Guest Author - Michelle R. Mangio
When many imagine a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, they often think of beautiful white sand beaches from which they can run off into the water, the reefs not far away, from which they can see many amazing fish. But the Great Barrier Reef lies miles off the coast of Australia, and so for those staying on the mainland, this dream may seem only that - a dream.
Enter Ocean Spirit Cruises, and their day trip out to Michaelmas Cay.
Michaelmas Cay is a small reef island located in the northern Great Barrier Reef, a couple of hours easy sailing from Cairns onboard a luxury catamaran. It is a picturesque island of white sand, part of which is conserved as a bird sanctuary. An amazing variety of sealife surround the island, allowing for snorkeling off its shores and deeper dives right off the reef edge for those who wish to see the beauty beneath the water's surface. And for those family members who don't want to spend time in the water, Michaelmas Cay makes a wonderful opportunity to soak in the sun's ray or spend the day building sand castles.
Ocean Spirit Cruises offers a wonderful daytrip that includes a full lunch. They set sail from Cairns (offering pickup from hotels in Cairns, Port Douglas, and Palm Cover), and offer educational talks with the onboard Marine Biologists, as well as snacks and drinks, along the way. Or head above to just enjoy the sea. If the seas are rough, they offer everyone ginger pills as they come onboard to help ease any seasickness.
Once you arrive at Michaelmas Cay, they take a moment to feed the local fish, which is quite the sight to see as literally hundreds of fish dart to the water's surface in a near feeding frenzy. After that, people are brought to the shores or to the activity of their choice. And there is plenty to do: snorkel on your own, enjoy the beach, take a guided snorkel tour with a Marine Biologist, guided bird tours, scuba diving (additional charge), and semi-submersible tours. A large lunch buffet, offering a wide variety of seafood and other foods, is served onboard during the time at the island, prepared by two chefs who delight in offering the finest foods.
The island is right on the reef, so within moments of stepping out into the surrounding water from the white sands, you can immediately see a wide variety of sea life. I will forever remember my trip there as the first time I had a giant sea turtle swim beneath me, and my husband spent almost an hour following a large ray as it swam along the bottom of the sea floor.
After a few hours, everyone comes back onboard, and the luxury catamaran takes you back to Cairns. It's a lovely few hours back - the sun is likely setting as you go - with complimentary champagne and live music to make it truly unforgettable.
So the next time you head to Cairns, I highly recommend a daytrip out to Michaelmas Cay with Ocean Spirit Cruises.
