Australia - the Great Barrier Reef in May

[Anonymous]

We'll be in Australia in May and want to see the Great Barrier Reef. Our 6 year old is comfortable with water but not a super strong swimmer. Any recommendations as to the type of tour we should take? ReefMagic, Quicksilver are some of the names popped with a quick google search. We will be in Hamilton Island for 4 days and Cairns for 4 days. Any other day trip recommendations would be appreciated as well. Also, does anyone know what the water temperature will be like that time of the year? It will be close to the winter there. I'm wondering if I should get a fullbody wetsuit for our 6 yr old.

[Anonymous]

There are tons of tour operators there. I would just try to read up online but book in person when there. Are you going to the whitsundays? I'm not sure if it's jellyfish season at that time but pls read up on that.

[Anonymous]

It's the tropics. Won't be that cold. Don't buy a wetsuit. Someone will have them for kids.

[Anonymous]

I did it in October, so their spring, and it was plenty warm. I did a scuba dive (my one and only!) and it was awesome!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it in October, so their spring, and it was plenty warm. I did a scuba dive (my one and only!) and it was awesome!!

And yes, the wetsuits were provided. I wouldn't buy one.

[Anonymous]

I did Quicksilver several years ago. They will dock at the reef and there is an area where you can snorkel with a ton of fish. Very safe for kids. They provide the wetsuits and snorkels. If you want, you can pay extra and take a boat out a couple of miles and snorkel away from the crowd. It was awesome, but not sure I would do that with younger kids.
The wetsuits help to keep you buoyant.
They also have a bunch of food on the boat that takes you out - shrimp, fruit, etc. - at least, they used to - and it was included as part of the trip (served buffet style). At least, they used to.
Have fun! It is a great experience.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I'll also look up on the jellyfish season.

[Anonymous]

You may want to read the New York Times article from around a week ago about the extensive coral bleaching event this year as a result of El Niño. The damage to the reef apparently is widespread and depressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may want to read the New York Times article from around a week ago about the extensive coral bleaching event this year as a result of El Niño. The damage to the reef apparently is widespread and depressing.

+1. I was going to post the same thing. I just read in WaPo that 93% of the reefs are bleached.

[Anonymous]

We did the reef in May for our honeymoon a few years ago-- I was actually just cleaning out an old bag and found our tickets for the quicksilver -- I'd forgotten the name of the company, but that was the one we did and we liked it. We dove though, so I can't speak to the snorkeling.

[Anonymous]

May can be a bit chilly. Certainly warm enough, but it won't be n the 90s.
Have fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We'll be in Australia in May and want to see the Great Barrier Reef. Our 6 year old is comfortable with water but not a super strong swimmer. Any recommendations as to the type of tour we should take? ReefMagic, Quicksilver are some of the names popped with a quick google search. We will be in Hamilton Island for 4 days and Cairns for 4 days. Any other day trip recommendations would be appreciated as well. Also, does anyone know what the water temperature will be like that time of the year? It will be close to the winter there. I'm wondering if I should get a fullbody wetsuit for our 6 yr old.

We visited the reefs with Quicksilver in early July last year. The water can be a little chilly, but it's tolerable. I wouldn't bother with a wet suit. They can rent you a suit, but it's supposedly to help with jellyfish (we didn't see any). Quicksilver's boat was large and fast, cruised at 30 knots. If possible, you should have your kids practice with a mask and snorkel before going if they've never done it. Our kids were a little intimidated at first - they had never snorkeled and starting in the ocean was not the best idea. But they loved it in the end and didn't want to come in.

I was iffy on going out to the GBR (we're not the best with motion sickness) but we all had a blast. Well worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We'll be in Australia in May and want to see the Great Barrier Reef. Our 6 year old is comfortable with water but not a super strong swimmer. Any recommendations as to the type of tour we should take? ReefMagic, Quicksilver are some of the names popped with a quick google search. We will be in Hamilton Island for 4 days and Cairns for 4 days. Any other day trip recommendations would be appreciated as well. Also, does anyone know what the water temperature will be like that time of the year? It will be close to the winter there. I'm wondering if I should get a fullbody wetsuit for our 6 yr old.

We visited the reefs with Quicksilver in early July last year. The water can be a little chilly, but it's tolerable. I wouldn't bother with a wet suit. They can rent you a suit, but it's supposedly to help with jellyfish (we didn't see any). Quicksilver's boat was large and fast, cruised at 30 knots. If possible, you should have your kids practice with a mask and snorkel before going if they've never done it. Our kids were a little intimidated at first - they had never snorkeled and starting in the ocean was not the best idea. But they loved it in the end and didn't want to come in.

I was iffy on going out to the GBR (we're not the best with motion sickness) but we all had a blast. Well worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it in October, so their spring, and it was plenty warm. I did a scuba dive (my one and only!) and it was awesome!!

And yes, the wetsuits were provided. I wouldn't buy one.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may want to read the New York Times article from around a week ago about the extensive coral bleaching event this year as a result of El Niño. The damage to the reef apparently is widespread and depressing.

+1. I was going to post the same thing. I just read in WaPo that 93% of the reefs are bleached.

+1

Glad I went when I did!