Passions Of Paradise Review: Cruise To The Great Barrier Reef
The first trip I ever did to the Outer Reef from Cairns was on Passions of Paradise. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I had heard great things about the tour. From the boat, to the crew and the reef sites too! If you’re not quite sure what a day trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef entails, let me walk you through my incredible experience onboard the sailing catamaran, Passions of Paradise.
Cruising on Passions of Paradise III Sailing Catamaran
The adventure began with check-in at the Passions counter located inside the Reef Fleet Terminal from 7:00am to 7:45am. With ticket in hand, I made my way down the jetty for boarding.
Upon stepping onto the boat, I was warmly greeted by the crew and a spread of fresh fruit being served. I grabbed a cup of kiwi, orange, grapes and green melon, and found a comfy seat up on the top deck looking out over the front of the boat.
We left the marina on time at 8:00am and cruised on out to sea, with the morning sun shining brightly. The boat was spacious with plenty of room for everyone to spread out, and I loved that the inside cabin had open windows to allow a constant flow of fresh air and a nice sea breeze to pass through. The vibes were also high as the boat had surround sound with good music playing that added to the atmosphere.
Scuba and Snorkel Safety Briefings
Like most trips to the Great Barrier Reef, you have the option to both snorkel and scuba dive on Passions.
I had opted to do an introductory dive, which was my first time diving in 10 years. So I was both excited and a little nervous. For half an hour, our friendly dive instructor, Jules, took all of us intro divers through a safety briefing of what to expect, what gear we would be using, how to use it and all the important hand signals for communicating underwater.
For those that were just snorkelling, the crew provided a safety briefing for what to expect while exploring the reef and how to use the snorkel gear. Masks, snorkels, fins and stinger suits were provided to everyone. During stinger season between November to May, it is mandatory to wear protective gear to avoid being stung by the little jellyfish. The full body suits also provide great sun protection.
First Stop: Flynn Reef, Breaking Point
The first dive spot, Flynn Reef's breaking point, was a stunning reef site, made even better by the fact that we were the only boat there. Since I was in dive group number two, I decided to snorkel for about 30 minutes beforehand. I was greeted by a beautiful and thriving underwater world of softly swaying corals and tropical coloured fish and marine life of all shapes and sizes.
After snorkelling and briefly exploring the coral bommies, I heard a whistle being blown from the boat and a crew member holding a sign that said the number 2. That was my cue to head back to the boat and gear up for my introductory dive!
The Introductory Scuba Dive
I was fitted with a buoyancy compensator device (BCD), and a dive tank. One of the scuba dive instructors checked everything was in order, then it was time to jump in. Jules was already in the water, ready to meet us.
Off the back of the boat there was a long metal pole that Jules instructed us group 2 divers to hold onto as we went through our underwater safety checks. Once complete, Jules deflated our BCD’s and we dropped a few metres below the surface.
There were four of us and Jules instructed us to all grab hold of her arms. Two people on each arm. It was a little awkward with all the gear, but this ensured the safety of everyone staying together.
As we cruised around the reef, we saw clown fish in an anemone, surgeonfish, a puffer fish with cute googley eyes, a giant trevally, many parrotfish, lots of vibrant corals, clams and anemones, an interesting looking trumpet fish, and the highlight for me was seeing a white tip reef shark!
Sota, the underwater photographer, came along to take our pictures while holding a Great Barrier Reef sign.
The Chef Prepared Buffett Lunch
When it comes to the buffet lunch, Passions of Paradise know how to put on an amazing feed! The talented on-board chef, Vinny, does an incredible job of preparing five, freshly made salads served with two warm dish options. One vegetarian and one meat based.
The chef likes to switch the menu up daily to keep things interesting. The day I was onboard, they were serving a delicious mushroom risotto (so good, I had to go back for seconds!) and chicken pesto ravioli.
The salad options were impressive with a five bean mix, Greek salad, cauliflower and semi sun-dried tomato salad, broccoli and feta salad and an original garden salad. And if that wasn’t enough, fresh dinner rolls and cold meats were served as a little extra on the side.
Everything was incredibly wholesome and bursting with fresh, vibrant flavours that satisfied the taste buds!
Second Stop: Milne Reef, Three Sisters
After stuffing myself silly on lunch, I had a little rest before we arrived at Milne Reef, Three Sisters.
The crystal clear turquoise waters beckoned me to dive in and explore the delightfully vibrant bommies and shallow reefs. With snorkel gear in hand and stinger suit on, I jumped in, keen to see what underwater treasures I could find.
This was where I regretted forgetting my GoPro. With the sun shining down on the coral beds, the reef was lit up like a sparkling underwater oasis. Rainbow parrotfish darted around, leaving trails of sand as they went, munching on hard corals. Radiant soft corals swayed gently with the current, creating an enchanting scene to watch.
Some people saw a green sea turtle, I wasn’t so lucky. The Three Sisters reef site would have to be one of my most favourite spots to date! Simply mesmerising.
Sailing Back to Cairns
Back on the boat, we set off home to Cairns. Afternoon snacks were served in the form of fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, along with a marine biology presentation by one of the crew members, Lea. I learnt some fascinating facts about clownfish being able to change their gender to assume the fertility role in a pair, amongst other things.
For the rest of the trip back to Cairns, I closed my eyes, relaxed and let the warm sea air get tangled in my hair. What’s great about Passions is they make a genuine effort to sail home if the conditions are suitable, which helps to offset their carbon footprint.
If you’re visiting Cairns and looking for an incredible day trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, I couldn’t recommend Passions of Paradise enough! From the boat, to the food and the friendly crew, too, it still stands as one of my all time favourite reef trips!
For more info check out the full tour page for Passions of Paradise and chat with our friendly online team if you have any questions!
