Apart from the surf, or lack of (grrrrr), the main reason we wanted to go to Town Of 1770 was to look at visiting the Great Barrier Reef, one of the main reasons we both had come to Oz. Most people go to the reef from Cairns but we had heard that the southern end of the GBR is less crowded and more colourful. We were trying to decide whether to go from 1770 or wait until we get North, but luckily, my birthday was around the corner and my family decided to send us some money. The money from my grandparents and uncle paid for the day trip from 1770 (thanks again!). This meant that it might be possible to both the southern and northern parts of the reef (which is bigger than the UK), snorkeling off 1770 and try a scuba dive later on.
Originally we had planned to go to a lagoon next to an island but changed our minds when we found out the company take groups up to 150 people. Snorkeling with that many people would not be fun! Our other option was 1770 Sea Quest, a slightly smaller boat to Fitzroy Reef Lagoon, which was recommended by “the lono” and the locals.
We opted for this as the boat had a similar capacity but was capped to half full for comfort. The only downside was that the Fitzroy Reef Lagoon is not a green zone, meaning removing items from the reef (i.e. fish) is still legal there, luckily due to the remote location of the lagoon it isn’t fished heavily. 1770 Sea Quest was the only tour to go there and the reef had not had a tourist license for the last 10 years which meant that it had not been as affected by hordes of tourist boats. We booked on board the next trip as conditions were looking good and started getting excited.
It was an early start to go out on the boats, although we were quite tired we didn’t mind getting up early when it’s to do something like this! We were very excited. Our boat was out on the water and we were taken out to it aboard a large ex-naval 4WD transport vehicle that is like a boat on wheels. It drives into the water and when it’s deep enough becomes a boat- genius! It takes about an hour and a half to get out to the reef from 1770 and so we had a little while to wait.
On the way out past the headland we saw a large number of Boobys (the birds!) diving into the water in a feeding frenzy – it was quite spectacular. We saw several of these gannets flying along side the boat throughout the day. One even landed on our little reef runner boat that was towed behind us.
Unfortunately, I was obviously a bit more tired than I thought and got a nice bout of sea sickness on the way out. As we approached the reef the water changed to a light turquoise colour and you could see the reef below and the white sand on the bottom. We slowed down and the excitement of the occasion helped me feel a little better. As we circled the outside of the lagoon we were treated to something really special – three big manta rays. I had wanted to see one of these since I was a boy and they were truly majestic. They swam near to the boat for about five minutes before disappearing into the depths. If the trip had ended after seeing them, I would’ve been happy.
Not long after seeing the mantas we were inside the lagoon and there were fish around the boat instantly. We couldn’t wait to get in.
The water was cool but not too cold. I was glad I had taken my wettie as the ones on the boat were shortys which meant Ruth got a little cold after being in for a while. Swimming over to one of the “bommies” (a gathering of coral) that was just below the surface was an awesome experience. As we got closer you could see it coming nearer to the surface and we were being surrounded by more and more fish. My sea sickness was completely gone now and pure enjoyment replaced it.
What we saw blew our minds, it was so beautiful. There was a variety of several hard and soft coral species and their colours, everything from orange to brown, lime green, purples, pinks, reds and bright blue, were amazing. There were fish everywhere, some in shoals and some on their own. We were stunned at how bright they were and how different they all are from each other. We saw Nemo, Dory and many of their friends all around. It was out of this world and we felt very privileged to have seen it. We took a few photo’s on our underwater camera and but it was more about experience it than seeing it. Ruth signalled to me that she was getting cold and so I checked my watch – it was nearly lunch time and we headed back to the boat. We had been in for over an hour and were the last ones out and so lunch had been served a little early. Luckily there was still plenty left for us and whilst we ate they started the “Reef Teach” about the reef, it’s inhabitants and how to conserve it.
After lunch it was time for the advanced snorkel which takes you back out to the outer part of the lagoon on the Reef Runner. This cost a little extra but was worth it. The outer edge is where the most activity is on the reef as this is where the nutrients arrive on the current. This means that there is more to see, it is more dramatic and there is a greater chance of seeing the bigger fish (sharks!). We could really tell the difference, everything was on a much grander scale. The fish were big but the corals were huge! I saw a brain coral nearly as big as our tent! Although we still saw some of the smaller fish and corals we had seen earlier, this was less colourful (but still vibrant compared to the Atlantic). I managed to meet Dude Crush but he swam away before I got to ask him how old he was! Although we didn’t see any sharks it was a truly fantastic experience. Our guide informed us that as we were going in the middle of winter, the water temperature was only(!) about 22 degrees which meant that the corals were at their most vibrant for the year. We never knew that you could get such vibrant colors naturally under the sea, the pictures don’t do it justice.
On the way home we went the long way round as we were in whale season and wanted a chance to spot some of these magnificent beasts. Before we left the area though we were visited by more manta rays. One of them came really close to the boat and so we got a perfect view of it. A bit later on the whale trip paid off and we saw a mother and a calf swimming ahead of us. The calf was light grey which suggests he was only a couple of weeks old. He was being taught how to breach and gave us a demonstration of what he had learnt. He had not quite perfected the technique but he gave it a good try, it was breathtaking to see. The rest of the journey back was pleasant (with no more sea sickness!). Ruth and I both had a little snooze and woke up just in time for afternoon snacks and to see land come back in sight. All in all, an amazing day.
WOW! That sounds like such an amazing experience. I’m going to that area in November this year, I’m definitely going to check that out now… do you need to reserve a spot on that boat ahead of time? It looks like their website is no longer working… If you could send me a quick email I’d really appreciate it. Thanks 🙂
WOW~ im SO inspired to visit town 1770 after reading your blog lol seems like choosing Fitzroy Reef over the Lady Musgrave Island is a much better choice…..i have been visiting some reefs off Cairns but they are over dived and so the coral is not colorful due to the damage of over visited.
now im very looking forward to my trip to town 1770….thanks for your sharing : )