Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

262
CHAPTER 6 . QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
Keeper Reef and John Brewer Reef. It takes only 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach
John Brewer Reef, where you can make introductory dives for A$60 (US$39)
for the first and A$30 (US$20) for the second, while certified divers can make
two dives for a very reasonable A$60 (US$39); all gear is included. The cruise
costs A$104 (US$68) for adults, A$84 (US$55) for seniors, A$54 (US$35) for
children 5 to 15, and A$270 (US$176) for a family of four. The price includes
lunch and morning and afternoon tea. There are freshwater showers on board.
Cruises depart Townsville at 9am, with a pickup at Magnetic Island en route,
and returns by about 5:45pm. Several other operators including The Dive Bell
(& 07/4721 1155), and Adrenalin Dive (& 07/4724 0600), have trips to the
Yongala Wreck, the Coral Sea, and the Reef.
FROM THE WHITSUNDAYS
FantaSea Cruises (& 07/4946 5111) makes a daily trip to Hardy Reef from
Shute Harbour, near Airlie Beach, in a high-speed, air-conditioned catamaran.
The boat has a bar, and a biologist gives a marine ecology talk en route. You
anchor at the FantaSea Reefworld pontoon, and spend up to 3 1 ⁄2 hours on the
Reef. The day trip costs A$152 (US$99) for adults, A$130 (US$85) for seniors
and students, A$81 (US$53) for children ages 4 to 14, and A$355 (US$231) for
a family of four. Guided snorkel safaris cost A$19 (US$12) extra. Cruise/dive
packages are available for A$78 (US$51) extra for both introductory and certified
dives. Cruises depart at 8am and pick up passengers at South Molle, Daydream,
and Hamilton island resorts. Passengers from Long and Lindeman
islands connect by water taxi.
A fun alternative is FantaSea’s 2-day, 1-night ReefSleep, in which you spend
the night on the pontoon. This gives you a fabulous chance to snorkel at night
when the coral is luminescent in the moonlight and nocturnal sea creatures get
busy. The trip includes a marine biologist’s slide presentation, two scuba dives,
plenty of night snorkeling, two buffet lunches, dinner under the stars with wine,
and breakfast and more snorkeling on the second day. You can stay in either a
clean, comfortable bunkroom for 4 for A$325 (US$211) per person, or in the
double cabin, which has a king-size bed for A$383 (US$249) per person. With
so few guests per night, you have the Reef all to yourself.
MULTIDAY CRUISES ALONG THE REEF
Down Under (& 1800/079 099 in Australia, or 07/4052 8300; fax 07/4031
1373; www.downunderdive.com.au) in Cairns offers a chance to “sleep on the
Reef” aboard a 43m (141-ft.) 1890s-style brigantine, the S.V. Atlantic Clipper.
It’s a sleek, romantic sailing ship with towering masts, a roomy Jacuzzi on the
foredeck, a cocktail bar, a comfortable dining room, and single, double, triple,
or quad-share air-conditioned cabins. A motorized launch takes you from Cairns
to the ship’s reef mooring; from there you sail up to the four popular reef complexes
of Norman, Hastings, and Saxon reefs, and Michaelmas Cay. The emphasis
is on fun and relaxation, with lots of snorkeling and diving. Choose between
Fun Fact Postmark: Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s only “floating post office” is on Agincourt Reef, about 72km
(45 miles) offshore from Port Douglas. It is on the Quicksilver Connections
pontoon, and your letter or postcard will be stamped with a special postmark
from the Great Barrier Reef.