The best 2 day 1 night Outer Barrier Reef encounter
If you’re looking for a 2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef liveaboard trip, please read on to find out about two great liveaboards. Each one is totally different and cater for each end of the spectrum.
2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef: 2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef is available from two very different Great Barrier Reef liveaboards. This are the Ocean Quest liveaboard (up to 48 guests) and the Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard (up to 12 guests). Both these liveaboards offer a 2 day 1 night Outer Barrier Reef encounter.
The best way to dive the Great Barrier Reef, Australia is by a scuba diving liveaboard. You can check the latest and best deals on Great Barrier Reef liveaboards using the following window:
2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef
The following two liveaboards offer 2 day 1 night Outer Great Barrier Reef encounters:
Ocean Quest Liveaboard – Rated 9 out of 10 and Superb, with 4.5 stars. This Great Barrier Reef liveaboard is 36 metres (118 feet) and caters for up to 48 guests.
Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard – Rated 9.2 out of 10 and Superb, with 4.5 stars. An 18 metre (59 feet) sailing yacht liveaboard offering 2 day 1 night Outer Barrier Reef encounters for up to 12 guests.
So let’s now take a closer look at both of these liveaboard boats that offer 2 day liveaboard trips to the outer Great Barrier Reef.
Ocean Quest liveaboard
Ocean Quest liveaboard – image courtesy of Liveaboard.com
The Ocean Quest liveaboard is one of the largest dive boats on the Great Barrier Reef offering accommodation for up to 48 guests. Unlike many liveaboards that sail from port, the Ocean Quest is permanently moored at the Outer Reef. Guests are transferred by fast boat direct from Cairns.
2 day 1 night Outer Barrier Reef encounter on offer from Ocean Quest
The 2 day 1 night Ocean Quest dive package offers 6 dives in total across the two days. To enjoy this two day trip you need a minimum of an Open Water certification, together with a minimum of 4 logged dives.
Fantastic trip! “Night diving,Seeing multiple species of underwater organisms, seeing the reef at various sites. Overall a fantastic live aboard, would return in a heartbeat. #bringbackthehashbrowns #bringbackthehotchocolate #bringbackthemusic.” Recommended for: Justin the cook was fantastic, the dives were fantastic, everything was well organized which was great.
The diving from the Ocean Quest is focused on the Norman Reef, the Saxon Reef and the Hastings Reef. The diving includes a night dive on your single night on the Ocean Quest.
Outer Barrier Reef dive sites on offer with the Ocean Quest liveaboard
Norman Reef
Norman Reef is located 70 kilometres (44 miles) from Cairns off the east coast of Australia. This reef is on the very outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef along the continental shelf. If is claimed to be one of the best places to snorkel and dive on the Great Barrier Reef.
Norman Reef has clear water with great visibility together with a wide range of marine life to enjoy. Norman Reef is made up of various bommies and coral canyons. Dive sites include the Secret Garden, Turtle Bay, First Bommie and Troppos.
Marine life you’ll encounter includes turtles, sharks, stingrays, moray eels, barracuda, many coral fish species and Wally the friendly resident Maori Wrasse.
Saxon Reef
Saxon Reef is found between Norma Reef and Hastings Reef and is also on the Outer Barrier Reef. It’s located about 55 kilometres (34 miles) Northeast of Cairns.
Saxon Reef itself is made up of a collection of coral “bommies”. Each of these bommies has its individual features where you’ll dive amongst moray eels, large cod, barramundi, and painted crayfish.
Hastings Reef
Hastings Reef is also on the Outer Barrier Reef, lying about 54 kilometres (34 miles) from Cairns. Due to its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean means the water is clear and visibility is good.
Here you’ll find plenty of coral caves, canyons, overhangs, and water drop offs to explore and enjoy the marine life.
Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard – image courtesy of Liveaboard.com
The MV Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard also offers 2 day 1 night liveaboard trips to the Outer Barrier Reef too. However, this liveaboard is at the other end of the scale of size and caters for just 12 guests instead.
This sailing yacht is just 18 metres (59 feet) in length and has just 5 cabins. These are set up as three private doubles, one quad share cabin and a single bunk bed for two. This liveaboard is much smaller and means the dives will be more intimate and less crowded.
Amazing trip with a great crew! “Waking up on the reef in the morning and being able to jump right into the water.” Recommended for: The crew, the coral, and the amount of ocean life.
2 day 1 night Outer Barrier Reef encounter on offer from Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard
The 2 day 1 night Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard dive package is called the “Dive and Sail” and offers 6 dives in total across the two days. To enjoy this two day trip you need a minimum of an Open Water certification, but no minimum logged dives.
Diving on the Outer Barrier Reef from the Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard
One the first day you’ll get to dive either Flynn or Milne Reef on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The visibility is fantastic and the depths range from 1 to 30 meters (3-98 feet).
This first dive site is great for both snorkelers and divers and provides for a wide range of options depending upon experience. There is an extensive coral garden with an incredible amount of marine life.
You’ll hopefully encounter turtles, reef sharks and large schools of pelagic fish. The second day on Milne Reef there’s a chance to see the Whale that frequents this region.
Please note with the Coral Sea Dreaming that the price quoted does not include diving. The diving is purchase separately as a diving package
I hope you enjoyed this article about 2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef
I’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your adventures of diving and snorkeling, in the comments below. Please also share your photos. Either from your underwater cameras or videos from your waterproof Gopro’s!
If this article hasn’t answered all of your questions. If you have more questions either about snorkeling or scuba diving (or specifically about 2 day liveaboard Great Barrier Reef), please comment below with your questions.
There will also be many more articles about scuba diving (and snorkeling) for you to read and learn about these fabulous sports.
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Article written by Russell Bowyer who has been a scuba diver since diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1989. After his first dive he trained as a BSAC diver in the UK. He attained his Diver Leader certification with BSAC. He then went on to become a scuba diving instructor, teaching others how to dive and was voted as Diving Officer and Treasurer for the Saffron Walden BSAC club too. Russell has dived all over the world, including the UK, on liveaboards in the Red Sea, the Caribbean, South Africa and the USA. Russell is experienced in all dive types, including drift diving, deep dives that involved decompression stops and recreational dives too.
