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Snorkeling in Cairns--Level of Difficulty
Going on Grand Oz/NZ in November. We are experienced snorkelers, but still in our 70's. Can anyone comment on level of difficulty in Cairns. Is there a long swim to the reef, or is boat dropoff right there? Any other comments? Thanks.
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Boat drop off is right there.
It’s a wonderful experience…beautiful area to snorkel!
Tkevams, it’s some years since we took the tour, but this is how it went. You go on a fast boat ride out to a large floating Pontoon I think it’s called. There is everything there, a snack bar, snorkeling equipment, changing rooms. If I recall correctly, you snorkel by the platform and I think there is an option for more advanced snorkeling. There is also a submarine viewing option. To be honest and I am sure it varies due to sea conditions, it’s not the best place I’ve snorkeled on the planet as far as clear waters are concerned, but it is the Barrier Reef! You can also buy a personal video or whatever of your experience.
Can anyone else remembered more. I am going to see if I can remember and google the company Tauck uses, I’m not at home right now.
A boat takes you out to an activity platform. You enter the water from the platform. There are other activities too. We took the helicopter ride and signed up to snorkel with one of their marine experts. The water was very calm when we were there - early September.
I think this is who Tauck uses, we went to the Agincourt Reef
https://www.silverseries.com.au/divemaps/
I did this trip in 2016. Snorkeling was uneventful. No significant rough sea or current. There were much better views from their mini-submarine, which I did, as well.
This was my retirement gift to myself at age 70. I was there in late Oct./early Nov. The water was very calm. You just jump off the boat and snorkel. Some people found the water cool, but, as a New Englander, I found it comfortable. Like BKMD, I also did the submarine ride.
If you are staying in Silkey Oaks Lodge, be prepared for a treat. It is AMAZING!
SnJ, did you do any spa treatments at Silky Oaks?
No, we didn't.
But just an example of how Tauck takes care of its people when things go wrong...
Cairns/Silky Oakes lodge are in the RAIN FOREST, so it rains--a lot! On our way back from the great barrier reef, the bridge to Silky Oaks Lodge had washed out--only road back. Greg, our TD, was coming up with contingency plans--and finally learned that the water would likely recede enough to get us through in a few hours. He had us go to a local pub--the Mossman Hotel--where they treated us so well! Greg bought snacks and drinks for everyone, money to buy tickets for their local raffle (Tauck guests won a tray of meat and case of beer--which we gave to our driver), and we played pool and talked to the locals until the water receded. It ended up being a memorable experience--and there was never a moment of anxiety, because we knew we'd be taken care of.
I did a hike through the rainforest at Silky Oaks down to a river. It was very lush and scenic. And I learned, too, why they call it a rainforest - it rains a lot! Anyway, if you do venture through the vegetation at Silky Oaks, be careful about brushing up against the foliage. There were a few people who wound up with leeches on their legs, just from walking around!
BKMD: Was the hike something you scheduled? We have a free day and I’m interested in doing a couple of activities, including hiking and birding. Any recommendations?
Lizb - it was self-guided, so go any time during the ample free time there. IIRC, the front desk had maps. Here are a few pics:
I did that, too! It was lovely, and didn't take long. You could extend your time by relaxing on the rocks by the river.
We did the same hike. It is a good idea to bring water.
We enjoyed this fabulous trip in Dec. 2019. I had never snorkeled before. I did practice at the condo pool with my Walmart snorkel. The area is cordoned off. The water was calm but murky. Wet suits, flippers and snorkels were provided. There are steps off the landing pontoon that allows you to slip into the water. It was fun experience.
The Silky Oaks is a marvelous place. The rooms, property and pool are fabulous. They also have self-serve washing machines/dryers. In our 15 trips with Tauck this was our second favorite lodge.
Loves2travel2, good to know about the self service laundry. Do you recall any other hotels with laundry facilities on this tour? Thx.
I wear an insulin pump and in order to snorkel(have a prescription mask, etc) I will need to disconnect and secure the pump in a dry bag-also have a USB powered medical cooler to keep it chilled. May I assume that I can safely do that? How long can we spend in the water snorkeling as I will likely need to return periodically to check my blood sugar and possibly bolus insulin? Is this the better option than the Agincourt reef tour and why are they different? Going in January 2023. Thanks in advance.
I can't give any medical advice, but I snorkeled on this trip. Each snorkeler could stay in the water as long as he or she wished, and was free to re-board the boat (and go back into the water) multiple times.
Thank you MCD! Just what I hoped to hear!
Can Tauck order full face masks for snorkeling if you are a nose breather and also if you wear glasses
We just got back. All in all it was a great trip and our tour guide Tom was fantastic.
Snorkeling is very easy even in the “advanced” area. Be advised, you will be on a large boat with many other people and kids. The platform they hook up to is huge with many amenities. I found the snorkeling disappointing but you will see much more in the submersible boats. Do that first. I thought this was going to be on a private boat, just our group and truthfully this is Tauck it should be. I wasn’t thrilled with how many people were jammed in the snorkeling area but at least I saw some pretty fish, giant clams and can say I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef.
Birdnurse. I see you have been a member of the forum for several years. It’s been reported here on the Australian/New Zealand tour exactly what the platform is like with links to a web page about it. As far as I know, you can’t just get a boat and snorkel anywhere, even if you are with Tauck. I wasn’t impressed by the clarity of water either when we were there, but the platform was a great facility.
The masks provided on the reef platform are standard snorkel masks. If you want a full face mask you would likely have to bring your own. They have some masks with corrective lenses; it helps to have a general idea of your prescription so they can select an appropriate mask.
We went with our adult kids a few years ago with another tour company.We are not swimmers or snorkelers;we did helmet diving instead and saw all the underwater wonders.My kids snorkeled without any difficulty.