Snorkelling & scuba diving

Snorkelling

The Whitsundays underwater world is exciting and beautiful and there are many pristine locations to experience life under the sea. However, snorkelling can be a strenuous activity, even in calm water, and may increase health and safety risks for some people. Follow the guidelines outlined by Queensland Government so your experience is safe and memorable.

Guidelines:

• Always snorkel in buddy pairs
• Always stay in an area close to the boat or shore
• If in doubt about your limits, wear a flotation device
• Use hand signals so you know when to return to the boat or to let people know if you need help
• To avoid sunburn, use sunscreen and wear suitable clothing - ie, stinger or wet suit
• Do not drink alcohol before snorkelling

Snorkelling may increase the risks for people suffering from:

• Medical conditions worsened by physical exertion, for example heart disease, asthma, some lung complaints
• Medical conditions that can result in loss of consciousness, for example epilepsy and some diabetic conditions
• Asthma can be brought on by cold water or salt water mist

Snorkelling equipment

Snorkels and masks (including prescription masks as required) can be hired for a small fee. Fins are free for all guests and can be collected on arrival. If collecting from an island resort, advise fin sizes in advance so they can be loaded on to your vessel. We supply stinger suits and 1mm wet suits, depending on the time of year. We recommend you hire these items, mainly for UV protection. You're also welcome to bring your own equipment and in-the-water sun protection gear.

Scuba diving

Excellent visibility and warm water make the Whitsunday Islands a scuba diver's paradise. Book a course in the Whitsundays before you set sail and put your new skills into practice.

Learn to dive

Whitsunday Diving Academy offers a vast range of learn to dive and adventure dive courses for the whole family - including its popular Bubblemaker course for children eight and over for $110. Operating from Cannonvale, with some of the best dive training facilities in Queensland, it provides small and compact group courses for individual attention, extensive pool training for beginners and flexible schedules. The academy's dive instructors have expert local area knowledge and love to share their tips about what you're likely to encounter at the incredible dive sites of the Whitsundays.

Phone: (07) 4946 4449 or 1300 348 464 (1300 DIVING)

Book online

Diving experiences

If you'd like to explore one of the world's best dive locations during your holiday, Tornado Dive offers a rendezvous service where you can meet up with a dive boat on location. Dives can be tailored to all levels of experience from beginners up.  Simply contact Tornado Dive on your boat's VHF radio the day before so you can be scheduled into the program. Then meet the dive boat at a designated time and location.

The dives will take place near North Hook Island, Blue Pearl Bay off Hayman Island or the Langford Reef area. These locations offer a spectacular array of marine life and the soft coral reefs grow right from the edge of the islands. Come face-to-face with some of nature's most colourful and amazing sea creatures and a diversity of beautiful corals. Find out more about scuba diving with Tornado Dive while on a WRAY charter.

Phone: 1800 675 790

Book online

Diving equipment

If you'd prefer to hire your own scuba diving equipment, Aqua Dive at Abell Point Marina has everything you need. It also provides a map showing some of the best dive spots and the locations of air tank filling facilities around the islands. Equipment can be collected from Aqua Dive prior to your charter.

Phone: (07) 4946 4074

Email: info@aquadive.com.au