Great Barrier Reef Islands

What We Offer

• A stylish, fast and modern catamaran, taking you to the best reefs

• Great crew

• Air conditioned saloon

• A dedicated snorkelling instructor and FREE tuition for those who want to learn to snorkel

• A tropical buffet lunch of hot and cold dishes including prawns and fresh tropical fruit. Our lunch is fresh, chef prepared on the boat, and tasty.

• Highest quality masks, snorkels, fins and scuba diving equipment

• Two unique destinations: Michaelmas Cay and Paradise Reef (weather permitting)

• Exclusive mooring at Paradise Reef (no crowds)

• Free floatation vests to aid non swimmers

• Free guided snorkel tour

• Morning tea which includes fresh brewed coffee and muffins

• Cheese platter for afternoon tea

• An on-board marine naturalist presentation on coral and bird life

• 10 minute FREE SCUBA diving demonstration

• High calibre sailing. We will always find time to turn the engines off and do some genuine sailing on the way home to Cairns.

• Staff trained to Advanced ECO Certification Standard

Optional Extras

• Introductory and certified scuba diving

• Glass bottom boat tour

• Wetsuits and sun suits

• Underwater digital camera hire

• Prescription masks (be sure to let our office know in advance, so we can match your needs)

• T-shirts, assorted quality beers, wine and soft drinks.

Departure Details and What to Bring

• Check in is at our counter at the Reef Fleet Terminal, Marlin Marina at around 7:30 am for 8 am departure.

• Bring, hat, sunscreen, bathing gear, sunglasses, towel, etc. as you would for travelling to the beach. We have credit card facilities on the boat.

Michaelmas Cay
Michaelmas Cay is world famous for its migratory birds and the cay provides one of the few rare opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive in protected calm waters. No matter what the weather, the sandy lagoon is wind protected and the coral is immediately adjacent to the beach. Sea turtles are extremely common and you are also likely to see giant trevally, small black tip reef sharks, bat fish, and hundreds of varieties of colourful reef fish. Only three permits have been granted allowing tourists daily access to the beach. We have one of them. To ensure that the cay remains in a natural state we work closely with both the Queensland National Parks and the Federal Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Features Calm, protected waters. Ideal for snorkeling off the beach. Excellent for those new to the art of snorkeling, have small kids, poor swimming ability or suffer from sea sickness. We have a staff member who helps teach snorkeling in the shallow water of the cay. Coral. As you can see from the photos, the coral is immediately adjacent to the cay. No long swims. Great place to soak up the tropical sunshine. Amazing marine bird population. At its height (during the summer breeding season), as many as 20,000 birds nest on the island. Many excellent scuba dive sites for certified scuba divers. Introductory or first time scuba divers can dive in shallow water, directly off the boat in a coral garden. A unique experience on the Great Barrier Reef which combines migratory sea birds, tropical marine life and a true coral cay.

 Paradise Reef

Paradise Reef is a hard coral reef where fractured coral form a ribbon of small reefs. With depths of up to 25 meters along the edge, water clarity is good and the area is host to many exciting fish species. Located on the Outer Barrier Reef, Paradise Reef forms part of Breaking Patches, a system of reefs about 1 to 2 nautical miles north of Michaelmas Cay. Passions of Paradise holds an exclusive permit for Paradise Reef. We pioneered this site in 1995, and have been snorkelling and scuba diving the area ever since. This means no crowds from other boats, and the coral is in magnificent condition. Features Excellent wall diving for certified scuba divers. Safe, easy and exciting snorkeling due to fish congregations along the wall. The coral is located within meters of the boat and does not require strenuous swimming. A completely different reef system. Paradise Reef has predominately hard corals, and many of the fish are different from those that inhabit the lagoon at Michaelmas cay. An opportunity to do a second introductory scuba dive or certified scuba dive on a different and deeper reef. A guided snorkel tour.