Great Barrier Reef - Need Advice

A friend and I are going to Sydney for several days and then have six
days (The first week in February) that we want to dedicate to diving
the great barrier reef. I have considered Elliot Island, Heron Island
and the Whitsunday Islands as the likely places and for now am
thinking that Hamilton resort in the Whitsunday Islands might be the
call.

We are both intermediate divers and want to make sure we go to the
optimal place. I chose Hamilton Island because we are two single guys
and want to have some restaurants and other travellers around. I
chose the Whitsunday's because:

1.) The web pages I found say the diving is good
2.) We both like digital photography and to and from
diving it looks like a great place for taking photos.
3.) We can stay at Hamilton Island resort which seems like
it has things to do and other travellers to meet.

I'm looking for any advice as to whether there is a more optimal way
to spend six days of diving in February on the GBR! Thanks!

In article <12a0eab.0401111657.3acbe13e@posting.google.com> ,
ivar8882000@yahoo.com (Iv) wrote:

> to spend six days of diving in February on the GBR!

Try a Liveaboard......in the Coral Sea

www.diversionoz.com.au

Dave in UK.

Hmmm...I thought the best season for diving the GBR was Sept - Dec. It is
also the season of the spring tides (the Austral Spring) which stirs up
the water a bit and hampers the vis -- on occasion, but that's always a
problem with dive sites located in or near the GBR. I don't know about
February (cyclone season) since I've never heard of anyone running
charters then to the great diving sites. The wreck of the Yongala off
Townsville was one of those ships that went down in a cyclone in that
season back in 1910 or thereabouts.

I've had two boat charters in October/November to the Coral Sea (passing
through and diving the GBR) and was told that skippers cannot get
permission to take divers out to the Coral Sea during the cyclone season.
After all, there's little or no protection way out there from storms
because those reefs barely kiss the surface of the ocean -- no trees, or
dunes. Let's not forget -- the Coral Sea is where all the excitement is
and you also have that incredibly clear blue ocean water to frolic in and
fabulos sea life and corals. I would hate to go all the way to Australia
and only dive the GBR which, in my opinion, is a bit overrated with its
limited vis and all that scatter in the water because of the tides
flushing in and out of that huge structure (the GBR that is 20 or even 100
miles across in some locations).

Iv wrote:

> A friend and I are going to Sydney for several days and then have six
> days (The first week in February) that we want to dedicate to diving
> the great barrier reef. I have considered Elliot Island, Heron Island
> and the Whitsunday Islands as the likely places and for now am
> thinking that Hamilton resort in the Whitsunday Islands might be the
> call.
>
> We are both intermediate divers and want to make sure we go to the
> optimal place. I chose Hamilton Island because we are two single guys
> and want to have some restaurants and other travellers around. I
> chose the Whitsunday's because:
>
> 1.) The web pages I found say the diving is good
> 2.) We both like digital photography and to and from
> diving it looks like a great place for taking photos.
> 3.) We can stay at Hamilton Island resort which seems like
> it has things to do and other travellers to meet.
>
> I'm looking for any advice as to whether there is a more optimal way
> to spend six days of diving in February on the GBR! Thanks!

Is diving the main reason for heading north? If not, then other travellers
and restaurants are obviously a concern. You may want to look into Airlie
Beach or Cairns if you are looking for night life.

If you are really interested in the best diving though, then here are some
thoughts.
-There are 3 main areas of diving, the inner reef (any of the Islands that
you have mentioned) which is anywhere between the GBR and mainland, the
outer reef - which means the actual GBR and the Coral Sea - anything beyond
the GBR (there are only a few reefs scattered along this 1000 mile area.
Don't waste your time with any inner reef diving, vis is poor due to
mainland and island run off and most areas are completely over run with day
tripper snorkel/resort dive trips.
The GBR it's self has some fantastic life and occasional good vis (10-15
meters is average, 30 is great but pretty rare) the dive sites are often
over dived (and over rated) and pretty disappointing. For great GBR look
into the northern ribbons reefs and the Cod Hole live aboard trips.
As Daniel mentions the Coral Sea is the tops but you need to do a live
aboard dive trip. There are many great companies which run mainly from
Cairns. They run these trips all year round and although Daniel's comments
about lack of protection are true, during the cyclone season you are more
likely to find nice calm seas for the 200 mile ride out to the dive sites
than you would during the winter months.
I have done 1000 dives on the GBR and Coral Sea, I have dived with most
operators and can recommend the following for the Coral Sea and ribbons
reefs.
Mike Ball
TAKA dive
Tusa dive
Nimrod
There are surely a few more that you can find if you do a google search.
Take a look at their schedules, if you think something suits you, I may be
able to answer some more specific questions.
Something to keep in mind if you choose to do a shore based holiday is what
type of dive operator will you be going with? Do they go to the outer reef
or only near the Islands, how many people on board, what sort of diving etc?
There are many cowboy operators and cattle boats...picking the right
location is only the start of a great dive trip to FNQ!
Have a great trip, E


"Daniel Kessler" <dkessler@pop.cybernex.net> wrote in message
news:4002B1B5.675B496D@pop.cybernex.net...
> Hmmm...I thought the best season for diving the GBR was Sept - Dec. It is
> also the season of the spring tides (the Austral Spring) which stirs up
> the water a bit and hampers the vis -- on occasion, but that's always a
> problem with dive sites located in or near the GBR. I don't know about
> February (cyclone season) since I've never heard of anyone running
> charters then to the great diving sites. The wreck of the Yongala off
> Townsville was one of those ships that went down in a cyclone in that
> season back in 1910 or thereabouts.
>
> I've had two boat charters in October/November to the Coral Sea (passing
> through and diving the GBR) and was told that skippers cannot get
> permission to take divers out to the Coral Sea during the cyclone season.
> After all, there's little or no protection way out there from storms
> because those reefs barely kiss the surface of the ocean -- no trees, or
> dunes. Let's not forget -- the Coral Sea is where all the excitement is
> and you also have that incredibly clear blue ocean water to frolic in and
> fabulos sea life and corals. I would hate to go all the way to Australia
> and only dive the GBR which, in my opinion, is a bit overrated with its
> limited vis and all that scatter in the water because of the tides
> flushing in and out of that huge structure (the GBR that is 20 or even 100
> miles across in some locations).
>
> Iv wrote:
>
> > A friend and I are going to Sydney for several days and then have six
> > days (The first week in February) that we want to dedicate to diving
> > the great barrier reef. I have considered Elliot Island, Heron Island
> > and the Whitsunday Islands as the likely places and for now am
> > thinking that Hamilton resort in the Whitsunday Islands might be the
> > call.
> >
> > We are both intermediate divers and want to make sure we go to the
> > optimal place. I chose Hamilton Island because we are two single guys
> > and want to have some restaurants and other travellers around. I
> > chose the Whitsunday's because:
> >
> > 1.) The web pages I found say the diving is good
> > 2.) We both like digital photography and to and from
> > diving it looks like a great place for taking photos.
> > 3.) We can stay at Hamilton Island resort which seems like
> > it has things to do and other travellers to meet.
> >
> > I'm looking for any advice as to whether there is a more optimal way
> > to spend six days of diving in February on the GBR! Thanks!
>

"Daniel Kessler" <dkessler@pop.cybernex.net> wrote in message
news:4002B1B5.675B496D@pop.cybernex.net...
>.
SNIP>
> I've had two boat charters in October/November to the Coral Sea (passing
> through and diving the GBR) and was told that skippers cannot get
> permission to take divers out to the Coral Sea during the cyclone season.
> >
SNIP>

HUH!
All year round trips to coral sea with Mike Ball etc.... "Cannot get
permission" ?? from whom? What's the trip in - a rubber zodiac? Suggest you
get a new skipper!
Sure there are seasonal variations in weather but that's the same the world
over. And yes, OCCASIONALLY trips can be cancelled but puuhhleassse - don't
think that the coral sea is a cyclone infested hell at some times of the
year! It IS some of the best diving in the world tho!
HTH
Tack
www.DivingTheBlue.com

In article <bqhNb.12432$Wa.4856@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
gottabekiddin@nospam.com (Tack) wrote:

> at some times of the
> year! It IS some of the best diving in the world tho!

Done it twice over a Christmas period, much better than the GBR.....better
vis, bigger "big" stuff.......

Some of the shittiest dives we have done were on the GBR....
It looks great from a small plane, absolutely beautiful from above, but
below, dissapointing.

Dave in uk.