Great Barrier Reef Premium Snorkel and Dive Day Trip Cairns

Cairns Marlin Marina and the run to the outer reef

The day starts at Cairns Marlin Marina, on the city waterfront next to the Reef Fleet Terminal, a short walk from central hotels. You check in on board at 8:00 and the boat leaves promptly at 8:30, heading out of Trinity Inlet and across the reef lagoon. The crossing to the outer reef takes about 90 minutes, time to have morning tea, choose your wetsuit and fins and listen to the snorkel and safety briefings.

The outer reef lies far from the coast, at the edge of the continental shelf, where the water is clearer and the coral less affected by river runoff than on the inner reefs. That is the main difference between an outer reef snorkel tour from Cairns and a trip to the islands closer to shore. On the way the crew explains the plan for the day and which two sites the skipper has chosen.

Norman Reef

Norman Reef is one of the best-known outer reefs off Cairns, a long ribbon of coral on the edge of the shelf. Its sites are known for large coral heads, called bommies, rising from sandy bottoms, steep walls covered with soft corals and sea fans, and a great variety of fish. Snorkellers float over shallow gardens of staghorn and plate corals, while divers explore swim-throughs and the deeper slopes.

Norman Reef snorkelling is famous for its big residents: the humphead Maori wrasse, a giant fish that can grow as long as a person and often comes close to swimmers, plus turtles, giant clams in vivid blue and green, and white-tip reef sharks resting on the sand. When the weather is calm, the skipper often chooses Norman Reef for its clear water and visibility.

Saxon Reef

Saxon Reef is a smaller, sheltered reef close to Norman and Hastings, and it is often used when the wind blows from the south-east. Its shallow coral gardens start just below the surface, so you do not need to dive down to see the colours, which makes it a favourite site for beginners, children and anyone trying snorkelling for the first time. The guided snorkel tour often runs here.

Green and hawksbill turtles are regular visitors at Saxon, feeding on the reef and resting under coral ledges. You also see clownfish in their anemones, parrotfish crunching coral, schools of fusiliers and blue-spotted stingrays on the sand. The calm water and easy entry from the boat make it the site where introductory divers usually make their first descent with an instructor.

Hastings Reef

Hastings Reef sits beside Saxon Reef and offers a mix of coral walls, gullies and sandy patches with coral heads. It is known for its giant clams, some more than a metre wide, and for the large number of reef fish that gather around its moorings, including sweetlips, trevally, angelfish and butterflyfish. Snorkellers enjoy the shallow reef top, while divers follow the walls down to around 15 to 18 metres.

Because the skipper picks the two sites on the morning of the trip according to wind, tide and visibility, you may visit Hastings, Saxon or Norman in any combination. All three are protected parts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef for calm seas and clear water is generally from late August to December.

On board: lunch, showers and the dive options

The boat is purpose-built for diving and snorkelling, with a spacious dive deck and a sunken platform that makes it easy to step into the water and climb back out. There are wide sun decks, air-conditioned indoor areas and hot fresh-water showers. Between the two sites the crew serves a tropical buffet lunch with hot and cold dishes, salads, bread rolls and fruit, and afternoon tea on the way back. Tell us about any dietary needs when booking.

The default option is the snorkelling day. You can also choose an option with one introductory dive for first-timers, two certified dives for divers with a card, or a limited-time snorkelling day with an introductory dive added, subject to availability. Introductory divers must be at least 12 years old and all divers complete a medical questionnaire on board.