Thought I throw it out there before I do some searching tonight. Just found out I'm going to Sydney/Melbourne mid March and hoping to head out for a day or 3 to dive the GBR. Any recommended dive sites, shops to rent from, things to avoid, things I must do? Want to do a reef, mud flats and a seagrass dive. What would be recommended?
GBR dive recommendations?
- Thread starter psidriven
- Start date
Patwa
if anyone asks, it's $10
i'd recommend Pro Dive as the shop to go with...great packages, and they're well established in the area.
I learned to dive on the GBR.....through Pro Dive's shop in Cairns.
FWIW, see if you can dive the Keppel Islands.....it's a rarity in the GBR in that it's very close to the mainland (most of the GBR is located well offshore)....coincidentally, this is where a good chunk of the aussie acans imported into North America are found.
Zach
PS....take pics and report back!
I learned to dive on the GBR.....through Pro Dive's shop in Cairns.
FWIW, see if you can dive the Keppel Islands.....it's a rarity in the GBR in that it's very close to the mainland (most of the GBR is located well offshore)....coincidentally, this is where a good chunk of the aussie acans imported into North America are found.
Zach
PS....take pics and report back!
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
Man I wish I could be so lucky. Diving the GBR is on my bucket list
mwladdicted
Post Count D-M-S
i'd recommend Pro Dive as the shop to go with...great packages, and they're well established in the area.
I learned to dive on the GBR.....through Pro Dive's shop in Cairns.
FWIW, see if you can dive the Keppel Islands.....it's a rarity in the GBR in that it's very close to the mainland (most of the GBR is located well offshore)....coincidentally, this is where a good chunk of the aussie acans imported into North America are found.
Zach
PS....take pics and report back!
i just got back from cairns in october, great divving anywhere you go. Also went down to townsville and they have the youngala wreck one of the best wreck dive spots in the world deff something to check out. feb march corect me if im wrond is stinger season. stingers being the iracongi box jellys. also its durring cyclone season so you have to hit the reef between storm and it murks up the water. but for the gbr my top 4 would be cairns townsville heron and lizard island. all amazing dive spots. few teasers for ya.
.
mwladdicted
Post Count D-M-S
Hexagon Mop
New member
These were taken out of Cairns Sept '09 with Cairns Dive Centre. I went with them cause they were the cheapest. The boat (Kangaroo explorer) was a little rundown but the crew were knowledgable and friendly. Next time I go, I will spend the extra scratch for a nicer boat.
Patwa
if anyone asks, it's $10
yikes.....were you told it was OK to touch the animals? i've dived a bunch of places in SE Asia and the GBR, and not one dive operator would allow their divers to touch any animals....not that I want to, but all the PADI training (and common sense) I have says it's completely wrong.
if you 'copped a feel' while the DM wasn't looking, count yourself lucky you weren't caught! getting caught by any reputable dive operator would almost certainly get you in deep trouble: immediate end to your dive, banned for the day, and no refund.
Anyhooo.....seeing as people are posting their GBR pics....see mine here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1547582
Zach
Hexagon Mop
New member
The pic was another diver, not me. The turtle was underneath the dive boat, so it was the first thing everyone saw and I just started snapping pics.
ousnakebyte
New member
Did anyone "discourage" this diver from doing that in the future? As in... public lynching? IMHO, that's a big no-no (touching the turtle, not lynchings... )
)
ousnakebyte
New member
When is the next time you are going to be able to go back to AU?
Patwa
if anyone asks, it's $10
pretty pricey over there in Oz, f'sho.....the best alternate plan for diving that area of the world is to dive ANYWHERE other than Australia itself
comparatively speaking, the nearby asian countries are much cheaper! just a thought.....the calibre of coral and animals is comparable. Heck, I think most folks who dive the GBR just want to say they've dived the GBR (me, included hahaha), but when it comes to diversity and healthy reefs, there's a ton more interesting places than the GBR, imo.RE: quote.....i did notice that the flight you got was $400.....i'm sure you can find a cheaper flight...you try Virgin Blue? and $60 for a motel ain't bad..but you should probably go for a backpacker-type accommodation....they have private rooms if that's the issue and they're around $15-$25/night, in Cairns, that is.
look for package deal... accommodation/dives all in one...prolly your best best if you're tight on $
z.
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