With dozens of dive-boat destinations within an easy day's round voyage, some reefs so isolated only the dedicated diver will ever get there, the most diverse coral reefs on the planet to choose from, and an industry both strictly regulated and prosperous enough to ensure healthy competition, we here in the tropical north of Oz are blessed with what is, arguably, the best SCUBA diving in the world.
There are boat dives, coral cay dives, island dives, pontoon dives, wreck dives, drift dives, drop-off dives, night dives, shark-feeding dives, coral cave dives, introductory dives, guided dives, day dives, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and10 day dive cruises, altitude diving, freshwater dives, specialist diving, helicopter dive tours, the list goes on and on.
Some of our outer ribbon reefs are reputed to be amongst the very best, diving destinations anywhere. Visibility of 150 metres in a few far-flung places is not uncommon, nevertheless 15 - 25 metre visibility is the norm on most outer reefs, improving on the drop-off sites, and regularly clearing to 30 - 50 metres around the ribbon reefs north-east of Port Douglas. Water temperature on the Great Barrier Reef varies from approximately 20oC to 30oC, though around our region it rarely reaches these extremes.
We do have to worry about cyclones during the summer months, but with the current satellite technology there is always more than enough warning of these. With in excess of 30 dive operators listed in the local Yellow Pages, a far greater number of reef boats offering diving services, 17 diving schools operating within the local region, and again, even more reef boats catering for dive students, we at DestinationEX have needed to go overboard ( more than once) to cover the area's SCUBA possibilities. If the particular information or specialist subject you are looking for doesn't appear in the various web pages we have up and running, please don't hesitate to contact us.
