Scuba Diving Whitsunday Australia
Advice On Scuba Diving In The Whitsunday Islands, Australia, Including Details On The Best Dive Sites.
The Whitsundays have some of the best diving in the world. They are relatively easy to get to by boat, are pristine, feature an abundance of fringe reefs and fish, and have warm water and good visibility in season. In addition, there are also many fantastic beaches that you can snorkel off of. Scuba diving Whitsunday Australia is best done during the December-March summer months when the visibility can be as much as 130 feet. The water is warm year round (between about 70 and 80°F), although visibility is not so good at other times.
Out of the 74 islands in the Whitsunday Islands National Park, most are uninhabited and unspoiled and will require a charter from Airlie Beach or Shute Harbour. Of the ones that are developed, such as Hamilton Island and Dent Island, dive trips can also be had from these. Hamilton Island easily has the best facilities, with its established marina, hotels and resorts, shops and restaurants, and airport. The advantage of getting on a dive trip from Hamilton Island is that you are closer to the Great Barrier Reef proper, where the best diving can be had.
Airlie Beach (on the mainland) is the most popular base from which to snag a dive. It is loaded with hotels and is especially popular with backpackers who get on daytrips and live-aboard dives. Trips go from here to Whitsunday Island, as well as to the outer Great Barrier Reef on a range of vessels, from revamped schooners to modern catamarans and even racing yachts. You can also go it alone and do a bare boat charter, which will have all the equipment included. Although scuba diving Whitsunday Australia is superb and is a great place to learn to dive, the best diving in this region of the world is actually on the main part of the barrier reef, about 50 miles farther offshore. The reason being is that, to a certain extent, agricultural run-off has upset some of the inshore coral, plus visibility is better farther out.
Popular dive sites in the Whitsundays include Blue Pearl Bay, Manta Ray Bay, Maureen's Cove, Fairy Reef, Hooks Island, and Hayman Island. You can expect to see all types of coral, clams and fish, as well as manta rays and turtles. One of the best wreck dives is the Llewellyn, which has been under the waves since 1919. The best time to be diving is in the summer (December through March) and when there is little difference between high and low tides - aim for an hour before the tide comes in. Also beware box jellyfish October through May, when it is best to suit up.
Popular scuba dive charters
Pacific Star: featuring three-night cruises, this purpose-built dive yacht comes with well equipped en-suite cabins.
Anaconda 111: this is one of the largest dive vessels in the region (a mega yacht) and does three-day, three-night cruises of the Whitsundays and outer Barrier Reef.
Kiana: a fully-equipped dive vessel which is good for both beginners and advanced divers, with its dive instructor and two-night cruises.
Island Dive: they have several vessels and do two- and three-day trips for scuba diving Whitsunday Australia.
