Being avid scuba divers, we couldn't wait to book a trip to the Great Barrier Reef to see if it is deserved of its world class status. We're glad to report it gets a big thumbs up!
The only way to appreciate the reef properly is to go on a scuba diving live-aboard boat trip. Watching the day-tripper tourist boats departing Cairns and Airlie Beach is depressing for us seasoned divers, but I suppose it may be the only option for some folk.
After a bit of Google searching, we stumbled on Mike Ball Dive Expedition's Minke Whale trip. After reading the amazing itinerary, it was difficult to concentrate on anything else. We booked it up and kept fingers crossed that 3 days of diving would be enough to satisfy our insatiable appetite for amazing underwater sights.
Mr Ball delivered in a big styley. The selected dive sights on Ribbon Reef #3 and #10 were fantastic ... amazing corals, huge schools of fish, and don't get me started on the potato cod! But top of the list were the encounters with the migrating minke whales. Such inquisitive creatures who spent the day swimming with us in very close proximity.
Five star diving experience and strongly recommended for all of you scuba monkeys out there.
By Darrell Grundy - visited on 24 June 2009