What do a Chinese Footballer, a Leatherjacket, and a Moorish Idol have in common? Before you picture an Asian athlete wearing fashionable outerwear and holding a religious icon, let me spare you the mystery — they are fish species, denizens of the Great Barrier Reef. And I’m about to meet them, face-to-face.
I’m at the Cairns Marlin Marina. It’s 7 a.m., and the temperature is already in the 80s. Like many who visit North Queensland, I’m here to snorkel the largest reef in the world, stretching over 1,400 miles off the coast. However, I’m not interested in a day trip at a floating pontoon, jostling for space among dozens of tourists, with their fins kicking me in the face. I had told myself that this may be the only time I’m in this part of the world, so I plan to do and see as much as I can without being rushed.
Reef Encounter, seen anchored at a dive site, provides snorkelers and divers easy access to the Great Barrier Reef. At top, coral at the reef sites are healthy and vibrant, easily seen from snorkeling above. (Photos courtesy of Reef Encounter)
Before I arrived, I had scoped out overnight trips to the outer reefs. Called liveaboards, these vessels cater to divers and snorkelers who want to spend multiple days doing what they love. My online search had returned several suggestions, but I chose Reef Encounter, a local family-owned business whose boat of the same name has accommodations with private baths — a priority for me.
At the marina, I find my transfer boat — Reef Experience — ready to welcome me onboard. Over coffee and breakfast sandwiches, I, along with eleven other guests, receive our instructions while we cruise towards the mother ship on the outer reef. The nearly two-hour ride passes quickly as I chat with my new friends — a young couple from England, a solo traveler from Israel, two friends from the Netherlands, and a handful of Aussies vacationing in their backyard. By 9:30 a.m., we are alongside Reef Encounter, the 115-foot catamaran, my home for the next three days.
Just below the surface of the Great Barrier Reef is a world of wondrous sea life such as this turtles, a common sight in the region. (Photo courtesy of Reef Encounter)
I find my cabin on the Upper Deck, a comfortable space with two twin beds, a writing desk, a wardrobe, and a compact bathroom with a shower, towels, soap, and shampoo. Upstairs is a sun deck with a few loungers, and downstairs is the main lounge where we take our meals and socialize. Reef Encounter doesn’t pretend to be a cruise ship, but it does an efficient job of providing all the comfort that I need. Besides, I’m really here to see what’s beneath the keel of the vessel — the Great Barrier Reef.
Because Reef Experience has daily departures from Cairns, there is always a new group of people arriving to begin their underwater safari, joining others already onboard. Their experience is diverse — one of the Dutchmen is getting his Advanced Open Water Diver certification onboard, some are new divers, a few are dive enthusiasts who travel around the world seeking the best reefs, and one Australian has more than a thousand dives under her weight belt. It’s clear that Reef Encounter’s primary clientele is divers, and I’m not surprised to learn that I’m only one of two snorkelers onboard. But this plays tremendously to our advantage, as the two of us always have the water to ourselves while the divers venture below.
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After being outfitted for a mask and fins, I’m given a onesie “stinger” suit to protect myself from jellyfish, as it is November and the beginning of the season for stingers, as they are called Down Under. I’m assigned a numbered basket to keep my kit in, and it’s time to hit the water. A crew member holds a briefing of the reef site, telling us what to see and where we can see them.
We learn basic hand signals — a fist on top of your head means OK, and waving your arms overhead means HELP. Under the watchful eye of another crew member who always looks out over us during water sessions, I sit on the steps of the easy-entry platform, put on my gear, and slip into the warm water. In less than a minute, I am swimming over the reef, teeming with colorful fish and coral. For the next 45 minutes, I drift almost in reverie, admiring the diversity of life beneath me.
Reef Encounter expeditions bring travellers to Australia’s most famous natural icon. Here, majestic Humphead Parrotfish swim in the morning. (Photo courtesy of Reef Encounter)
I am in complete awe of what I see. Fish of all colors, shapes, and sizes buzz about healthy and vibrant soft and hard corals. A green turtle fearlessly cruises past, popping up next to me to take a breath. I spot a few white-tipped and black-tipped reef sharks patrolling nearby, “Nemos” dart in and out of their anemone hideouts, even an eel slithering in the open as it travels between coral beds. The reef is less than ten feet below the surface, and the clarity of the water magnifies every detail.
Reef Encounter has access to over 15 sites on the outer reefs and moves twice a day so I am treated to a different fish parade every time I’m in the water. The boat backs into its anchorage point so it’s always a short swim to the reef. We are always the only vessel at the site, with one exception on day two — where another boat is at an adjacent reef, but the other group is several hundred feet from us. I could snorkel four times a day, starting as early as 6:15 a.m. Not a morning person, I drag myself out of bed and into the water, but the flat seas and calm winds win me over, and the sunrise snorkel would become my favorite time on the reef. I’m out of the water for breakfast at 7 a.m., before snorkeling again at 10:15 at a new site. Reef Encounter moves again while we enjoy lunch, and there are two more snorkel sessions in the afternoon.
Reef Encounter’s cabins are comfortable and all have ocean views. (Ming Tappin photo for VacayNetwork.com)
Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, with plenty of simple but hearty items to fuel guests for the active day. Dinners are plated and served, and there’s an ice cream social after the night dive. I envy the divers as they head out after dinner, but it gives me an excuse to rejoin everyone for dessert so they can regale me with what they saw. From what I’m told, the reefs at night are a completely different world, where reef sharks and other predators hunt for their dinner, and the feeding frenzies are a complete contrast to the daytime serenity.
Every day onboard Reef Encounter delivers magical experiences that couldn’t be planned, my favorite being coming across giant clams with neon blue and purple lips, and meeting a group of 15-plus Humphead parrotfish enjoying a breakfast buffet of algae. These gentle giants, capable of growing to five feet in length, don’t appear at all disturbed by their enthralled observer and allow me to follow them for quite a distance.
I’m back on dry land three days later, saying goodbye to my diver friends, some of whom are moving on to explore Queensland’s ancient rainforests, while others have more diving elsewhere on their agenda. As fun as it was to be with the world travelers, I will always cherish my time with the residents of the Great Barrier Reef — and, yes, including that Chinese Footballer, Moorish Idol, and the Leatherjacket.
MORE ABOUT VISITING THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
- Reef Encounter offers one-, two-, or three-night trips. Longer durations can be arranged.
- All diving equipment, snorkeling gear, stinger suit (in season), and floatation aids are provided.
- Accommodations, three meals daily, instant coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and filtered water are included. Additional beverages (including alcohol) and snacks are available for purchase.
- Personal guides and diving certifications can also be arranged at an extra cost.
- A premium Top Deck experience is available, with upgraded accommodations and meals with alcohol, late check-out, and a personal valet.
- Those looking for a quicker and more scenic route between Cairns and Reef Encounter can book a helicopter transfer.
