SS Michaelmas Cay plus Hastings Reef Private Charter

Guests can dive or snorkel directly from the boat, or transfer to the sandy cay via a small tender boat.  Michaelmas Cay is a bird sancturay that offers easy snorkelling from the beach. 

The second reef location you will visit is Hastings Reef.  It is here you can experience the true wonders of this Outer Edge Reef, there are the coral caves, coral overhangs, deep water drop offs, coral canyons, swim throughs and shallow coral bays. Here you can snorkel and enjoy another glass bottom boat tour.

Enjoy 5 hours at the reef, guided snorkel tours, glass bottom boat tour, morning/afternoon tea and buffet lunch.  All snorkel equipment, buoyancy vests, flotation devices, prescription masks (if required) and lycra/wetsuits are also included in the price.

You are ensured to experience a personalised reef trip, that is suitable for both snorkellers, divers and even non-swimmers.

Check in: 7.30am E Finger, Marlin Marina Cairns

Depart Cairns: 8.00am

Return Cairns: 4.30pm

Includes:

• 5 hours at the reef
• Morning and afternoon tea
• Hot and cold buffet lunch
• Reef Interpretation Talk
• Guided snorkel tours at both reef sites
• Snorkel equipment
• Flotation aids and lycra/wetsuits
• Glass bottom boat tour at Hastings Reef

Optional Activities:

Introductory Diving - 1st Dive at Michaelmas Cay / 2nd Dive at Hastings Reef

To make the dive as undemanding and enjoyable as possible, the first dive is in the tranquil waters at Michaelmas Cay.  With the assistance of your attentive instructor you are taken carefully down to a comfortable depth of 5 metres.  Deep enough to be enthralling but at the same time shallow enough not to be daunting, the balance is just right.

Hastings is an outer reef and very different to Michaelmas, the water is deeper; the fish larger, there are large schools of small fish and enormous corals over 400 years old. All set in a unique coral structure with caves, trenches, valleys and crevasses. At times you seem to be flying as the coral wall towers over you.  The confidence gained on the first dive enables you to tackle this reef.

Certified Diving - 1st Dive Michaelmas Cay or Reef / 2nd Dive Hastings Reef

Michaelmas also offers a very safe dive for those divers recently qualified or those who may have not dived for some time.  It is the ideal location to hone those skills. For the more experienced diver there are the “3 Sisters”, 3 magnificent coral heads sitting out on the edge of this reef in 18 metres of water. 

There are many different dives that can be done from Hastings Reef.  Those experienced divers can choose to be taken to the “Wild Side” this is a one way dive, you enter the water from the dive tender and make a dive returning to the Seastar.  The Seastar lagoon and fish bowl dive is remarkably safe and straightforward, you dive along the reef wall and into the reef.

Dive guides are included.