Drifters Whitsundays & Outer Great Barrier Reef Adventure!
There’s been a few people asking about our upcoming adventure retreat to the Whitsundays and Outer Great Barrier Reef - what to expect, etc - so I thought it best to share with you my own experience working on Whitsundays liveaboard sailboats last year.
Tender in tow and ready for adventure…
Now I use the term 'working' very loosely. I was recruited to teach my passion to a bunch of absolute chillers and legends on a sailboat in paradise. So, yeh, technically I was working but in reality I was hanging out on a big ol’ sailboat, diving, making friends and having the time of my life in unexplored terrain. Shout out to the homies Dan and Eckart for hiring me to ‘work’ across those 3 trips last winter – 2x freediving the Whitsundays and 1x spearfishing the Outer Great Barrier Reef – they were without doubt the highlight of my 2022.
The Whitsundays
Having never been to the Whitsundays or on a live-aboard before, the experience was going to be completely new. I immediately began googling to try to suss where to place my expectations. Lots of idyllic imagery (that I was certain was fake and/or photoshopped) flooded my laptop screen and left me feeling like there must be some unseen catch – it looked too good to be true. But, the actual experience ended up delivering far beyond the imaginings of what any online photo could conjure.
I’d just emerged from two years of Melbourne lockdown and was still living my best hermit life so a major concern was being stuck/trapped in close proximity to over 20 other humans for 4 full days! What if I didn’t like them? What if they didn’t like me?? What if I needed off the boat right now!?! I took a few breaths and told myself everything would be fine. It’s funny how we often fixate on potential negatives that not only don’t exist, but that ultimately prove to be the complete opposite of the experience we have. It’s a bit of a metaphor for freediving – the more you can relax and learn to go with the flow, the more fun you’re going to have.
The patience game
Freediving is an inherently challenging activity, forcing us to confront many of the discomforts and mental barriers that we may or may not be aware we possess. I’ve found that these types of freediving-centric adventures attract like-minded people; the curious folk who are ready to face themselves and ask big questions. They’re also seeking adventure and the real, raw experience of nature.
Connection with the wild is a primary reason many are learning to hunt and forage for their own food. I’ve personally found that my knowledge and appreciation of the balance of ecosystems has deepened significantly by learning to hunt – becoming an active participant in the cycle of life and death rather than merely an observer. It’s a deeply humbling and gratifying feeling entering the animal's domain to face it on its terms, rather than making the lazy plastic-wrapped purchase at the shops. The ethical and environmental issues surrounding factory-farming, commercial fishing and agriculture are widely known. Folks are keen to take it ‘back to basics’ by learning how to harvest their own protein and nutrition from the source.
Brenton fillets a tasty coral trout
Stepping off the plane in Airlie Beach, I instantly felt the cold tension of Melbourne’s bitter winter melt from my shoulders. I had defrosted and was in a tropical paradise (although the translucent nature of my epidermis told no lies). The transit via shuttle bus into Airlie Beach was short enough, around 30 mins, and I found the town itself to have a tropical, backpacky vibe; the staging ground for many ocean-going adventures. I rendezvoused with the other instructors, found my accommodation (YHA) and had an early night in expectation of the big few days ahead.
Meeting at the Coral Sea Marina around 8am, we had a group introduction where I got a first look at the humans I’d be spending the next 5 days at sea with – not bad! A friendly and energetic bunch. We may have some fun after all!
We walked along the platform to our boat where the captain and crew greeted us and took our luggage on-board. Captain Crispy’s safety briefing was highly amusing. Even after hearing many of the jokes for the third time around, they still brought me to laughter. The crew, while professional at all times, felt at ease, as if they were simply four more guests blending with the group.
The adventure begins
We set sail, the crew sprung to action pulling ropes and setting the lines as necessary to catch the wind. The boat started to lean and all passengers were instructed to sit at the high side of the boat with legs dangling over the edge. The boat would tilt a full 45 degrees while we sailed at top speed towards the Whitsunday Islands. Everyone was grinning ear to ear, some audibly shrieking with delight. Skipper and crew were a wealth of knowledge and keen to educate on the fundamentals of sailing, even allowing guests to participate in the crewing the vessel.
About 1.5hours later we arrived at the Islands and made our way through and around its various peaks and coral beaches. It really struck me how visually stunning the Whitsunday Islands are – the sharp, rocky slopes all covered with Hoop Pines. Although native, the hoop pines seem out of place for some reason. They make these islands resemble those in Atlantic North America, or maybe the eastern Mediterranean, but mixed with tropical palm trees and surrounded by coral reefs. These islands are uniquely beautiful.
Brenton provides deep safety for a student performing CNF
This is where the freediving trips would call home for 4 days, moving between protected bays to find the best conditions for line diving and snorkelling, with training depths down to 40m. While I was happy and eager to dive with guests as much as possible, for the guests, the day's activities were entirely optional. You could choose to line dive if you felt like it, or rest in the morning and dive in the afternoon…or snorkel and rest, or rest and snorkel, or dive, dive, dive. It really is a ‘choose your own adventure’ situation.
On the spearfishing trip, we spent one night at the islands and then set sail for the Outer Great Barrier Reef first thing the next morning. Having already been twice blown away by my experiences at the islands, I was particularly excited to be sending it far out into the salty abyss to see what treasures lay beyond the horizon. It took about 3 hours of sailing before we arrived at the closest part of the Great Barrier Reef. Being completely flat and mostly submerged (except some parts at low tide), we couldn’t see much before suddenly noticing the white of a few waves breaking ahead. Some structures had come into view and I was told these were the tourist platforms where visitors from the Whitsundays arrived daily via fast boat and helicopter. We continued sailing past these platforms and followed an underwater channel through a labyrinth of coral. It felt like we were following a treasure map and I couldn’t wait to see where we ended up.
Square reef
A short while later, we arrived at our own secluded coral lagoon, skipper dropped anchor and we made our home for the day. The crew prepared us a light lunch and then we organised ourselves into dive groups, jumping into our assigned tender (a tender is a support vessel, in this case 2x zodiac inflatables) with instructors and a crew member to oversee the session. Buzzing along the coral reef, I could see over the side that the visibility was pretty good. It looked like maybe 10m to the bottom and I could clearly make out the plate coral and even see a few fish swimming about. SO EXCITED. But nothing could prepare me for what I was about to experience. The visibility was insane; easily +30m and we were in 10-15m depth with a coral ledge rising steeply from the bottom and extending beyond sight to each side of me. The water was thick with schools of shimmering fish of all sizes and in every level of the water column. I’d never seen so much sea life in one place. From the surface I could easily make out numerous coral trout sheltering around the plate coral, schools of emperors in the gullies, mackerel in mid-water, various types of trevally absolutely everywhere, a goliath grouper the size of a small car chilling in a cave, a few white tips reef sharks scattered about. I even saw a lone bull shark minding its own business. This - all in the first drop of the day. The only word I think accurately describes the experience is ‘psychedelic’. It was as if the dial on colour, movement and visual stimulation had been cranked up to the max. It felt like I was dreaming.
The vastness of this great wilderness really strikes you when you’re living amongst it for days at a time. Each day, diving for sustenance, harvesting selectively and cooking up with friends is full of profound moments to cherish for a lifetime. I look back on those trips with nothing but warmth and gratitude that I could be so lucky to have such an experience. And I didn’t even mention the sunsets…
For our Drifters adventure, we’re combining the best of both the freediving and spearfishing trips. We’ll be offering guests the option to complete an AIDA 2 freedive certification, or work towards their AIDA 3 or AIDA 4 certs. We’ll combine that with the option for daily spearfishing in the outer great barrier reef, plus snorkelling and fun diving. Morning breathwork for those in the mood, fresh and tasty food provided all day and good vibes always. Our Outer Great Barrier Reef trip will be the perfect combination of adventure, R&R and active education. We really hope you can join us – it will be one of the best things you ever did.
To make a deposit to secure your spot, book or enquire CLICK HERE
One of many epic sunsets
FURTHER DETAILS:
Climate – Many say that winter is the best time of the year to visit the Whitsundays, with August having the most stable and dry weather patterns of the year, which means the highest likelihood of sunny and pristine diving weather. Daytime temps average 25 degrees and the nights are noticeably cool. I packed light, including only a 1x hoodie, a light spray jacket and pair of trackies just in case. I would end up wearing the same shorts and singlet for most of the trip, occasionally rocking a t-shirt and hoodie at night when the sun had well and truly gone down. Rainfall is at its lowest during this time of year and I experienced a couple of rain storms that were short-lived and refreshing. Humankind is yet to harness the power to control the weather so one should expect it to be variable and pack accordingly.
Transport - Flying from Melbourne to the Whitsundays Coast Airport AKA Proserpine Airport (YBPN/PPP) was easy and only cost a few hundred dollars return with travel time slightly under 3 hours. From the airport you can pre-book a shuttle bus to Airlie Beach (30 min drive) or take your chance with a taxi. Highly recommend going the pre-booked shuttle for perhaps $30-40 as it's easy and they’ll drop you to your accommodation.
Luggage - I was required to bring all of my own dive gear and speargun(s) so decided to invest in a Sportube Series 2 travel case. I’d been eyeing one for some time and this was the perfect excuse to lash out. It easily fit all my dive gear: 2x spearguns, fins, wetsuit, multiple mask/snorkels, weight-belt, tools kit, spare shafts, drybag and more into the Sportube and checked into oversized luggage at the airport – a process I came to love as it meant being able to stand away from the crowds at the luggage conveyor with my gear often being the first off the plane. Then just a small carry on bag with a few items of clothing and my laptop and I was set.
Accommodation in Airlie – Our boat was to depart from the Coral Sea Marina at 9am, so we needed to arrive the day before and find accommodation in Airlie. This could not have been easier as Airlie is a well-established backpacker and tourist town so cheap and cheerful lodgings are abundant and start at around $40 per night. During my trips I stayed at the YHA, Magnums and even a private apartment for a couple of nights during a layover. Airlie will provide for you, whatever your budget.
The Vessel– Prosails maxi-yachts ‘Broomstick’ and ‘Condor’ are ex-competition racing yachts that have been retro-fitted to accommodate over 20 passengers + crew. They include 2 bathrooms with toilets and shower amenities, a professional galley where the crew prepare our meals and large bunk beds fixed into the hull of the boat. It’s not 5 star accommodation by any means but it is comfortable and surprisingly roomy inside the boat. There are also hammocks and mats to sleep on the deck under the stars for those in the mood. The maxi-yachts tow 2 inflatable tenders that are used to ferry guests to dive sites and explore the islands and coral reefs.
The Crew – Prosail’s elite crew of professional seafarers were a highlight – a fun, chill and sometimes zany mix of ocean lovers. The crew work tirelessly during our time at sea to ensure the safety and good times never falter. They rise before the sun and prepare breakfast, oversee the safety of all diving activities, operate the sailboat, prepare our meals and snacks and generally add to the good vibes on board.
