Australia Tour on the way…….looking for suggestions!

Hi,

Next year I am traveling to Australia. Honeymoon

I would like to have a UW photography freindly liveboard through the GBR leaving from Cairns.

My goal is not to see "all". I prefer to focus on taken nice shots and slow and pacefull dive guides, focused on OW photographers.

Any sugestions?

BR

Hi Angel,

Are you looking at just heading to the reef, or out to the cod hole/coral sea? Either way, I dont think you'll find a liveaboard that is specifically photography orientated. However most (from what I've seen) do cater well to photographers, and normally have a photographer/videographer on staff.

I'll let others comment on which ones specifically will be best for you, I may be a bit biased

Good luck!

Ryan.

I would like to reach the Coral Sea.

My concern is not to book with a diving center wich is not friendly with UW photographers (you now, we have a different "speed" when progressing during the dive and some guides want everybody follow the group)

Thanks for the answers.

BR

For liveaboards I've done the Spirit of Freedom, Undersea Explorer (now defunct) and Mike Ball Spoil/SuperSports. I'm not familiar with the itineraries but I think many of them no longer hit the Yongala, which to me is an awesome dive. Osprey and Ribbon Reefs have more sharks and bigger fish but it's spread out and they do shark feeds on most of the liveaboards now so I don't go anymore. They all cater to photogs insofar as they have rinse tanks for cameras. I never had an issue with the dive guides pushing me along on the Spirit but then again I know the boss. The spirit is the more luxurious of the boats I've taken but remember they ALL like to stuff the boats full of people. It's great to have a lot of people on board during party time but not on a dive site.

Another dive I really recommend you consider is the Yongala. To me it's the best single dive site south of the Detached Reefs and easily the top 7 on my list of dive sites in Australia. You'll have to travel south of cairns but it's worth it. I don't recommend you take the day boats from Townsville,which are on a time schedule so they want you in and out of the water on time! I suggest you make the trek to Ayr and Alva Beach and launch from there. The boats are RIB so it's more uncomfortable in choppy seas but you can do 3 dives if you charter the boat. The ops usually do only 2 because of space constraints and number of people. Usually worth doing the 3rd dive if the current isn't too strong. Great thing about the wreck is that you've always got one side to hide. Strongly suggest EAN on the Yongala but make sure your dive guide is on it too or will at least let you dive the EAN profile. Yes there are ops in Australia who sell you EAN but insist you dive air profiles WITHOUT telling you in advance. Afterall this is Queensland, land of the 18m max depth on land ops.

For liveaboards I've done the Spirit of Freedom, Undersea Explorer (now defunct) and Mike Ball Spoil/SuperSports. I'm not familiar with the itineraries but I think many of them no longer hit the Yongala, which to me is an awesome dive. Osprey and Ribbon Reefs have more sharks and bigger fish but it's spread out and they do shark feeds on most of the liveaboards now so I don't go anymore. They all cater to photogs insofar as they have rinse tanks for cameras. I never had an issue with the dive guides pushing me along on the Spirit but then again I know the boss. The spirit is the more luxurious of the boats I've taken but remember they ALL like to stuff the boats full of people. It's great to have a lot of people on board during party time but not on a dive site.

Another dive I really recommend you consider is the Yongala. To me it's the best single dive site south of the Detached Reefs and easily the top 7 on my list of dive sites in Australia. You'll have to travel south of cairns but it's worth it. I don't recommend you take the day boats from Townsville,which are on a time schedule so they want you in and out of the water on time! I suggest you make the trek to Ayr and Alva Beach and launch from there. The boats are RIB so it's more uncomfortable in choppy seas but you can do 3 dives if you charter the boat. The ops usually do only 2 because of space constraints and number of people. Usually worth doing the 3rd dive if the current isn't too strong. Great thing about the wreck is that you've always got one side to hide. Strongly suggest EAN on the Yongala but make sure your dive guide is on it too or will at least let you dive the EAN profile. Yes there are ops in Australia who sell you EAN but insist you dive air profiles WITHOUT telling you in advance. Afterall this is Queensland, land of the 18m max depth on land ops.

Hi Drew, I appreciate very much all this information since I do not know anything about the area. I will plan the trip as best as I can in order to enjoy and have what I am looking for.

BR.

I live in Sydney and have dived up and down the eastern Australian coast. I do a lot of diving in Sydney, but on the most part wouldn't rate it as world classs. Yes you can have some good dives, but I wouldn't travel half way around the world for it. I personally like the southern dive sites out of Cronulla, but they're all much the say. Some of the deeper wrecks can be fun also if you're into that.

My suggestion would be drive/dive from Sydney to Brisbane. My picks would be South West Rocks (5 hours north of Sydney), North Solitary Island/Mullaway (1.5 hours past that) and Byron bay (visit Nimbon too and buy some cookies).

If you're going to the GBR get on a good liveaboard and get to the Coral Sea. Day trips suck and are full of gumby snorkeller whom seem to take over boats. The ribbon reefs can be great, but are second rate to the coral sea.

I second the Yongala dive, its' pretty cool if you get it on a good day.

Go on the rib from Ayr, just south of Townsville, it's an adventure in itself.

Here is a little clip running down the hull side into the sun one arvo.

http://www.hdvunderwater.com/videoclips/Yongala.mp4