Hello all!

I've been reading through these boards trying to piece together the differences b/w the GBR day trips. I was looking at Reef Magic and Ocean Spirit to Michaelmas or Upolu Kay. What's the different b/w these cruises?

We're an active couple in our late 20's looking for a fun day of snorkeling, perhaps an introductory dive (we wanted to get certified before our trip but time would not allow- plus we didn't know if we'd like it), and, of course, the most spectacular way to see the reef! We don't get sea-sick so that's no problem for us.

Also, do we need to book these in advance for our mid-august trip? Also, we have booked a David Amburst tour already, but are there any other tours that we need to book before we leave? Can you tell how excited I am getting for our trip?!!

Thanks everyone for your help!

There are SO MANY different GBR operators out of Cairs - you just need to decide if you want a small boat or big boat experience, and a long day or short day. Certain boats go to different spots, but that is not a huge determining factor. Also, some boats do intro dives and some don't. I think that this is a great place to do an intro dive because the water is generally not very deep, but you will see so much more than if you just snorkel.

I don't think that August will be such a crowded time in Cairns (beginning of The Wet). If I were you, I would head into town and pick up all the various brochures, then make your decision then. You can even walk the docks and take a look at the boats. I think that you will get a better price on shorter notice - and that you ought to be able to get on just about any boat with a day or two notice.

I've seen the Reef Magic boat, but have not gone out on it. I have been on Dive Under's Super Cat, and on Pro Dive's ScubaPro II boat. We really liked tha latter because it was much smaller than most other operator's boats (there were 25 passengers), and our diving party only had 4.

Alf your comment about August being "the start of the Wet" is very wrong!! It's the middle of our Dry season and the rains don't start until about December at the earliest!

Thanks Daff, you beat me to it. July and August are by far the two busiest months in the north with the usual amount of overseas visitors plus tourists from southern states escaping their winter.( Northern Australia which includes Cairns, Darwin and Broome, some of the outback and the snowfields of NSW & VIC are the most popular winter destinations in the country.) We've had to turn many away in the past few weeks, as I bet you have too, Daff. Skyrail tickets were completely sold out last Sunday and there wasn't a rental car available in Cairns.

Punky It would be best if you could keep the least windy day for your reef trip - apart from being the driest months, they're also the windiest. 3 day out forecasts are pretty reliable.

Reef Magic has permits to visit a dozen or so reef sites and picks the best two of the day (weather and tides). Snorkelling is off the side of the boat. Ocean Spirit 1 goes to Michaelmas Cay, has semi-submersible and very easy snorkelling off Cay which is also a seabird sanctuary. Ocean Spirit 11 goes to Upolo Cay (not as far out as Michaelmas) no semi-sub and offers easy snorkelling from cay as well as snorkelling from boat at Oyster Reef. I've been on them all and quite a few others - the abovementioned are excellent for snorkellers and are my favourites. If you really like small - the yacht, Ecstasea only takes a maximum of 20 to Upolo Reef (not sand cay). Their websites give accurate descriptions of what they offer.

Forgot to mention - www.divethereef.com gives all seasonal information on monthly rainfall, temperatures, water visibility etc in metric and imperial for Cairns/Port Douglas area.

Pat, you are so right - it is the busiest season we've ever had and this month we've sadly had to turn away so many people. But talking of the weather, wasn't it a wonderful wet season this year? We are just so pleased for visitors to be seeing the Wet Tropics as it really should be after the past couple of unusually dry years - the first thing most guests say is "Wow, it's so green"!

Regarding GBR trips we usually recommend people choose one which goes to the outer reef where the corals and sealife are more spectacular (we really like Quicksilver) but the other day some guests went out with Sailaway from Port Douglas - only a small boat with a maximum of 27 and they only go to Low Isles which is inside the reef - but they said it was the highlight of their holiday.

Forgot to mention that Sailaway is a sailing catamaran. You can snorkel off the white sandy beach and they also have a glass-bottom boat.

Hi Daff - yes, great to see rainforest thriving again, it was getting a bit sparse looking before the wet - to be honest, the "wet" here is my favourite time (excluding cyclones). Everything is so alive!

Punky - I may not have made it clear - Upolo and Michaelmas Cays are white sandy beaches on Michaelmas and Upolo reefs - Ocean Spirit II visits Upolo Cay and its reef, as well as Oyster Reef, Ecstasea visits only Upolo Reef. Try to visit Reef Teach in Cairns before you take your reef trip - open every evening except Sunday from 6pm.

Hi! I think I am a little confused on the difference between a "cay", a reef, the "low isles", and the "outer" reef. I was reading my Australia books and I gathered that cays are sandy as you said. What I couldn't figure out is if to see the best coral and aquatic life we would be better off in a reef (with reef magic or Ecstasea- a sailboat sounds fun since we would like to learn to sail), out somewhere like Agincourt Reef, or in Michaelmas reef on Ocean Spirit.

We're staying at Silky Oaks for half our time and with you Pat, for the rest of the time so we could go from Port Douglas or Cairns- we'll have a car anyway. Also, we contacted Daintree Air for the day trip to Lizard Islands so we will be doing some snorkeling there as well (if he has availability).

I was concerned about what you said about Karunda being booked. Should we book the skyrail/train online before we leave? I thought we'd leave it flexible, but if it is busy we don't want to miss out.

Thank you both for all your valuable information!

Hi Punky,

Sorry if we've caused some confusion! The Outer Reef runs from north to south alongside the Queensland coast and is at it's closest to the mainland in the north. Beyond the outer reef the ocean drops away to a great depth and it's at this drop-off point that you get the greatest variety of corals and marine-life. Inside the outer reef are many thousands of smaller reefs which are also home to a great diversity of fish and coral. A cay is a small sandy island with either very little or no vegetation. Low Isles is actually the name of a very small group of islands just off the coast near the Daintree River - they are very low in height, hence their name.

Because the outer reef is still some way off the coast it is too far for a sailing vessel to go out and back in a day, which is why they can only take you to the inner reefs and islands.

Pat has a wealth of knowledge of all the cruise operators and will certainly be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks Daff - there's an accurate map on www.divethereef.com which gives locations of all reefs, cays, etc visited by liveaboards and day trips from Cairns and PD and should be useful for those wondering on proximities. It is plain to see that Michaelmas Cay (sand cay on Michaelmas Reef) and visited by Ocean Spirit I is about as close to "Outer Reef" as one can get. Ocean Spirit I is a reasonably large motor/sailer cat which gives 4 full hours on reef - it usually goes out under motor and back under sail. In full sail, this boat is magnificent. Other sailboats from Cairns are: Ocean Spirit II (Upolo Cay and Oyster Reef); Passions of Paradise (Upolo Cay); Ecstasea (Upolo Reef) - not as far out as Michaelmas but still excellent snorkelling and diving.