Tips for cruising around Coral:
I love coral reefs, and the many glorious sandy islets and cays found in FNQ. From my experience, I have found cruising around them no more difficult than the coast. However, I usually adopt a different strategy that considers the changed circumstances and conditions found in these places. It is important to know where best to anchor for both safety and comfort and how the tides and weather effect reef cruising dissimilarly to the coast. This skipper gets nervous jamming into marina berths and entering central coast barred river mouths--but coral reefs are never a bother. Hope you enjoy our blogs.
Ashmore Reef QLD – cruising 2011/2018
Ashmore Reef is a large Atoll 23nm east from the GBR and not far from its end point coming from Australia. Being so isolated it has a certain adventurous feel about it. In 2011 we cruised east from Masig Island in the Torres Strait, entering the Coral Sea via the rather…
Learning to be Reef Rats…August 2017
We love to cruise to isolated reef areas of the Australian NE coast: experience nature on pristine islets, dive into clear waters, sip wine at sunset, & enjoy the simple pleasures away from civilization. Does that sound like idealistic dreaming or a fantasy from a tourist brochure? Well, of course, it hasn’t always gone…
Buoy Moorings Townsville to Lizard Island — updated 2022
Using buoy moorings Townsville to Lizard Island.Prevent coral damage—improve safety—access diving & snorkelling hot spots near population centres. When cruising FNQ, everybody wants to spend some time in the water—on the reef. Whether it’s scuba, hookah, free diving, or snorkelling, we all love to experience that unique outer reef world close-up. The biggest impediment is…
Anchoring to dive on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea — March 2016
Our anchor is very happy in mud, but there is no dirt in the Coral Sea; this makes anchoring to dive on the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea more challenging. Here it’s all about living coral, dead coral, sand and rubble made from crushed and broken coral, plus rocks formed from compacted coral sand.…