Why are people slagging the diving out of Cairns to me??

[GregA2k6]

Hello all,

Here is the deal. I am landing in Cairns in early July. Our plan was to do a 3 day live aboard while we are there. Now...I always seem to have people telling my "Don't dive there! The reef is ruined!!".

Here are my questions:

1. I realize that some areas of the reef have been hammered. If I go the liveaboard route, will I get to some of the better areas???? Or will I just end up in the same hammered places, just for 3 days?

2. We are landing in Cairns then heading north as long as we feel like. We are then working our way west and ending up in Darwin several weeks later. Are there any other places along the way that would provide better diving? My understanding is that there isn't much devlopment north of Cairns so finding a better liveaboard would option would be unlikely but was curious as to wether we should go a little bit north and checkout the liveaboard options in Port Douglas as an example.

3. As an example...if we went with Pro Dive Cairns the reefs we would be on for the 3 day liveaboard would be Thetford, Pellowe, Milln and Flynn. Whereas Cairns Dive Centre only states that the liveaboard is on the "Outer Reef". What can I expect from these areas? Are they part of the reef that has been "hammered"?

I am totally in the dark here.......any advice on would be appreciated! When I discovered that I had the chance to dive on the Great Barrier Reef I was blown away! Now I have all sorts of people saying "Don't go there.....the diving is wayyyy better (fill-in the blank)" I have the feeling that some people find it cool to say that where you are going is not as good as where they have been and this may be one of those situations!

Thanks again,

Greg A

 

[caymaniac]

Just make sure you check the prices while you are in Cairns what the price of a liveaboard is. Make a decision on the liveaboard that goes north, the farther north you go the better the diving is. Port Douglas is only about an hour north by land and this is where many take a liveaboard from, you want to get to the Ribbons reefs at least. Diving off Lizard Island (Cod Hole area) is very good, if you have the opportunity to get to Osprey it's an excellent area to dive. Check out liveaboards like Taka, Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom. The outer reefs are better than the inside as a whole, that is not to say all diving on the inside is crappy.

I tried to send you several pictures but this web site refuses to load...

Questions?

 

[Darnold9999]

Was diving off of Cairns/Port Douglas in November. Was so great that I got actively back into the sport when I got back home.

Did two day trips out of Port Dougles and then did the Fly Dive Code Hole trip with Mike Ball.

The day trips were cattle boats by and large. However it was still great diving, and I am glad I went. Made the liveaboard just that much better as I was comfortable in the water again.

The Cod Hole trip was spectacular. Cod Hole, Pixie Pinnical (can't spell), Steve's Bommie, Clam Beds all the ribbon reefs were just amazing. As was said the further north you go the better the diving. Want to go to to PNG next. Could easily have spent an entire week diving every day.

There is always a "better" place to go diving. The GBR is one of those places, don't listen to them, take the trip. You will love the diving.

 

[slipslop]

i went with pro dive in 2003 to miln & flynn reefs, not many other dive boats go there. i thought the reef was pristine and colorful. i loved every minute of it. I have also done a liveaboard trip to norman reef, there were at least 10 other dive boats there and the great adventures pontoon. that reef is pretty bashed up, from too many fins bashing the reef. I went on taka to the northern reefs cod hole and osprey reef, it was a 4 day 4 night trip, it was just after cyclone ingrid in 2005, i loved it and didnt find the reef trashed at all.

i enjoyed all my dives off cairns, even the 1 day trips like passions of paradise, tusa,
ocean spirit. i also enjoyed the diving off green island and the frankland islands. i only had one crappy dive and that was off fitzroy island, the water was all stirred up from the dredging in the cairns boatway channel

 

[Travelnsj]

Greg I think you have mis-understood people. There is no real diving in or around Cairns. You have to go out to the reef and I have never seen anything hammered. Sure is the diving better in Palau and a few other places in the world....But the GBR is very good diving and the top side going north is as Beautiful as anywhere I have been in the world. Or else I would not of gone 4 times!

I love Australia

 

[GregA2k6]

Greg I think you have mis-understood people. There is no real diving in or around Cairns. You have to go out to the reef and I have never seen anything hammered. Sure is the diving better in Palau and a few other places in the world....But the GBR is very good diving and the top side going north is as Beautiful as anywhere I have been in the world. Or else I would not of gone 4 times!

I love Australia

Thanks to everyone for the good info! Travelnsj....I wasn't clear. The people were slagging the diving out of Cairns on the reef not locally. From the comments above I am now confident that I will be having a wonderful time diving the GBR! Thanks so much for all of your comments!

Greg

 

[blueeyes_austin]

People slag it off because the diving further out (North and especially the Coral Sea) is so much better...if you're going all that way it seems a shame not to spend the extra couple of days/little bit of cash to go see the really cool stuff.

 

[dmblack58]

One thing to do before you head out diving is to go and see Paddy's Reef Teach presentation in Cairns. He's a crazy Irish marine biologist who puts on a detailed and entertaining presentation about the biology of the GBR. He does evening presentations for a couple of bucks.

David

 

[caymaniac]

One thing to do before you head out diving is to go and see Paddy's Reef Teach presentation in Cairns. He's a crazy Irish marine biologist who puts on a detailed and entertaining presentation about the biology of the GBR. He does evening presentations for a couple of bucks.

David

I agree with that thought, we went to the class previous to our liveaboard portion of our trip and enjoyed it.

 

[RTodd]

People slag it off because the diving further out (North and especially the Coral Sea) is so much better...if you're going all that way it seems a shame not to spend the extra couple of days/little bit of cash to go see the really cool stuff.

I spend 1/2 to 2/3rds of my time in Cairns so I hit the day boats regularly from Cairns and Port Douglas. It is good (albeit very expensive) local day boat diving. However, it is not worth travelling any significant distance to see. You could take shorter flights for much better diving most places in the world. Osprey reef is nice wall diving but isn't even part of the barrier reef. I would recommend a liveaboard such as Mike Ball to Osprey. Cod Hole does confirm the "if it is further north it is better diving rule," but it still is just okay. Most Osprey trips stop there as well, but avoid a Cod Hole only trip if you have an opportunity to get to Osprey.