Quote:
Originally Posted by dannat
Anyone know of a good reef tour /snorkelling boat to take me out on the reef?- im mostly interested ins snorkelling - i have my own gear but not sure whether to take it with me or not?
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Hi Daniel,
For many years in a row, we use to jump in a cab in North Sydney on the Friday
afternoon of the October long weekend, go to the airport and go up to Cairns
just to go snorkeling.
When you walk along the Esplanade at Cairns, there are an enormous number
of tiny booking agencies spruiking everything from the large high-speed cats by
operators such as Ocean Spirit and Quiksilver that run like clockwork and cater
for the general holiday maker down to smaller boutique charter operators
that offer multi-day snorkeling and diving adventures.
One thing that they all have in common is that they provide gear, typically
as part of the tour price. Even the large operators can provide a wetsuit steamer
vest if the water is cool.
As you know, it can be a mistake to lend your face mask to a friend with
a different shaped head.
Though the facemasks provided on board
are usually more than adequate for a few hours of paddling out on the reef,
you can waste time going back to the boat for another if the fit is not so good.
So over the years we started to just pack our own masks and snorkels which we
would know would just work the moment we stepped over the side of the boat
and we would often pack our own steamer as well. If it is hot, it is wise to wear
a T-shirt in the water to avoid getting burnt.
We have gone out with a range of operators over the years. For many people that
go on the fast cats we observed they are often more interested in the big
smokasbord lunch which they serve the moment you reach the pontoon
(which is part of the ticket price) than going snorkeling. We are the opposite and
can't wait to get in the water quick enough to maximize our reef time.
The big cat operators claim that since they are faster, they go out further and
you spend more time at the reef. We have found that is not necessarily
true. Some of the budget operators that cater to the backpacker crowd where
you either pack your own sandwich or buy a pie on-board may not go out as far
but the number of minutes you spend in the water is often longer. They don't
have their own pontoons but for the fit and able, it is easy just to go off
the ladder off the side of the boat.
In any case, visiting different reefs on different trips over the years brings
variety so you can't go to wrong on a day trip.
The only pity is that over the multiple years we have been going up to the reef,
from as far north as Cairns to as far south as The Town of 1770, we have
personally observed the rapid deterioration of the reef itself. Many reefs that were once
pristine, colorful and with abundant fish when we first went there in the early 90's
are today comparatively gray almost dead coral deserts. What is beyond doubt in
our own minds from seeing it first hand over these years is that the reef is
in great peril. Personally that makes us feel enormously sad. See it while you can!
