Cairns Scuba Diving on the Great Barrier Reef
The Cairns Great Barrier Reef has captured man's imagination since it was discovered. Fascinated travellers have sailed over its waters, many have written tales about the great reef, all islands and cays have been discovered and set foot upon, but still underwater there's a land so vast that in 10,000 years, will not be completely explored. New discoveries on the Cairns Great Barrier Reef are almost a daily event.
Cairns SCUBA Certification Departing From Cairns
| Tour Description | Adult Price | Child Price | Tour Overview | Tour Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Day Learn To Dive Course | $750 | $750 | PADI Gold Open Water Cert, PADI Open Water Manual, Dive Log Book, All Dive and Snorkell Equip, Perscription Masks, Accommodation Transfers, Double or Twin Share Boat Accommodation for 2 Nights, 9 Dives incl: 4 Training Dives and 5 Recreational Dives, incl guided night dive, Dive Insurance, All Meals. Extras include: $45 per person fee required includes $15 Reef Tax as well as Port Departure Tax and admin costs | Book Online More Info |
| 4 Day Learn to Dive PADI | $625 | $595 | 4 Training Dives, PADI Gold Open Water Cert, PADI Open Water Manual, Dive Tables, 2 Days Pool and Theory, All Training Dives on Cairns Outer Barrier Reef, All Dive and Snorkell Equip, City Return Transfers. Extras: Reef and Port Authourity Charge, Medical, Passport Photos, Day 1 + 2 Lunch | Book Online More Info |
For Certified Divers Please Check Out our Cairns Great Barrier Reef Page!
To scuba divers, Cairns and the Cairns Great Barrier Reef represent the pinnacle of diving and snorkelling venues on the globe. The Cairns Great Barrier Reef is a massive chain of coral reefs and beyond this structure of living organisms lays the cleanest body of water on the planet! It is a wonderful, exciting and indeed memorable experience to dive the Great Barrier Reef. On a diving holiday you will swap dive stories with so many others, you will encounter mostly smooth seas, you will dive beautiful reefs, deep drop offs, see gorgeous marine life, explore tunnels and caves, and bask in the sun between dives on the deck of a boat or sun drenched beach. Did I not mention the sensuous balmy nights?
Whether your interests lie with diving day trips, live aboard dive cruises, extended diving expeditions or learning to dive for the first time Cairns represents the perfect mix opportunities for all diving related activities. Dive the world renowned “Cod Hole”, take part in advanced training for certified divers or gain your PADI Scuba Certificate, your passport to diving anywhere in the world. Cairns' access to the Cairns Great Barrier Reef cater to all your aquatic fantasies. Where else in the world would you want to dive!
Before diving it is advised to have a dive medical.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef
The Cairns Great Barrier Reef is the most extensive structure ever built by living creatures and the only life form on Earth visible from the moon. One of the natural wonders of the world, the World Heritage Cairns Great Barrier Reef holds a well-earned fascination for overseas visitors and Australians alike. It is the largest coral reef in the world, made up of 2,500 separate reefs, it stretches over 2,000 km from the northern tip of the continental shelf near Papua New Guinea, to Bundaberg in the south of Queensland. The 540 islands of the Cairns Great Barrier Reef are of two distinct types, continental and coral cay. With a landmass terminology, the Great Barrier Reek contains nearly five Japans, seven Britains and is half the size of Texas; there certainly is a lot to see!
Its ecosystem supports the greatest concentration of life on this planet with its resident marine life including 1,500 species of fish, 350 different kinds of coral, 4,000 species of molluscs and 10,000 species of sponges. It also provides breeding areas for humpback whales, sea turtles, dugong and seabirds. Hundreds of species of algae, including seaweeds, also live on the reef as a vital part of the reef ecosystem and lower order food chain.
In 1975 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) was established. In recognition of its universal value, the Cairns Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage list in October 1981 and is now a Marine Park managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. GBRMPA's aim is to increase people's understanding of the reef and ensure that it is used in the most enjoyable and least harmful fashion under the auspices of a marine park permit system. Well recognised for its it’s natural and ecological importance, the Great Barrier Reef is also of cultural and historical significance with human involvement with the reef beginning thousands of years ago and extending through to the first visits to Australia by European explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries, the pearling days, tales of pirates and treasure hidden amidst treacherous reefs and on to World War II and more recent times.
As well as being the most significant drawcard for visitors to North Queensland, it also represents the foundations for a bountiful local commercial and recreational fishing industries. Find out more on our Great Barrier Reef page.
Diving The Great Barrier Reef
Scuba diving has always been a big attraction along the Great Barrier Reef, in recent years it has become simply enormous, the secret is out. It is some of the most spectacular in the world with rich marine life, stunning coral formations, comfortable year round water temperatures and amazing visibility. Whether you are a beginner or expert diver Australia's Cairns Great Barrier Reef should be at the top of your list.
There are many diving schools in Cairns that have dive shops and offer diver training. The main consideration with scuba diving is that it requires knowledge and care. You can sling a mask on and be a snorkeller in minutes, add an air tank on your back and diving becomes a whole new experience. Although learning to dive requires some application, it is not difficult to learn and it does not require any sort of superhero strength or fitness. In fact one thing you quickly learn is that doing things with the minimum expenditure of energy is what diving is all about. Your diving time is determined by your tank of air and the more gently you do things the longer that air is going to last.
More advanced diving courses last a week or more and include classroom instruction and underwater experience in a pool, followed by real dives in the beautiful Coral Sea. A good diving course should teach you to anticipate possible problems and avoid them. Some things will become second nature to you underwater, requiring little more than instinctive ability, always keep breathing, do not hold your breath, adjust your buoyancy soon become straightforward techniques. At the end of the course you will receive a scuba diving certificate.
Now you can embrace any diving location or tour on offer anywhere. Once you have a recognised certificate, the world is your oyster and Dive Operators will welcome you all over the world. In Cairns, there are day trips and extended live aboards that suit all levels of divers. Dive operators either rent out all diving gear or include it in the price, however most divers prefer to have at least some of their own equipment. The usual minimum is mask, snorkel, fins and boots. These are items for which most divers have personal preferences and good product can be purchased at any of the many Cairns dive shops.
The safety record of the North Queensland diving industry is amongst the best in the world through a balanced mix of professionalism amongst dive operators, and industry guidelines and regulations designed to maximise the safety of all divers. Regulations and requirements are somewhat different here compared to other countries, and one that you will come across regularly is the concept of the Dive Medical. Please take some time to read about them.