Australia liveaboard tours we recommend for snorkelers cater for snorkelers
While scuba diving is still the main stay of the Liveaboard industry, more and more people are coming on board just for the snorkeling.
A relaxing activity as well as an excellent means of exercising many people include it their vacation plans. Snorkeling can even be done by non-swimmers once certain safety precautions are taken.
As mentioned in other sections of this website, Our best Liveaboards cater for snorkelers and scuba diving making them great options for couples who wish to participate in different activities on the same liveaboard.
Many snorkeler find that the Liveaboards are excellent choices for them as the requirements they need to get on and off the boat are the same as the divers.
Liveaboards such as the MV Reef Encounter offer up to five snorkeling sessions a day.
This gives the guest a great deal of flexibility for when they want to get into the water
Why Snorkeling
While it may be hard for some of us to believe, not everyone wants to learn how to scuba dive. Snorkeling gives a person the ability to get a good look at the undersea world.
It does not require the additional equipment that a scuba diver needs and It provides an excellent form of exercise. There are no mandatory classes and There is less prep time to go snorkeling.
Snorkeling Basics
Just about anyone can snorkel, if the thought of putting your face in the water does not terrify you, then you can snorkel.
Non-swimmers or those who are weak swimmers will wear a flotation device to keep them on the surface.
More accomplished swimmers can wear a vest that they can adjust the buoyancy so that they can dive underwater.
The gear for snorkeling is very basic: a vest, a set of fins, a mask and a snorkel. Learning to snorkel on the surface takes only a few minutes.
A good swimmer can learn the basic of going down in just a few minutes as well.
Cairns
The Liveaboard fleet of Cairns head to different portions of the Great Barrier reef, Some stay in the outer reef area, some combine the outer reef and the ribbon reefs, Ribbon Reefs alone or the Ribbon Reefs and Osprey reef.
Except for the Osprey Reef each of these areas are very good destinations for snorkelers. Unlike the Whitsundays, there are no beach dives in fact no beaches, except a brief stop at Lizard Island.
The Liveaboards in this area are generally larger and have more space than the Whitsundays.
Large sun decks some even with hot tubs, fully air conditioned interior spaces, excellent meals are just some of the features a guest can enjoy on board a vessel.
There are plenty of great snorkel locations So even if you’re not a diver a Liveaboard may be what you need for your next vacation.
Whitsundays
In certain areas of the range of Australian Liveaboards the snorkeler and the scuba diver may be equally blessed.
In the Whitsundays most of the Liveaboards are smaller boats. The Whitsundays is one of the best sailing and cruising areas in the world.
You will find many Liveaboard in the area that are more mixed use than in other parts of the world.
By mix use, we are referring to Liveaboards that are not primarily for scuba diving. Many of the boats in the Whitsundays are vessels that the owners live in as well as act as charter vessels.
Diving on some of these are more just an extra activity with no extra diving support, just the number of tanks you will need. This type of arrangement works well in the Whitsundays.
There are over 70 islands in the Whitsunday group that have fringe reefs. While there are some great outer reefs, many prefer the closer fringe reefs.
It is also more common to do shore dives. The boats bring the divers and snorkelers to a beach and the activities are done from there.
Small bays offer excellent sites. In some ways the snorkeler has the advantage in this area.
They have an easier access to the water and generally more flexible