Page 89 - Port Douglas Magazine 33
P. 89

WORDS by Rosie Wang
 The  Great  Barrier  Reef
 supports over 1500  species
 of  fi sh,  400  species  of  coral
 and 4000 species of molluscs.
 There  is  more  diversity  of
 species of plants and animals
 per  cubic  metre  than  in  any
 other environment in the world.
 Port Douglas is ideally located
 OPAL REEF &
 as   the   perfect   gateway   OPAL REEF &
                                             OSPREY
 to  discover  this  amazing    MACKAY   AGINCOURT   OSPREY
               AGINCOURT
 This  guide  will  help  you  LOW ISLES  CORAL   TONGUE                ADDITIONAL INFO
                                                                          ADDITIONAL INFO
 underwater world.
                     REEF
                                                REEF
 decide  how  you  want  to   CAY  REEF  REEF  REEF
 explore the Great Barrier Reef
 Low Isles is located approx. 12   Approx. 25 km East of Cape   50 km from Port Douglas  50 km from Port Douglas  300 km from Port Douglas,  WHAT TO BRING?
                                                                       WHAT TO BRING?
             50 km from Port Douglas
                                          300 km from Port Douglas,
 km from Port Douglas.  Tribulation.   These reefs are ideal   Boats will moor up in about 10m   Osprey Reef is truly wild and   •  •  Hat  Hat
             Boats will moor up in about 10m
                                          Osprey Reef is truly wild and
 The white sands dip gently   50 km from Port Douglas.  for snorkelers with   of water and snorkellers swim   remoteote  •  •  Towel
             of water and snorkellers swim
                                          rem
                                                                          Towel
 shallower water (3/4
             (approx 30m) to the shallower
           (approx 30m) to the shallower
 from the shore making this
                                                                          Swimw
 LOCATION  island ideal for paddling in a   Snorkelling is in shallow water   metres) snorkelers can   areas to view the reef.  •  •  Swimwearear
             areas to view the reef.
 1-3m
                                                                     •  •
                                                                          Environmentally friendly sunscreen
                                                                       Environmentally friendly sunscreen
 comfortable depth of water..   swim around bommies   Diving here max depth 18m   •  •  Sunglasses
             Diving here max depth 18m
                                                                          Sunglasses
 All tours include the use of a   (coral outcrops) and along   Snorkelling is along walls and   •  •  Camera
             Snorkelling is along walls and
                                                                          Camera
 shallow walls.
 glass bottom boat.  tops of bommies.                                •  •  Certifi ed Divers – Certifi cation Card & Logbook
             tops of bommies.
                                                                          Certifi ed Divers – Certifi cation Card & Logbook
                                                                       SEA SICKNESS
                                                                     SEA SICKNESS
                                                                           Natural remedies may include ginger
              HIGH SPEED CATAMARAN -
                                          CHARTER YACHT
 SPEED BOAT - 15 MIN  SPEED BOAT - 25 MIN  HIGH SPEED CATAMARAN -   HIGH SPEED CATAMARAN -   CHARTER YACHT  •  •  Natural remedies may include ginger
                                                                           (raw or tablets)
                                                                        (raw or tablets)
 90 MINS
           90 MINS
              90 MINS
 VESSELS  SAILING CATAMARAN- 90 MINS  SAILING CATAMARAN - 2HRS  CHARTER YACHT  CHARTER YACHT  •  •  Fresh air
                                                                           Fresh air
              CHARTER YACHT
 CHARTER YACHT
 CHARTER YACHT
                                                                        Sitting facing the direction you are travelling
                                                                     •  •
                                                                           Sitting facing the direction you are travelling
                                                                     •  •  Looking to the horizon
                                                                           Looking to the horizon
                                                                     •  •  Otherwise get organised prior travel with a
                                                                           Otherwise get organised prior travel with a
                                                                           medication suitable for you and remember
                                                                        medication suitable for you and remember to  to
                                                                           consult directions 24 hours before departure
                                                                        consult directions 24 hours before departure
 Giant clams, batfi sh, turtles,   Mackay Cay is a picturesque   Clown fi sh (Nemo),   Shoals of Barracuda, nurse   Close encounters with schools   WATER TEMPERATURE
             Shoals of Barracuda, nurse
                                          Close encounters with schools
                                                                       WATER TEMPERATURE
             sharks, butt
                                          of trevally, giant potato cod,
                       erfl y fi sh, angel fi
 barracuda, black tip sharks,   snow white sandy coral cay   damselfi sh, parrot fi sh,   sharks, butterfly fi sh, angel fi sh, sh,   of trevally, giant potato cod,
                                                                       April till July ranges from 24 to 26 degrees celsius
                                          green turtles, moray eels,

 clown fi sh, angel fi sh, sea   fringed with crystal blue waters   surgeon fi sh, butterfly fi sh,   parrot fi sh, clown fi sh, mauri   green turtles, moray eels,   April till July ranges from 24 to 26 degrees celsius
             parrot fi sh, clown fi sh, mauri
                                          octopuses, and a variety
 cucumbers, trevally, sweetlips,   and populated by terns.   angel fi sh. Blue spotted   wrasse, fan corals, lion fi sh, sh,   octopuses, and a variety of  of
             wrasse, fan corals, lion fi
                                                                       EMC - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CHAR
 WHAT WILL   moon wrasse, fusiliers.  Sea turtles, clown fi sh,   stingrays, lizardfi sh, blue   sweetlips, squid, lettuce coral,   sharks are all but guaranteed.  EMC - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CHARGE GE
             sweetlips, squid, lettuce coral,
                                          sharks are all but guaranteed.
 chromis, paddle tail snappers,
           table coral, boulder corals,
             table coral, boulder corals,
                                                                     $7.00 per person
                                                                       $7.00 per person *WAIVED UNTIL 1st JULY 2022*
 butterfly fi sh, a huge variety
 Dugongs and Humpbacks

 I SEE?  (in season) can also be seen   of colourful coral, eagle rays,   red bass, reef sharks, turtles,   blue stripe snappers, gobies,   This applies to all adults and children 4 years and over
             blue stripe snappers, gobies,
                                                                       This applies to all adults and children 4 years and over
           goldband fusiliers. Octopus,
             goldband fusiliers. Octopus,
 wrasse, white tip reef shark,
                                                                       entering the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area.
             green humphead parrot fi
 These are not guaranteed   around the Low Isles   sea cucumbers, starfi sh, a   giant clams, red bass,   green humphead parrot fi sh, sh,   entering the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area.
 fantastic giant clam garden,
                                                                       All funds received are applied directly to the Marine Park
                                                                     All funds received are applied directly to the Marine Park
 Low Isles attracts many birds
             manta rays, loggerhead turtles,
 as marine life is always on   including Orange-footed   blue spotted stingrays  barracuda, trevally, Maori   manta rays, loggerhead turtles,   for its day-to-day management and to improve its long-
                                                                       for its day-to-day management and to improve its long-
 wrasse, Spanish mackerel,
           grey reef whaler sharks,
             grey reef whaler sharks,
 the move  scrub fowl, reef egret, osprey,   schooling baitfi sh,     term resilience.
                                                                       term resilience.
             Corals - fan, table, boulder
 brahminy kite, terns,kingfi sher,   Corals - fan, table, boulder
             lettuce, pavona
 honey-eaters, triller, spangled   Corals – boulder, staghorn  lettuce, pavona  The Great Barrier Reef is a National Marine Park
                                                                       The Great Barrier Reef is a National Marine Park
             Humpback Whales (May-Sep) ,
 drongo.   Humpback Whales (May-Sep) ,                               so remember to take home only memories and
                                                                       so remember to take home only memories and
           Minke Whales (July-Sep)                                   photographs
             Minke Whales (July-Sep)
                                                                       photographs
                                         Its exceptional architecture, with
             Agincourt Reef, the southern
                                                                       All outer reef day cruises include a buffet lunch,


 1928 the Low Isles was the   Being only 25 km from shore   With Opal Reef being   Agincourt Reef, the southern   Its exceptional architecture, with   All outer reef day cruises include a buffet lunch,
 base of the fi rst scientifi c coral   you can still snorkel with a   formed in a crescent this   most part of the Ribbon   vertical walls, drop-offs and   morning and afternoon snacks and equipment. This
                                                                       morning and afternoon snacks and equipment. This

             most part of the Ribbon

                                         vertical walls, drop-offs and
 reef study in the world.
             Reefs, offers around 30
                                         swim-throughs, is the summit
                                                                       includes lycra suits and buoyancy aids (life vests and

           Reefs, offers around 30
 view of the Daintree Rainforest.
 offers optimum shelter from
                                       swim-throughs, is the summit


                                                                     includes lycra suits and buoyancy aids (life vests and
 SPECIAL   Lows Isles has 150 different   The only place in the world   prevailing winds allowing   different dive/snorkel sites.  It   of a great mountain that rises   noodles). All diving equipment for divers.
              diff erent dive/snorkel sites.  It
                                                                       noodles). All diving equipment for divers.
                                         of a great mountain that rises

 gentler waters.
             is adjacent to the Coral Sea
                                       sharply from the ocean floor.

                                         sharply from the ocean floor.
           is adjacent to the Coral Sea

                                                                       If you wish to dive and don’t have a certifi cation then
 INTEREST   species of hard corals and   where a rainforest meets a   trench.  At dive sites like North Horn,   If you wish to dive and don’t have a certifi cation then
             trench.
 15 species of soft corals.  7
 reef.
                                         At dive sites like North Horn,
                                                                     it is possible to partake in an introductory dive with an
                                                                       it is possible to partake in an introductory dive with an
                                         Admiralty and False Entran
                                                                       instructor (subject to medical conditions).
 FEATURES  species of seagrass.        Admiralty and False Entrance ce   instructor (subject to medical conditions).
                                         you’ll fi nd walls stepping
                                       you’ll fi nd walls stepping
 It takes 20 minutes to walk
                                                                     You can design your own day on the reef with a private
                                                                       You can design your own day on the reef with a private
                                         down to 1000 metres, caves
                                                                       charter vessel.
 around the island on a self-          down to 1000 metres, caves    charter vessel.
                                         and grottoes to explore, and
 guided walk.                          and grottoes to explore, and   Compare and book your reef experience direct with
                                                                       Compare and book your reef experience direct with
                                         overhangs covered in huge s
                                       overhangs covered in huge soft oft
                                                                       the operator via tourismportdouglas.com.au
                                         cor
                                       corals.als.                   the operator via tourismportdouglas.com.au
                                                                                                PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE   89
 76   tourismportdouglas.com.au                                                                PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE   77
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