Suggestions for Dec 2013 Diving on GBR

[Wobbegong wannabe]

there is no shore diving. it's mangroves and shallow beaches.

And crocodiles...:nervous:
I posted at length about the drive from Brisbane to Cairns and won't bore everyone again, but the info (with lots from other people who've done it too, and also the Brisbane Sydney leg recently) is here.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/australia/464130-dream-vacation.html

 

[knucklebusted]

If your starting point is Sydney ..don't miss out on the local diving. Sydney is a under-appreciated dive destination. We have some unique and very interesting creatures here. Heaps of options for really good shore dives. You can get a lot of bang for your buck when you do the shore dives.

Any good dive ops to look at in Sydney? We'll be there for 4 days after Cairns so I am hoping to get a bit of diving in while there, too!

 

[bracko]

that depends on where you are staying in Sydney and what your mode of transport is.

 

[Cpt_Smooth]

My husband and I are planning a month long trip to Australia early next year. First we thought of January, but heard that is monsoon time, so may push it to March or April. We are definitely planning to dive the Great Barrier Reef, but want something closer in to shore....not 100 miles out. What's best? Also we are thinking of renting an RV for the trip up from Sydney....would love to hear from anyone who has done this. thanks!

There aren't really any shore dives on the reef, as it's mostly mangroves and crocodiles close to shore There were two basic choices I saw when I was in Port Douglas - a multi night live aboard and a day trip. The multi night ones go farther north and sometimes to the coral sea, so i imagine there are less people at your dive sites, where as the day trips all stay within a certain spot closer to Cairns / Port Douglas and it's a little bit more crowded. You're also less likely to see some of the larger fish, like the cod and sharks, on the closer day trips.

I only did the day trip but had a really great time - saw lots of great fish and rays, but the coral was a little destroyed from the last cyclone unfortunately (this was a couple years ago). I went with Calypso because they were a smaller operation than some of the operators, and I think that meant our area was less crowded. They had a good set up and catered to the snorkellers in my group also.

As for the driving from Sydney, it depends on how much time you have. You could do it in a couple days but it would mostly be driving. If you had a little longer you can stop at places like Nelson Bay, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast and find heaps to see and do (assuming you like the outdoors and beach towns). I've dived the at the Solitary Islands off Coffs and that was a nice dive - there's usually some grey nurse sharks to see.

 

[Wobbegong wannabe]

+1 for Poseidon. I dived with them recently and they were great; lovely boat, nice people and a fabulous lunch. I heard everywhere that tourist numbers are down in Cairns and Port Douglas, which is lousy for them but good for you. For the third dive with Poseidon there were only two certified divers (me and another guy) led by an instructor who is also a marine biologist. :cool3: . The bulk of customers were Try Scuba and snorkellers, who were taken off in their own groups. The vis was great, there was lots to see and it was one of the best dives I've ever done.

If you're driving there is also a dive shop at Airlie Beach north of Mackay.
Whitsunday Dive Adventures | the Dive Academy
Unfortunately they didn't have the numbers to take the boat out when I was there, but they seemed very nice / professional and told me that they normally go out most days, so it would be worth giving them a call if you're going that way. I was sorry to miss out.

Also, don't miss the Yongala if you're travelling through Ayr; it's a really awesome wreck dive. They're relatively expensive (even by Aussie standards) but it's a fairly remote area and they have to cover their expenses and get all the gear in. Ayr is also a bit of a dive :cool2: but it's very friendly (though small) and has a couple of decent restaurants / motels.
Yongala Dive » Scuba diving on the S.S. Yongala Wreck, Australia » Blog Archive » Home
I'd recommend taking the Nitrox option if you're certified, because it's quite deep by OW standards (20-25m from memory). I was stingy, dove on air and ran out of puff long before I ran out of interest.

 

[knucklebusted]

Well, I booked a dive with Tusa for one day of 3 dives on the 24th of December. That's all my daughter would commit to. I may sneak in a bit more without her then. Still looking at Sydney and I'll be in Melbourne for 4 days prior to Cairns. We won't be driving but we are staying near Treasury Gardens in Melbourne and in Wynyard around Sydney if anyone has suggestions.

 

[bracko]

^^ if that's the case I'd be suggesting one of the dive stores in Manly. you can jump on a ferry across there from circular quay and get on a dive boat or hire the gear and go for a dive at Shelly beach (it's a training dive site, so get in EARLY, but also a marine reserve with lots of life plus a few small bronze whalers which you might catch a glimpse of). if they're running courses which will be almost every day over summer they could transport your hire gear over and you can take the relaxing walk from the shop to shelly.

While DM'ing for another store I used to see prodive and manly dive there every weekend. staff and instructors are mainly OS travellers and seem pretty good.

there's little need for a DM at shelly (but always a suggestion if you prefer one on a new site). if you're good on air you can do both dives on one tank, first dive go to the eastern wall keep the wall on your right, you end up doing a 180 degree turn if you get out far enough, turn around when you so desire, second dive go to the western side (a shallower dive) and look for critters.

 

[knucklebusted]

Well, here we are less than 10 days away from departure. Think I have everything under control, new dive camera, cert cards packed, international charger adapters, Australian visa in hand. Even have a wifi scenario figured out by buying a Telstra mobile hotspot. On top of that bought a 30 day American Airlines Admirals Lounge pass for $100 since my flights were booked via AA code share. Tried it out on my Miami trip and free beer alone makes it a life saver.

My only concern now is cash vs credit card. My cards don't have a foreign exchange fee, just the conversion rate. I believe the US and Aussie dollar are pretty close, US 0.91 per AU dollar as of this posting. I hear conflicting things about tipping and other monetary etiquette. I suspect anyone used to dealing with Americans might expect a tip. Any hints or quick rule of thumb?

Should I exchange much for local currency or is plastic well accepted most places?

9 Days, 9 Hours until departure!

 

[Andyoak]

Plastic accepted everywhere

P.s our bank notes are also plastic

 

[Wobbegong wannabe]

Have a fabulous trip! I hope you get some great dives in.

Plastic is good pretty much everywhere except for some very small shops. I don't usually carry more than $50 in cash with me to cover small purchases like drinks, newspapers and similar. There are plenty of ATMs (cash machines) around, even in the middle of nowhere.

Tipping is not traditional in Australia, but as an American people may expect it, particularly in tourist areas like Cairns. What you do about that is up to you and whether they actually provided 'service', which is still an optional extra in Australia.

Personally I tip formal (ie not coffee shop or fast food) restaurants about 10%, take cab fares up to the nearest $5 amount (they don't earn a lot) and leave it at that. Many of my Aussie friends think this is over-generous. The high prices you pay in Australia include service charges and a reasonable minimum wage. You're not expected to make up the difference so your waiter/cabbie can afford to buy dinner; that's his employer's responsibility. Tips are purely an 'over and above' if you feel like giving one.