Day 5 Australia - Cairns

Thursday 26th February, 2015 - (QG) Quicksilver Cruises Outer Barrier Reef
Cruise ex Cairns
Transfer Type: Seat in Boat
Duration: 10 hour(s)
Pick up: 8:00am Pacific International Hotel Cairns
Drop off: 6:00pm Pacific International Hotel Cairns

For an experience of a lifetime, Quicksilver's wave piercing catamarans and friendly crew will
take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is
a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance. Agincourt Reef is a magnificent ribbon reef
where you can experience first-hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef. Choose to dive
(extra cost), snorkel, or stay dry and explore the stunning reef from the comfort of a semi-sub,
just one metre underwater. Watch the fish feeding from a unique underwater viewing platform
and underwater observatory, or fly in a helicopter over the reef (extra cost). Whichever way you
choose; you'll bring home a lifetime of memories from this living natural wonder.

Includes: Morning and afternoon tea, tropical buffet lunch, snorkel equipment, coral viewing semisubmersible, underwater observatory and informative talk by a Marine Biologist.

We are picked up and stop at several more hotels for more passengers. We are in the minority, most are Lunar New Year travellers with lots of children.

The driver does a nice commentary as we make our way to the boat terminal. It is HOT as we line up to board.

Once on board we wander looking for somewhere to sit. There are 400 passengers, 90 % Lunar New Year travellers from China and the noise level is deafening. There are seats in the middle and tables around the windows on two levels. We find a table and sit with a British couple.

The staff try to explain various safety items but as the majority don't understand English it is impossible to understand.

Quicksilver's wavepiercing catamarans and friendly crew will take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance... Agincourt Reef, a magnificent ribbon reef where you can experience first hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef.

It is a ninety minute trip to the Agincourt reef where the boat anchors for the day.

The signs says the air temperature is 32C and the water temperature is 29C.

John, all geared up. I didn't go in, even though the water was enticing. Didn't matter to me and there aren't any lockers to store your stuff and I wasn't about to leave two cameras, wallets and a watch sitting unattended.

John ask took an optional 45 minute guided snorkeling tour with a marine biologist for $56. He was probably the only one who could understand her.

 I took the submarine tour, John would have hated it as it was rather tight quarters.

We were to be back on the boat for departure at 2:50. I boarded at 1:45 and every single table upstairs and down, had stuff on the chairs. The Chinese had taken over any good seats.

On the way back to shore.

For dinner, we had Indian. Once again, service does not exist in Australia. Our plates are taken away before we are served our main course. We watched some people just leave.