Cairns Nightime Scuba Diving
Until Recently if you wanted to see the Cairns Great Barrier Reef at night you would have to go on a multi overnight dive and snorkel tour. Not anymore! Recently A Cairns Great Barrier Reef Company started doing night dive trips as a stand alone option that has an absolute blow your mind wow factor.
Generally it is difficult to do a night dive due to the fact that your holiday accommodation is already booked and paid making your only option a Great Barrier Reef liveaboard overnight night trip if you wanted to try a night dive. Our Great Barrier Reef company took notice and created a night dive option as a day trip! The unique experience is for certified divers only, however spectators are more than welcome to come and watch via the underwater observatory for a reduced price.
Your night dive Adventure begins
At 5:15 PM you check-in at the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal a for a 5:30 PM departure. The check-in time is perfect as it allows for the thrill seekers who just finished their day trip of diving to get off their day boat, and hop right on to the night boat to do it all again at night!
Arrival at the Cairns Night Dive Site
It takes a quick one hour and fifteen minute cruise to get to the Outer Barrier Reef (your dive site), where the crew will give the dive briefing, give a lesson on how to communicate underwater with one another in the dark and arrange the dive groups. By the time the vessel moors up to the Outer Barrier Reef Pontoon, everyone is organized and your group is ready to get out there and do some scuba diving in the mysterious dark waters. The Outer Barrier Reef pontoon is a platform that is stationed out at the Norman Outer Reef and is used daily. The underwater observatory will be open for the night dive session for the spectators who join just for fun. For those who have simply booked on to spectate, this
is where you will watch the underwater activity from. Marine life is particularly attracted to this area due to the underwater observatories lighting.
Scuba Gear On
Upon arrival at the Cairns Great Barrier Reef site for your Night Dive, you will immediately be allocated your fins, masks, weight belts, torches, wet suit, dive tanks and BCD’s from the dive crew. The dive tanks have small fluorescent glow sticks attached to the back of them to ensure you can see your fellow divers even if their torch were to burn out; although the torches are of high quality and your dive guide will be carrying spare torches in case of a problem. The Scuba Dive area is very convenient with 15 - 20 ropes all aligned to allow divers in a group to descend all at once.
The Night Scuba Dives
After descending, your guide will lead you on an incredible adventure through pristine coral gardens for a whole new and exciting view of the Great Barrier Reef at night! Get ready to be amazed by those nocturnal creatures and so much more such as the dog face and the black spotted puffer fishes, sharks, particularly Epaulett sharks, heaps of shrimps, walking crustaceans, clown fish, spot fin lion fish, bumphead parrotfish and tons of more exciting marine life! Keep your eyes open for sea turtles that you will find sleeping amongst the corals. Shine your torches on the fish you want to see closer as they are very prone to swimming towards the light! Our dive time was 30 minutes and not one second wasted.
After the ascent back to the Outer Barrier Reef Pontoon, we took off our tanks and BCD's for the crew to re-fill them. While we waited, we indulged in coffee /tea / breads and soup!
After a break, the dive crew are ready to get the divers back into the water for the second and final night dive of the night. Your guide will get the group to a good point during the dive and have everyone shut off their torches. The dive guide will begin to make a smashing noise that echoes through the waters and attracts a scuba divers dream - the mysterious and unknown. Our particular group attracted a couple of black tip sharks which was a fantastic and highlight of the night sight to see!
Inclusions
- Return Fast Catamaran Cruise on Silverswift
- 2 X Guided Night Dives
- All Dive gear including wetsuits and torches
- Prescription masks available at no extra cost
- Meal Inclusions
- Tea / Coffee and Focaccias
- Hot Soup with Breads between dives
- Hot dinner and dessert after dives
- Return journey cheese and cracker biscuits
- Check in is from 05.00 - 05.15pm
- Departure is at 05.30pm
- Arrival back at Cairns is 11.15pm
Restrictions
- Certified Divers Only
- Same price whether the diver does one or two dives
- Launch Date 01 July 2010
- Thursday's Only
- Subject to weather Conditions
- Minimum Age of 14 Years Old
- Observers Welcome at Normal Divers Fare
- No Transfers Available Must Get to Reef Fleet Terminal Cairns
The Departure from the Great Barrier Reef and the Return to Cairns
After the 2nd scuba dive, it's time to depart the Great Barrier Reef and head back to Cairns. Changerooms and hot water showers are available onboard the boat. A light dinner of chicken curry, beef curry, vegetarian curry, rice, soup, breads, potatoes and salads are served during the cruise back to Cairns. Remember that the bar is open for service so why not celebrate after the scuba dives with a nice cold beer or glass of wine? Kick back and relax with your dive guide and get your dive log book out for logging your night scuba dives on the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy the view of Cairns night lights as you cruise back into the Marlin Marina after an hour and fifteen minute cruise for an 11:00 pm return.