TripAdvisor forums.

Could someone please tell me what the water temperature surrounding the Great Barrier Reef is likely to be at about 12 meters (40 feet) and 18 meters (60 feet), in the first couple weeks of September? I'm trying to determine what kind of wetsuit will be best for dives of that approximate depth at that time.

Thank you!

 

[WetPup]

Um, the GBR is a very big place? It stretches thousands of kilometers north to south - water temperatures can vary a bit. Did you have a more specific location (e.g. Cairns, Heron Island, Whitsundays)?

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Here is a link to give you a rough idea of water temp (bottom of the page). Its for the far north (so Cairns and the Outer Reef) and is based on 10m depth, but it may vary slightly.

Yesterday out of Cairns we had a water temperature of 24 deg C and 15m Viz at the Outer Reefs

 

[clownfishsydney]

22 degrees at the Whitsundays and offshore reefs at the moment. You will probably need a 5 mm suit.

 

[AuroraCeleste]

Thank you, Aquapro Dive Services and clownfishsydney, for the information! 15m visibility!

WetPup: I should have been more specific - we'll be staying at Cairns, and some of the sites our itinerary mentions are: Norman, Saxon, and Hastings Reefs; Flynn, Milln, Pellowe, and Thetford Reefs.