As Wavelength only take snorkelers to the Great Barrier Reef, our crew will have plenty of time to assist you in learning to snorkel. If you can swim, you should be able to snorkel. Weather plays a big role in this situation. For example, if the wind was over 20 knots, combined with a highish tide in the middle of the day, and you are not very confident in the water, then snorkelling may not be easy for you.

We provide flotation devices called noodles and also wetsuits. We do not encourage the use of life jackets for buoyancy whilst snorkeling as they are designed to keep your head out of the water.

The best idea would be to email or phone our expert reservations staff for advice.

During our tropical winter (May to October) we can encounter strong winds in Port Douglas, the wind direction is from the south east. Our sites are in behind the Great Barrier Reef and when there is a low tide in the middle of the day the reef acts like a barrier (hence the name Great Barrier Reef) and it can be very calm and protected snorkeling in behind the reef. The stronger trade winds usually occur during our winter period and during this time the visibility on the outer Great Barrier Reef is at its best. You just need to brace yourself for a "rock and roll" ride to the reef!

Rain will not affect your day on Wavelength. You will be getting wet and as the fish are already wet the only weather component that we need to monitor is the wind (as this can affect you day). If it is overcast on the reef, believe it or not, the corals are actually more fluorescent. Infra red light interferes with UV light and when it is overcast there is less infra red and more ultra violet (which is why you can get sun burnt on a cloudy day). The ultra violet light makes the corals much more colourful on cloudy days on the Great Barrier Reef.

No. Approximately 90% of reef life lives in the top 4 meters of water on the Great Barrier Reef; in addition, red and yellow light are the first colours you lose when you go deeper into the water- therefore the corals and fish in shallow water are much prettier than diving at 10 meters, where everything has a blue/green tinge.

Hmmm... this is a common question! And a tough one to answer.

Wavelength is a Randal West coaster. It is 16 meters long, and very "beamy". These boats are designed to work off the continental shelf in Western Australia where 5 meter seas are common. Steve Irwin's boat "Croc One" was also a Westcoaster.

If you are concerned about the possibility of seasickness, Preventative medication Travacalm can be purchased on board Wavelength. Where possible we recommend that guests pre-purchase preventative seasickness medication from a pharmacy (drug store). Remember seasickness medication is a preventative, not a cure! If you are unsure as to how you travel on boats, we advise you to take medication well ahead of your check-in at 8.00am, if not the night before. We recommend that you discuss this with a pharmacist.

Agincourt Reef is a thin ribbon reef, very close to the deep drop off of the shelf. It is no better than Opal or Tongue. In fact , due to its shape, Agincourt offers little in the way of protection to the ocean swells and currents for snorkelling. Agincourt reef therefore is more suited to DIVING, not SNORKELLING.

Opal Reef on the other hand is broad and curved and perfectly shaped to provide protection to snorkellers from the south easterly swells and wind that we typically experience during the months of May to September. Reef tour companies each have their own moorings to use. Bigger boats with 100 or so passengers are legally required to use their Agincourt Moorings. Wavelength with 30 passengers only, can use Opal. The moorings allocated are based on history and usage. Wavelength has been in business for over 20 years...so you guessed it...we have the primo choice of moorings: all chosen specifically for the needs of snorkellers.

Wavelength own the pick of the sites at Opal reef and Tongue reef. The point is that reef site selection is far, far more important than what actual reef you are visiting. The very best snorkeling sites at Opal Reef are owned exclusively by Wavelength.

If you don't dive there is no need to travel to the Great Barrier Reef with a dive boat. A dive boat that takes snorkellers to a dive site (deep water, distant from the coral edge) may have a schedule that can be determined by dive time limits. In addition, the larger dive vessels may not be able to get snorkelers as close to the reef as smaller boats.

There is very little to be gained by diving when one could just snorkel the same site and see much more colourful coral/fish. This is of course because the vast majority (90%) of tropical coral reef life on the Great Barrier Reef to be found within the top 4 meters of water which can easily be observed from the surface by snorkellers.

It really depends on the time of year. During peak periods, like school holidays, Wavelength can book out up to 5 days in advance. If you are concerned about the weather being unfavourable on your selected date, you can book a date and contact our office 3 days prior to your tour. We can then check the 3 day forecast and check the tides. If the conditions are not ideal, and you give us sufficient notice, we may be able to move your booking (subject to availability of course) for you so that you get the best weather possible for your experience on the Great Barrier Reef.

During the warmer months of October to March it is considered unsafe to swim off the beaches in North Queensland due to the presence of Box Jellyfish; unless you swim in a netted area or wear a lycra suit. Out on the Great Barrier Reef there may be Irukandji present. These are small jellyfish that can cause painful stings and sometimes quite serious injury. They are rare to encounter...the chances of encountering them are around 1:150 000.

Wavelength Reef Charters require our guests to wear a full body lycra suit that protect you from the likelihood of an irukandji sting and also from sunburn when snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. If you wear the suits you will also be doing your "bit " to protect and conserve the Great Barrier Reef as the suits limit the amount of sunscreen that you need to apply. Sunscreen comes off your body in the water and settles on the coral- preventing it from photosynthesising. Sunscreen KILLS the coral. So SAVE the reef and wear a suit!