Experiencing the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Magic Cruises

Our visit to the Great Barrier Reef was definitely the most amazing adventure we have had in Australia so far. We went out on a boat with Reef Magic Cruises to the reef, were we had the opportunity to snorkel as much as we wanted the whole day. It had been a bit windy the last couple of days, and this day was not an exemption, so the number of tourists was significantly lower than normal. Fortunately I've grown up pretty much spending my summers at sea, so the waves didn't really bother me that much, but it seems that other tourists complained about the for them large waves. Also, Reef Magic Cruices have their own great pontoon, so once you step onboard it you aren't affected that much by the waves.

All the snorkling equipment was included in the price. We decided to rent wetsuits as well in order to avoid getting sunburned from the strong light. That turned out to be a good choice, because many of the others looked like they had gotten a little bit too much sun once the day was over.

My stepmother had never snorkeled before, and she was afraid to look down into the water. But once she did she was surprised to discover a whole new world she had never seen before. She later told us it was her best experience on the trip.

The water was really not that deep by the reef, and in some places one could even stand. Which one of course shouldn't do, because you'll probably ending up damaging the corals and get scratched too. But that's how shallow it is. It is somewhat annoying if you get loads of water into your snorkel though, because it is harder to get rid of the water at the same time as you're trying to avoid the corals below.

And there were of course a lot of pretty and colorful fish to look at! My dad used the opportunity to take a selfie while feeding the fish.

In addition to the snorkeling we also had some additional options for entertainment such as a semi-submersible and glass-bottom boat tour where a guide taught us various facts about the corals and the reef's environment.

They also offered additional activities that were not included in the price such as a reef-scenic helicopter flight, guided snorkeling trips around the reef, and scuba diving both for certified divers and trial dives for people without diving experience. My dad decided to try out diving for the first time, and although he thought the dive was too short it seems it was a nice experience.

For those who don't want to do a regular dive, there's also the option to experience helmet diving. On the picture below you can see four helmet divers meeting Wally the great Maori Wrasse.

Although all of these experiences made the trip worthwhile it was Wally that really made the trip to the great reef an unique experience I'll never forget. Wally is a great fish called Maori Wrasse, he is about a meter long, and although he is a wild creature he seems to like human company. We could get out photos taken with him, and he stayed close to the boat the whole day. I brought some crackers with me into the ocean, and he literarily ate the crackers from my hand.

"G'day!"

Wally the Maory Wrasse is almost tame like a pet

All in all it was the experience with Wally that made the trip to the Great Barrier Reef unique, or at least for me. The professional photographer is down there all the time, and she can take photos of you while you're diving with Wally. He is a very friendly fish, and after I had fed him he remembered me and came back to me even when I didn't have any food with me so that I could touch him. I would advice you to be careful while feeding him though, he is a wild animal after all. Don't blame him if you get scratches from his teeth. But he is a fantastic creature, and I felt so honored that he came up to me. Since he lives by the Reef Magic Cruises' pontoon I think it is likely that you'll see him if you go on their trip. I would strongly recommend them, they did everything they could to make our trip wonderful and memorable! Definitely my best experience in Australia.! ;)

Relevant pages: 

-The Reef Magic Cruises

-Feeding Wally

Other alternative day trips from Cairns:

-The Kuranda Scenic Railway

-The Butterfly Sanctuary

-The RainForeStation
-The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

-All blogposts from Australia

About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.