Beware of the Stingers of the Great Barrier Reef in Whitsunday
As you may determine if you read the following account of our experience, I am still very upset. An old girlfriend used to call such things an AFLE which is short for “Another F-----g Learning Experience“ and it was. However after consideration I feel I should warn others as much as I can. The Internet is great for this so here it comes and I will use it as much as possible! Please feel free to send this off to as many people as you wish!
My wife and I have been planning an extended holiday in Australia and New Zealand for 2 years.
A little background.
I have been diving extensively now for over 40 years and sailing for about 34 years. We have our own cruising sailboat with all the amenities, hot and cold running water complete galley head, refrigeration etc. We have been taking diving holidays for many years. Not to mention all but some of these include places like Belize, Honduras, Florida, Jamaica, Philippines, Cuba, Bahamas, Cook Islands and about 3 or 4 times in my favorite Bonaire where they really know about protecting their reef! I raced for about 10 years in Nova Scotia with the Nova Scotia Schooner Association of which I have been a member for many years. I have also crewed on a tall ship. For many years we used to compete in Underwater Hockey and Spear fishing tournaments. Although I used to work 100 feet or more free diving I usually limit this to 50 or 60 feet now.
The purpose of the above preamble is to identify that I have had some experience with diving, sailing and being taken on diving trips.
Our plan for this trip was to take the time (about 5 months) to properly see Australia and New Zealand and escape a Canadian winter. Our estimates for the cost of the whole trip was to be around $40,000 to $60,000, a once in a lifetime trip. One of the real highlights would be a dive on the Great Barrier Reef. The place chosen was Whitsunday. We were traveling by campervan and were staying at the Flame Tree Caravan Park just outside of Whitsunday. A really great place, well run and most accommodating.
We proceeded to book out tour through the people at the Flame Tree for Nov 20th and 21st. We knew we were not in peak season so it should not be too much trouble to get a tour booked. After a few calls we paid our deposit and got a booking on the Apollo III. I noticed that the brochure said mask and snorkel no mention of fins. We called down to the booking agent and were told that they had fins. People were shown with fins on the brochure. Because there was all of the information available (brochures etc) and we were booking through an agent, we assumed we were dealing with a reputable firm.
When we went down to the booking agent to pay the remainder of the fee, we were told you had to rent the fins from a local dive shop because they didn’t have room for all the fins which might be required for 12 divers they would have on the boat. This made some sense so okay we go. We also had to rent a “Stinger suit” because of the problems with the jellyfish (stingers to the locals). Off to the local Dive Shop to rent fins and an underwater camera. The only underwater digital camera rental is from a local “bloke”. He’s not available. Okay so we purchase a “throw away” for $22.
When the lady came with her stinger suits we had to rent for $10 she told us “don’t worry there will be fins on the boat”. After when I went to make sure we had our fins the deck hand said that the trip is a “Eco” trip and no fins allowed so as not to damage the reef! Ever try to get underwater to take a picture with a 1/8 inch neoprene body suit and no weights or fins? Somehow all of this didn’t make any sense at all to me. Your feet were left unprotected from stringers and there was a current in some of the places we were diving in and you needed the power provided by fins. I guess we should have totally backed out at the start. We didn’t.
I know that the tour people have no control over weather etc. the visibility was 12 feet and sometimes less but the sea life was most poor surely there have to be better locations.
There were to be 3 “snorkeling” locations. The first was about as bad as I have ever seen for sea life. The second was worse and I didn’t even bother going over the side for the 3rd. Anyone who knows me would not believe I would miss an opportunity to dive. The area we were diving in was badly silted over so a lot of the coral was in bad shape. There was next to nothing to see or in my mind “to protect”
I don’t think the Captain or crew had any sort of idea how to host a group who wanted to see anything. On the way out we passed a very large turtle that was about 4 feet off the port side which the Captain watched as we motored by at full speed. The same applied to a pod of Dolphins about 60 feet off the port side. This is the kind of thing people come to see. Show it to them, talk it up!
Much of our time was spent “motor-sailing” although the windex indicated we could easily sail and there was good wind!
There was next to nothing said about any of the locations we “snorkeled” at except the area the Captain wanted us to stay in. The Captain did get into the water at the second location minus his “Stinger suit” which makes you wonder why you are wearing one.. I’m not too sure what diving experience he has. The coral near shore was badly silted and with only 12 feet or less visibility you couldn’t see much of the other coral. In my opinion the areas chosen were very poor and there is little to “protect’. Other boats did drop “snorkelers” in some of the locations so we weren’t the only ones in poor conditions.
So much for the “Snorkeling”
Now the Sailing.
At first glance the boat is an old 50 foot “Maxi racer” who has seen better days.
She has Grinder jib winches, running backstays, many aux winches for reefing etc. one missing from it’s pedestal, a portion of the port side sail track missing, she could use some TLC. There was also a Hydraulic vang, baby stay, backstay and apparently drive. The hydraulic pressure gauge was jumping around in tune with some whining which looked to me like it was due to low oil or a pressure relief valve operating. Just a guess on my part. Most of the racing rigging is not fitted, including the 1st and 2nd reef lines on the main. She had a fairly new set of sails (main and 100% jib).
Once on the boat we had to remove our shoes, I’m sure to prevent marking the deck or something. I would question the safety of this. Ask for proper shoes. The deck did get slippery from suntan lotion and there were many things to hurt feet on.
Greetings from the Captain.
At this point I was very, very annoyed about the fins being yes we have no we don’t type of thing and was ready to leave. As I mentioned above we didn’t. This was to be our only look at the “Great” Barrier Reef.
From my point of view it was an extreme GONG show and I said it several times. My wife was also becoming very upset at my annoyance and asking me not to “rain on the parade of those who were on their first experience”. “Don’t ruin it for them”! We had already paid. Okay I will try to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the trip and absolutely stay out of the way.
The message from the Captain was something like this. Welcome my name is etc and your crew is etc. Are there any smokers aboard. None, great. Watch out for the boom, one hand should always hold onto something so you don’t fall overboard. If we have a fire go to the bow of the boat away from all the fuel etc. If someone falls overboard yell “man overboard”.
The message DID NOT AT ANY TIME MENTION LIFE JACKETS, WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED, HOW TO PUT THEM ON, OR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, IF ANY WERE ON BOARD, WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED OR HOW THEY WERE OPERATED. I asked several people if they knew if any lifejackets were on board and they didn’t know.
-There was no mention of proper man overboard procedures.
-There was no mention of what was to be done in the event of the need to abandon ship with an inflatable which could only handle 7 people. 14 were on board.
-There were a few other things but I think you get the idea of what we went through.
It was the Captain’s first day on the boat. He didn’t seem to know much about the boat at all. Although he talked like he had a very great deal of experience. I’m not sure what credentials he had if any. I didn’t ask. It would have only heightened my anger! I’m not sure any credentials are needed. I don’t know what controls the Whitsunday area has on Charters. It looks like none to me. You sort of assume this thing is looked after.
For between $700 and $800 dollars for 1 night and 2 days we got stung.
ALL TOLD WE GOT STUNG REAL GOOD!!
BE WARY OF STINGERS AT WHITSUNDAY.
Because this sort of thing is very hard to check for in advance. Everything looked or perhaps sounded okay to begin with, I would say definitely stay away from Whitsunday for good sailing or snorkeling!!
We were looking for a great diving experience on the Great Barrier Reef.
It wasn’t. For my money I’ll stick with the Caribbean!!
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