If you’re looking for Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling tours, you’ll have plenty of options.  Now you could spend literally hours researching your options. But if you want to save yourself time and you are looking for something more personalized with a certain level of comfort, then I’d suggest you look at a great family-owned company called Sailaway. But more on that later.

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Tours – The Calypso

If you don’t mind a larger boat, say with 65 plus passengers, the Calypso would probably suit the more budget focused traveller.  It’s important to note that the Calypso boat tour, includes both snorkeling and diving. In fact, the Calypso’s crew like to compare it to an “underwater bush walk”. Considering its size, it is easy to find your way around the Calypso.

And the crew are very accessible. To board this vessel, you only have to stroll down to the marina.  The marina is well within walking distance from a lot of the central Port Douglas accommodations. Like most of these tours, the boarding process is pretty straightforward.

Great Barrier Reef – Sailaway – catamaran

From my experience of tours throughout Australia and New Zealand, the smaller the boat, the better the experience. However, there are other tours with smaller numbers still.  The luxurious Sailaway Catamaran is by far the more indepth and comfortable option. With no more than 25 passengers, I’d definitely recommend this boutique experience.

The Calypso  – Safety procedures – what to expect

Back to the Calypso: You can’t help but be impressed with the professionalism of the crew. These guys are pretty serious about the safety of their passengers. Taking frequent head counts are the norm – just in case someone has decided to take a closer look at the water!  How comforting to know, that in an emergency, you have a capable crew to take charge. Having said that, we think it would have been helpful if the crew had used microphones. We sometimes missed out hearing their instructions.

Don’t be alarmed when you are asked to remove your shoes as you’re boarding the boat.  This is standard procedure.  They go into a box and can be easily collected at the end of the journey. After settling in, you can chill out for a while. By the way, Tropical Port Douglas is perfect in the winter months between June and August. Check out Australia seasons. At this time, the days are still warm and balmy – perfect for the more active traveller.

The Calypso – Dive experience – what to expect

As I mentioned before, with the larger Calypso, you will get the option of snorkeling and diving. We decided to do both. I have to confess, I was a little nervous about this but the diving instructor was amazing. He gave every one the individual attention they needed. He was quite a big guy too – that certainly gave us confidence. By the way, all wet suits and other equipment are provided on-board. But of course, you can bring and use your own.

Here’s Michael getting some well needed instruction.

First of all the diving instructor will work with you one-on-one. This first requires getting each person to get used to being underwater.  Novice divers need to get used to a different way of breathing the oxygen that’s been keeping him alive all their life. Maybe this is the definitive way of exploring the Great Barrier Reef. It’s a mysterious, beautiful world where you’re no longer a spectator.

After the instruction session, all participants must read through a very important information sheet which they then must sign. Everyone needs to be able to communicate with the diving instructor.  And that means, being able to understand written English and being able to speak it.

The Calypso – Lunch

Believe me, diving makes you very hungry – it’s buffet time!

The buffet does provide plenty of variety. So that means plenty of meat and the salad and bread to go with it. While the food is nothing startling, it is tasty and fresh. The morning and afternoon tea consists of delicious little home-cooked slices and freshly sliced tropical fruit. You may think this brave and fearless man is quietly reflecting on life. Don’t be fooled, he’s only thinking about the next bread roll.

Remember when I mentioned about all the passengers having to remove their shoes? They were all placed in large crates and I was a little concerned about having to sort through them to find mine. No worries. At the end of the journey, they were all laid out in perfect matching pairs on a large platform. It was a pleasant surprise. And just to round it all off, the crew line up in their uniforms to say goodbye to each passenger. That’s a pretty nice touch.

Some other blog to check out while up north:

• Daintree Forest day tour ex Port Douglas
• Chillagoe Caves day tour ex Cairns
• Top 7 holiday suggestions for Port Douglas

Happy travelling the Great Barrier Reef.