First Time Diving? Why Not The Coral Utopia!

Posted by Rachel Dawson on November 6th, 2018

It’s a wonderful feeling when you finally get ready for your first dive, maybe it’s an adventure you’ve yearned for years! If you’re an aquaphile, you’ll understand that hanker to make your first dive special and there begins your quest for the world's best diving spots. And hence many first-time divers reach Australia knowing about the pristine beaches and diverse underwater sceneries. But what most have a pash on is the world’s biggest coral reef system!

Home to over 1500 species of fish, 400 coral species and 4000 varieties of molluscs, there is no doubt on why the Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  And there’s no scuba location as unique as this massive reef system with pretty corals, unique fishes, and a very fascinating underwater environment. Especially when it’s your first time diving, this underwater wonderland of colour, life & pure wonder, and Pacific Ocean's sparkly surface is sure to make you feel like you have entered a dream!

But diving isn’t an adventure to pinch pennies on. When you’re several metres below the surface, it is always advisable to depend on reliable gears and a very professional diver to guide you underwater.

The main consideration with scuba diving is that it requires knowledge and care. You can sling a mask on and be a snorkeller any minute with just beginner skills in swimming. But when you dive, you need to be an expert in skills like clearing the mask, regulator retrieval and much more.

When it’s your first time diving, your dive master is your God. The details he gives on dive site, ocean currents and under water symbols are your sacred chants and the paths he take you through is the door to heaven!

Buoyancy and breath control are the ultimate B’s of diving. If you’re strapped with spare gauges and regulators, down them so that they are less closer to your body, but still accessible. These items may dangle below you and drag you to bottom, bashing corals and other marines as you fin. Unlike snorkelling, you don't decide your time in water, but your air tank does. So when it’s full, don't panic and explore your heart out!

Being home to world’s largest coral systems, there’s no pattern of corals that you’ll miss seeing on this adventure. But make sure you don't get too personal with them as even a touch can damage and kill many of these varieties. Some other corals have stinging cells and sharp spines which might hurt you, even with a small touch.

Launching spot to this coral heaven is Cairns, a tropical city shaped by its beach culture and love for water. A visit to popular Cairns attractions sunny side up and ocean-scented vibes are definite to be a sweetener to your Great Barrier Reef day tour. So why wait, book a tour to Cairns, your gateway to the coral Utopia!