Pelorus Island: the Great Barrier Reef dive safari you never knew existed
Feature
By Danielle Reckless
Imagine a deserted tropical island where the beach is made up of thousands of coral skeletons, fringing reef spreads out from the shore, and only a family of goats share the four square-kilometres of land.
You’re on a dive boat with 12 others, and the hue and clarity of the water is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. There’s not another human in sight, only the rugged landscape that rises from the Coral Sea, all granite boulders and melaleuca forest. You dive in and the underwater world unfolds around you.
There are no big tour groups here, no underwater viewing chambers, no frills and no fuss. And that’s one of the main draw cards for divers and snorkellers aboard Remote Area Dive’s camp and dive safari to Pelorus Island.
Haven’t heard of this Great Barrier Reef dive safari? Here’s why you should.
It doesn’t crave the spotlight
Humble Pelorus Island flies under the radar of Cairns liveaboards and flashier day trips. But that’s exactly what makes it so special for those who venture here. It feels like you’ve stumbled upon the best-kept secret of the world’s biggest natural wonder – and you have it all to yourself.
This trip embraces two of Queensland’s best coastal traditions: unforgettable diving, and camping on a remote island. There’s no other trip like it on the entire reef.
Just getting here is an adventure
It might take a little while to get here, but the complete isolation of this dive site is what makes it a veritable playground for divers and snorkellers.
The northernmost island of the Palm Islands group, Pelorus Island sits just 800m from neighbour, Orpheus, and is accessed via a 30-minute boat trip from the Lucinda Jetty (a two-hour drive north of Townsville).
Once at Lucina Jetty, you’ll jump aboard Remote Area Dive’s Coral Gypsy, a 38 foot Mono Hull with a maximum of 10 divers and a dive staff of three. These will probably be the only people you see for the next two days of Great Barrier Reef exploration. Even Pelorus is uninhabited, offering Robinson Crusoe adventure at each turn.
The dive sites are unlike anything you’ve seen before
Photo by @remoteareadive
Even experienced divers are left speechless at what they discover here.
This Great Barrier Reef dive safari stretches over two days and one night, allowing for five dives plus one night dive.
Witness an underwater metropolis buzzing with daily life before your eyes. Clear (and completely harmless) moon jellyfish bob around near the surface here and there, as you float past bommie after bommie, watching colourful reef fish of all shapes and sizes. All around Pelorus and Orpheus Islands are rocky reefs covered in hard coral, soft coral, gorgonians and sea whips in depths from 12 metres to 25 metres. In fact, 340 of the 350 known species of coral can be found in these waters; in formations so large and unusual in shape that they wouldn’t look out of place in Star Wars.
Add the 1100 species of fish, rays, sharks and turtles found at these dive sites, and you’ll start to understand why every safari is different, whether you’re diving the Bat Caves, The Maze, Trenches, Black Coral Wall or Oopsie (you’ll recognise this one from the remains of a small wooden craft impaled on the rocky shore.)
In between the diving, take a walk on the beach, nap in a hammock, and enjoy a relaxed time at camp on Pelorus Island. And keep your eye out while on the boat– you might spot a few whales if you’re here during annual migration.
The sunsets out here are something special
Later that afternoon after a shore dive, the sunset settling above Hinchinbrook Island’s hulking form is nothing short of spectacular. The sun’s rays amplify in a neon orange showdown, illuminating a few wispy clouds hanging about in an otherwise clear sky.
As the sun dips behind the land completely, the skyline warms and glows an even more vivid shade of red, you’ll suit up and make your way back into the water for a night dive, torches lighting up the dark depths.
Dry off around a crackling campfire: you deserve a few roasted marshmallows tonight.
Sleep under the stars
What lies beneath the surface might be the star attraction, but Pelorus Island could steal the show with its untouched beauty. It’s not often you camp on a truly uninhabited island in the middle of the world’s largest reef system (and if you fall in love with it, try camping on these island gems).
Facilities may be a bit more back-to-basics, but the crew makes sure you don’t have to lift a finger in this castaway setting. Your tents are pitched amongst the trees, and there’s a camp toilet and shower set up further in the bushland. There’s even a makeshift camp kitchen and dining room: open-air style.
And you won’t go hungry either. Between snacks on the dive boat, and all meals catered on the island (we’re talking roast dinners and barbeques), you can sit back and soak up the serenity.
On a clear night, roll out your swag on camping stretchers on the sand and watch the starry sky above, while the tide laps gently at the coral shore. There’s a peaceful silence to it; something you long for once you return to the mainland.
Remote Area Dive’s Great Barrier Reef dive safari to Pelorus Island is an all-inclusive weekend escape. It includes all dive gear, wetsuit, all camping and sleeping gear, meals, transfers to and from your Townsville lodging, and the Environmental Management Charge.
