Great Barrier Reef?

[SOS]

has anybody been to the Great Barrier Reef? My girlfriend and I are thinking of taking our next vacation there, and I was just wondering if anyone has ever been there. If so, what are your impressions overall? We did a bit of research last year on Australia but because it was only a 2 week vacation we opted for Hawaii instead. Just wanted some feedback on people that have taken the trip. TIA :)

[glh7767]

i was there last year, diving on a live aboard with mike ball. most of the diving was off shore in the coral sea. the barrier reef is 2500+ miles long, so be careful when anyone comments on it. they saw a fragment. australia diving is wonderful, corals on some of the bonnies were the most beautiful i've seen anywhere. you may also want to consider png. for diversity of life, it's hard to beat.

[Scribb-angelfish]

If you are considering diving in Australia why not try Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Do a web search and find out about diving a unspoilt frontier location. Its the world s leading whaleshark diving localities. We live here .We dive here. Dolphins mantas turtles humpback whales....exotic corals... its all here. With your exchange rate you can live like a king (or a president if your not monachists).

We'll fire up the backyard barbie (grill) for you.

Check it out

SCribb Angelfish.:D

[oceanjunkie]

I got certified on a 3 day live-aboard out of Cairns in august of 2000. There are 100's of operations out of Cairns, so I went with pro-dive because it was reputable. I loved it. But, I didnt have any other dive experience to compare it to. If i were to do it again, I would have gone to a less populated port, because even though I was on a liveaboard, there were always other boats at all the sites. The Barrier Reef Definitely had more to offer than the over-dove sites that i saw. While I was up in the Daintree Rainforest I heard that the diving was great. That was a pretty isolated area to the north of cairns. Basically, stay away from the masses around cairns, unless you want to party!
-JB

[glh7767]

keep in mind you saw a small area of a structure that is 3000 miles long. the day boats out or cairns do run to the usual spots as they have limited time and range. if you can do a live aboard next time, the sites on the outer banks of the reef were fabulous, and the bonnies in the coral sea where flat out drop dead gorgeous, the best sps coral display i've seen on the planet. but now your 150 miles off the coast. don't give up on the cairns area though. you could make 4 dives a day for the rest of your life and not see 1/4 of what's there. and the people and town or cairnes treated us very well. i'd go back today, except my wife is giving me a dirty look :)

[oceanjunkie]

glh7767-

I went on a liveaboard. The problem I found with Cairns was that there was a ridiculous amount of dive operations. We were like 100 miles from port and yet there were still other boats in the vicinity. Basically what I am getting at is that the area around Cairns has been over dove. Even far offshore. No doubt it was still probably some of the best diving I'll ever experience. Its just that, if I ever get back there I am going diving with an operation that doesn't dive the same sites as 100's of other boats, which basically disqualifies almost all of the operators in Cairns.

Just to reiterate......The diving was AMAZING, I am spoiled for life. I just figure that the remote sites which are rarely dove would be even more spectacular.

I see you went with Mike Ball......I remeber that I really wanted to dive with them out of Townsville, but they didnt have any availability. They have one of the best reputations.

-JB

[SouthFla]

FWIW, I live in S. Florida, dive regularly in the Florida Keys and throughout the Bahamas. When I was younger, I spent 2 weeks on a Great Barrier Reef Island called "Heron Island." Bar none, most amazing experience of my life. It is (or was hehe) nothing more than a small island, a majority of which is a protected bird sanctuary, with bungalos to sleep, a dining hall to eat, and a scuba shop to fill your tanks. 5-star treatment and luxury in a remote, non-touristy non-crowded atmosphere....

One night I sat up all night on the beach, watching the turtles come to shore, dig holes and lay their eggs. In the early morning, some baby turtles were already emerging from their nests and heading to the water. Too bad the small blacktips were waiting for em :mad:

Anyway, most amazing diving and all around experience, but I imagine you'll hear that from most people who've visited this remarkeable place...

HTH,

ja
Heron Island Link (http://www.greatbarrierreef.aus.net/heron/)

[AzSnake]

Ahh yes. I recall my first 5 min in Australia. I left the airport and was pulled over like a block away. Gave me a sobriaty test and the whole works. The guy was cool but I was a little miffed on why I was pulled over. I was driving straight as an arrow and was going the speed limit.