GBR
 

My wife and I have booked a 17 day Australian & New Zealand tour starting Jan 31, 2005. Part of this includes a full day in Cairns to see the GBR. Problem is neither of us can swim. We're in our early 60's. Hard to learn this quick at our age. Question is: if we take the boat ride to the reef can we still see anything of it or should we just stay in Cairns and enjoy the city? The GBR look so great on TV. Would hate to miss it but don't want to drown. We have no idea the name of the boat operator who will be taking us to the reef.

Hello crispy_critter,

Please do go to the GBR, even if you can't swim.

We went with Quicksilver to the pontoon they had moored at Agincourt Reef. Although we did snorkel, we also went for a ride in their "glass bottomed" boat, and we saw a lot from it too.

As for snorkeling, you can do this even if you can't swim. You can put on a life jacket and a glass mask and just put your face half an inch into the water.

The staff were very good about taking care of each person's needs.

Since I've come to Fodors, I've found out about smaller boats, and I would take one of them in future. However, one of the benefits of a big outfit like Quicksilver is that they do have the glass bottomed boat.

It would be very helpful if you could find out which GBR company your tour is using. Then come back here and do a search for the GBR company's name.

There was a case a few months ago where two different sets of posters (who, it turned out by coincidence, were going to be on the same tour of Australia) found out when they came to Fodors that the day trip to Green Island to which there tour company was going to treat them was <b>not</b> recommended. After they'd heard the details from Fodorites, they both chose to pay extra to go on a GBR trip that was different from the one their tour company had arranged for them.

But do see the GBR. It is awesome.

Postscript. If you have the opportunity to see the GBR from the air, it's an amazing experience, and provides a totally different perspective. If you can see it only one way, then it's better to see it up close. Some GBR operators offer a ride in a helicopter or in a small plane for an extra fee. It isn't exactly cheap, but I found this was one of those times when the splurge was worth it.

crispy_critter - love your name! I live in Cairns and have booked thousands of reef trips and been on most of them - for you go no further than Ocean Spirit to Michaelmas Cay. www.oceanspirit.com.au - its a lovely motor/sailer cat with semi-submersible. Maybe this has been booked, if it hasn't, I'd insist because I've seen some unsuitable reef trips booked for customers by overseas agents. You don't need to swim to snorkel, especially from Michaelmas Cay, its just like a beach, with easy shallow entry. As opposed to off the side of a boat or pontoon. As Judy says, a life vest and fins will keep you buoyant, which of course are supplied along with snorkel and mask. The crew is fantastic and will help the most novice snorkeller, but if the thought really worries you you'll see plenty of fish and coral from semi-submersible and glass bottom boat. I sent an 83 yo man out with Ocean Spirit the other day and he had a wonderful time. Would also be interested to know which trip your agent has booked.

We have discovered that the name of the GBR tour operator is &quot;Great Adventures&quot;. It is suppose to be on a high speed catamaran and also includes a luncheon buffet. It looks like this may be an 6 to 8 hour tour.
Thanks for your replies.

Hi crispy_critter - its one of the big 3 along with Quicksilver and Sunlover. They take about 300 or more a day- very popular with Japanese. Snorkelling is from fixed pontoon on reef, the other via Green Island then on to reef. Buffet lunch included as it is with Ocean Spirit. Both vessels have semi-submersibles and glass bottom boats.