Snorkelling The Gbr

[Glenn'n'Emm]

Hi all

Emm and I are off to Australia for a couple of weeks in November.

Starting in Sydney then were trying to sort out some time up in the Cairns/GBR area. Anyone any tips of good locations for snorkelling.

I guess Im hoping someone will say 'go here its not to toursity and snorkelling from the beach is excelent'.

Do places like this exist on the GBR? We can hope.

Oh another thing Emma has never snorkelled before and so Im looking for someone to help her with a bit of simlpe instruction. Id give her the benifit of my 'experience' but we live together and we'd probably end up having a row so best if i can find someone else to help out. Anyone any ideas for clubs we could apprach in the Essex/South east?

Thanks

Glenn

[JasandJules]

I could give you the details of our dive school (Just off the A127)... Dunno if they teach/assist with snorkelling but you can ask?

Jas

[JonHolly]

Try a trip to Fitzroy Island , did snorklling, Canoeing and a glass bottom boat trip , 2-5 mters with plenty of coral and turtles. A lot of the boats out of Cairns will take snorkllers try Prodive in Cairns for Trips. Or many of the Backpackers agents do snorklling special deals.

HTH

[jamesc]

Hi,

I went to Airlee beach which is quite a way down from Cairns and less of a tourist trap (Cairns is a bit overcrowded). We took one of these dinghy snorkelling days where they dropped you off at a few good snorkelling spots (one of which was used by a Marine Biology Centre for studying - lucky so and so's, had their centre all of 10 metres from the beach!). Great fun and well worth the money. We also visited a beach which had a naturally sheltered area and there were rays and reef sharks swimming in there. As far as learning to snorkel, then there is not much to it now is there, flap your feet and breath in that tube thingy ;)

First time you see a 'real' reef for yourself takes your breath away, believe me.

I'll be out there again next year and plan to visit once every two years just to get my fill.

James.

[Glenn'n'Emm]

Hi all thanks for the comment and info anyone else with travelling tips please comment.

WRT snorkelling I agree, i find it easy and have been snorkleling since i was a kid, so around 30 years :o .

these days i will probably restrict myself to flapping around on the surface, used to spend a lot of time diving down to watch fish, find shells and stuff in the med on hols.

Emm never has snorkelled and is a little nervous so I feel it would be good to get somoene else to give her some confidence in a pool before we get there so any ideas would be welcome and jas perhaps you could give me the ifno on sunday m8.

Glenn

[jamesc]

Glenn,

Best tip I have is to make sure you take a stopover on the way out (and on the way back if you can). Doing the whole 25 hr journey in one go is no fun , believe me (never again!) . If you can, take in Fraser Island as that is well worth going out of your way to see. The zoo in Sydney is good too (and only a boat ride past the Opera House away).

James.

[Glenn'n'Emm]

James

I agree about the travelling, not sure the stopover is possible on the way out. Thats the trouble with flying for work. However, I have booked my flights and it looks like we may have to stop over in singapore on the way out so maybe get a couple of days there.

Was in Melbourne last year, flew to Oz, attended a seminar for three days, spent saturday doing some shopping then flew home late that evening, spent 4 nights in Australia!!!

Going to Malaysia in October, same deal, fly in, do the seminar fly out again. The only reason we're able to go to Australia is because Ive been asked to speak at a seminar. If Emm wasnt coming with me, id fly in do the seminar and fly out again!!!

Still think of the air miles!!

Howver, at least we will have seven days to do what we want and then the seminar then a day or so before we fly home. Have to make the best of what we can I suppose.

Glenn

[jamesc]

Glenn,

Jeez - 4 days! I once spent 1.5 days in South Africa on business and that was only a 12hr flight to recover from and no timezones. I'd die if I had to do that - must be getting old I spose.

James.

[tuan]

Look for marine reservation locations - there are only a few so-called sanctuary on the GBR. At these reservations though the number of fish is incredible.

We went on a trip from Hamilton Island out to a reservation - found it much better than go out from Cairns because it doens't take 2hrs boat ride just to get to the spot, and the current is not so strong. If you don't have to stay around Cairns then go up north to Port Douglas - much much nicer and closer to the GBR for the boat trips too.

[Glenn'n'Emm]

Cheers all

WRT to the flight, last time booked flights so that got to Aus around mid evening, had dinner a few beers and then slept for ten hours. Woke up fine the next day.

Coming home a bit worse but no real problems. I dont travel internationally that much, this is a rather busy time for me at the mo, Malaysia end of october then Australia end of november.

juist a shame i dont have the momney to make the best of these trips. i mean spend a few weeks at both places, get a diving qualification and then some experience. Still cant moan, wasnt long ago that a trip for work to london was a special event for me.

Isnt life great when you like your job and get paid to travel around.

Glenn