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Ocean Spirit Cruises provides Cairns reef tours to Michaelmas Cay, on the Great Barrier Reef. This stunning sand cay is surrounded by fringing reef and coral gardens, with warm shallow waters perfect for snorkelling and diving. Michaelmas Cay is also an important seabird nesting site, with up to 20,000 breeding pairs being recorded here. Ocean Spirit provides you with up to 4 hours at Michaelmas Cay, with plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling, exploring more on a semi submersible tour and relaxing on the warm sands, soaking up the views. The tour price includes all of the aforementioned activities, plus morning and afternoon tea, a hot and cold buffet lunch, and glass of wine with cheese and crackers on the return journey to Cairns.
We’ve been on all the tours we book. As a couple, as a family with a baby, then with a young child and now pre-teen. We’ve taken non-swimming friends and older relatives to the reef. So, we have first-hand experience and can help you make the right choice for your Cairns Reef Tour. Chat with us or send us an enquiry and we’ll get back to you.
Get In Touch Chat With UsMichaelmas Cay is a stunning Great Barrier Reef destination. A pristine sand cay, surrounded by clear waters and beautiful coral gardens, home to giant clams and an abundant array of marine life. Snorkelling conditions are perfect, and you can snorkel straight from the beach on the cay. Ocean Spirit Cruises is one of the few Cairns reef tours to visit Michaelmas Cay and provide you with up to 4 hours to explore and enjoy all it has to offer.
Ocean Spirit Cruises provide transfers to and from the boat to the cay, with all snorkelling from the Michaelmas Cay beach. This makes snorkeling a very easy experience. You can sit in the shallows and put on your mask, fins and snorkel, before swimming out to explore the surrounding reef. All of the snorkelling equipment is provided and included in the tour price and the crew provide a snorkelling demonstration, on the way to the reef from Cairns. Flotation devices and buoyancy vests are also provided and available for use. You will be swimming in open water, but you can determine your own depth as it is straight off the beach.
For those who want to learn more about the reef and Great Barrier Reef fish, join the Ocean Spirit Cruises marine biologist led snokelling tour. This is an optional extra activity, but really enhances your connection and knowledge of the reef and its many creatures. The guided snorkel tour lasts 45 minutes.
Ocean Spirit Cruises provides guests aged 12 years old and over with the opportunity to try scuba diving for the first time. The shallow waters surrounding Michaelmas Cay are relatively protected, so there is little to no current or waves, creating ideal conditions for first time divers. Introductory diving is in addition to the tour price and the cost includes all diving equipment, instruction and your dive guide. The guide will be with you the entire time in the water. The maximum dive depth will be 10-12m and dive time will be around 20-30 minutes. There is no prior experience necessary to try an introductory dive. Dive times are: 11am | 12.15pm | 1.30pm.
Please note certain health conditions can prevent you from trying scuba diving, this includes but is not limited to: asthma, epilepsy, chronic sinus conditions and ear problems, heart disease and sugar diabetes. It is not advised to try scuba diving if you are pregnant.
Ocean Spirit Cruises provides semi submersible Reef Discovery tours, in conjunction with the tour price. The air conditioned semi submersible tours are a great way to learn more about the Great Barrier Reef, its corals and marine life, without getting wet. Large windows provide uninterrupted views and our crew will point out items of interest, throughout the 30 minute Michaelmas Cay semi submersible tour. This is perfect for non-swimmers and families, as well as anyone wanting to learn more about the reef.
The Michaelmas Cay semi submersible tour is included in your Ocean Spirit Cruises day tour price. You do not need to pre-book them.
The Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour provides you with up to 4 hours at the reef, with unlimited snorkelling during this time. Check in is at the Ocean Spirit Cruises desk, which is located inside Cairns’ Reef Fleet Terminal. Check in is from 7.30am, with boarding commencing at 8am for an 8.30am departure. Ocean Spirit Cruises returns to Cairns at around 5pm. Tea and coffee are served when you board, with a hot and cold buffet for lunch and complimentary glass of wine for the return trip, with cheese and crackers. You should take a towel, sunglasses, hat, change of clothes and sunblock for the day, as well as cash or credit cards to make any additional food and beverage purchases.
Check in at the Ocean Spirit Cruises desk, which is located inside Cairns’ Reef Fleet Terminal. You will be given your boarding passes.
Boarding commences at the Ocean Spirit Cruises sailing catamaran, which is moored at Cairns’ Marlin Marina. Tea and coffee are provided and included. The crew will issue you with any relevant dive and snorkel paperwork.
Ocean Spirit Cruises departs Cairns for Michaelmas Cay. During the 2 hour transfer, the crew will provide all relevant safety and equipment demonstrations, including the introductory dive briefing (for those participating in this optional extra activity). There is also a marine biologist slide show presentation, and plenty of time to just relax and enjoy being at sea.
Arrive at Michaelmas Cay. Reef activities commence. Ocean Spirit Cruises provides transfers to and from the boat to the cay throughout the day. There is a fish feeding presentation, unlimited snorkelling and semi submersible tours. The optional extra activities are the guided snorkel tour and introductory scuba diving, with times advised for these.
A hot and cold buffet lunch is served on board the sailing catamaran, between 12pm and 1.30pm. It includes fresh, chilled prawns, a range of salads, deli meats and cold chicken, breads and hot dishes. You can enjoy lunch at your leisure, with more snorkel time before and after eating.
All guests return to the Ocean Spirit Cruises sailing catamaran, where afternoon tea is served and the crew conduct a headcount. Once everyone is accounted for, Ocean Spirit Cruises commences its return journey to Cairns. A complimentary glass of wine is provided, with cheese and crackers for your enjoyment. Additional beverages and snacks can be purchased on the boat, at additional cost to you.
Ocean Spirit Cruises arrives back into Cairns’ Marlin Marina.
The Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour has lots of inclusions.
The Ocean Spirit Cruises Cairns reef tour goes to Michaelmas Cay, which is 41km north east of Cairns. Travel time on the sailing catamaran is around 2 hours each way, and they provide up to 4 hours to enjoy Michaelmas Cay and its surrounding fringing reefs and coral gardens. Michaelmas Cay is also a protected seabird sanctuary, and you will see a wide array of birds during your time at the cay.
Snorkelling on the Ocean Spirit Cruises Cairns reef tour is excellent. Michaelmas Cay is surrounded by fringing reefs and so many giant clams, of all different colors and patterns. You snorkel directly off the beach at the cay, so water access is nice and easy. The waters surrounding the cay are protected from most winds, so there are generally no significant waves or currents. Lots of hard and soft corals, sea turtles, anemonefish and more. All snorkelling equipment is provided and included in the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Day tour price. If you want to learn more about the reef, they also offer a marine biologist guided snorkel tour, which is in addition to the tour price. Flotation devices and buoyancy vests are available if needed.
Yes, the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour does provide the option to try introductory scuba diving at Michaelmas Cay. There are no certified diving opportunities on this trip. The maximum dive depth will be 10-12m and dive time will be around 20-30 minutes. There is no prior experience necessary to try an introductory dive, but you must be aged 12 years old or more. Dives are scheduled at 11am | 12.15pm | 1.30pm. Introductory diving is in addition to the tour price, but includes all equipment, instruction and your dive guide. Some health conditions will preclude you from diving, such as asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, sinus and ear infections and more. Scuba diving while pregnant is not recommended.
Introductory divers can do 1 dive, on the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour.
The scuba diving conditions on the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour, are suitable for introductory divers. The waters surrounding Michaelmas Cay are relatively protected, so there are usually no waves or currents. The coral gardens are not deep and are home to an abundant array of marine life. You will see lots of Great Barrier Reef fish, during your introduction to scuba diving with Ocean Spirit Cruises.
Yes, we think the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour is suitable for non-swimmers. This Cairns reef tour includes transfers to and from the catamaran to the cay, where you can sit and wade in the shallows and see giant clams and Great Barrier Reef fish. Ocean Spirit Cruises also has guided semi submersible tours, where you can learn more about this amazing marine environment. Non-swimmers will also enjoy the bird watching at Michaelmas Cay, which is an important nesting site in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Up to 20,000 breeding pairs have been recorded here, including noddies, terns, frigates, herons and more.
No, Ocean Spirit Cruises does not have a glass bottom boat, but they do have a semi submersible.
Yes, we think the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour is suitable for kids. All snorkelling is from the beach on Michaelmas Cay, so families and children can swim / snorkel to their limitations. Flotation devices and buoyancy vests are provided and included. Kids can build sandcastles on the beach and join in the semi submersible tours.
Yes, the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour is family friendly – the crew are attentive and helpful to all members of the family.
Lunch on the Ocean Spirit Cruises Michaelmas Cay day tour is good. It’s a hot and cold buffet with a range of salads and breads, cold meats, fresh prawns and more. Morning and afternoon tea is provided and included, as is a complimentary glass of wine with cheese and crackers for the return journey to Cairns. Additional drinks (soft drinks etc) can be purchased at the bar, at additional cost.
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