Tag Archives: Australia

A Selection Of Cairns Reef Trips

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The Great Barrier Reef, best viewed from Cairns Australia is the planets largest living thing and home to an incredible diversity of animal life. There are a large number of trip vessels that leave from Cairns, depending on what you want to do.

Sunlover Cruises offers the shortest journey time, longest play time at the Great Barrier Reef. Once moored at their pontoon on Moore Reef, guests have over 4.5 hours to snorkel, take glass-bottom boat and/or semi-sub tours, enjoy a full hot and cold buffet lunch as well as afternoon tea on the journey back to Cairns. Full day trip$184/adult, $64/child or $424/family of 4.

Compass Cruises is Cairns cheapest cruise to the
Great Barrier Reef price is $40.00 plus $20.00 for levies, tour includes snorkelling equipment, lunch, afternoon tea, boomnetting, 2 spectacular reef locations Local Family Owned and Operated.

Vagabond Dive ‘N Sail is a 65′ sailing yacht designed for diving, sailing and entertaining for a maximum of 11 guests sailing out of Cairns. The cruise is two days and one night which is spent aboard the boat out on the reef.

Ocean Spirit have two catamarans – one that goes to Michaelmas Cay and one that goes to Upolu Cay. If you’re looking for an inexpensive snorkelling day tour, the Upolu Cay cruise is great value for money.
Michaelmas Cay Prices: Snorkelling only: Adult – $176, Child (4-14yrs) – $97.50. Introductory dive: $95 (additional).
Upolu Cay Prices: Snorkelling only: Adult – $116, Child (4-14yrs) – $75.50. Introductory dive: $7 (additional).

Great Adventures offers a range of advanced ecotourism certified cruises cruising daily from Cairns to Green Island and the Outer Barrier reef. Guests stopping at Green Island can spend up to 7 hours on the island and choose from 3 departures each day. Guests can also combine a 2 hour visit to Green Island with a half day at Great Adventures’ spacious pontoon at the Great reef. The Great Barrierreef trip include snorkelling, semi-submersible trips, underwater observatory, buffet lunch and reef interpretation. Diving, Scuba-doo scooter and helicopter tours are optional extras.
Green Island Cruises: Prices from Adult – $75, Child (4-14yrs) $34.50. Introductory dive: $135 (additional).
Great Barrier Reef Cruises: Prices from Adult – $196, Child (4-14yrs) – $95. Introductory dive: $138 (additional). Family Fares available for all cruises.

Silverswift is an ultra modern custom-designed dive and snorkel catamaran. She goes to three reef sites daily at either Flynn, Milln, Thetford or Pellowe Reefs from Cairns. This cruise caters for certified divers, introductory divers and snorkellers. Silverswift is the only dive vessel in Cairns that has a state-of-the-art ride control system for a smooth journey. Advanced Ecotourism Certified. (Sistership in Port Douglas is Silversonic)
Prices: Snorkelling only: Adult – $182, Child (4-14yrs) – $160. With Introductory dive: $223

Ocean Quest This is a live aboard vessel that can best be decribed an a floating 4 star hotel. she is incredebly comfortable. She moves around Norman, Saxon & Hastings Reefs; and visits three sites a day. There are daily transfers to and from the boat every day so that means you can stay for as little as one night or as many as you like. A great boat for both divers and snorkelling .

A Couple Of Aussie Dangers And An Unique Way Of Hearing About Them.

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Folks in Australia enjoy reassuring tourists about the harmlessness of the wildlife and countryside while at the exact same time warning of its deadliness. It comes out as a strange mix, leaving you undecided whether you should be relaxing or worried for your life. Some Examples I have heard:

“Don’t worry while you’re snorkeling: reef sharks are pretty harmless. Unless you annoy them”

” There’s no sharks around here………….the croc’s ate them all”

“Stingrays are like pancakes with tails: they can’t harm you. Just.don’t go near them.”

“Go ahead and swim with the freshwater crocs. They don’t hurt people.at least, most of the time.”

This snake is poisonous, but don’t worry it’s fangs are at the back of it’s mouth

“No-ones ever been left behind while diving on the Great Barrier Reef, except that American couple, but they staged it.”

“Cairns is a safe city……………..just don’t walk alone .

“Kangaroos won’t hurt you. Well, unless they get angry. Then you’re pretty much finished.”

Oh, and did you know that koalas, despite looking otherwise, aren’t the most cute and cuddly animals. They can in fact get pretty nasty, which is why it’s more difficult than you might think to find a place that will let you get a photo holding one.

I will either leave Australia with a healthy respect for animals or with plenty of fodder for nightmares. Though seeing as how I have already gone swimming with reef sharks, stingrays and crocodiles, I think I’ll be okay. I even now enjoy holding snakes, though I do prefer guarantees that it won’t bite me, even in a non-lethal way. Spiders are where I draw the line. I’m positive my arachnophobia is incurable.