Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort

★ 2 · Rick T. · 2014-03-16

Tried out the diving at Lady Elliot Island on the GBR and once again I was disappointed with the diving. So much promise, but not delivered. If anyone is out there from Queensland Tourism or the Australian Tourist board that can show me what Australian diving is about, then let me know. This is the seventh time I have dived on the GBR . LEI dive shop has good equipment. You have to use their kit, as you are only allowed 10kg of luggage on your flight over, so no chance of bringing your BCD, wetsuit etc. Hiring their kit is A$45 per day. Each dive you do is A$65, so you expect a good dive not a mediocre dive, not because I am expecting turtles, mantas and sharks to pop up and perform, but I am expecting a dive briefing that let's me know where we are going. OK, the dive. All the checks are made of your accreditation. The kit as mentioned is good. Transport to the boat is by wagon. The boat is ok, but I have been on better. There is nowhere to keep anything dry. The briefing was about going down the line and coming up the line and matching your buddy pairs. Santiago, the dive leader described the site we were going to and then on the boat changed his mind to The Lighthouse. Fine, but let us know where we are going and what to look out for. Why not use a small blackboard, pictures or diagrams are far better than words. Entry is by giant stride. Had a problem with weight, as this was not my kit, I had to take on some extra weights. Straight away we were swimming in to a current. Would question the drop off point. Anyway, reached some large rocks with healthy looking coral and some reef fish. There was a shoal of Trevally and apart from that a very attractive Sea Cucumber, which was all I took a photo of, which says it all and it cost me A$110. I did a snorkel trip, which cost me nothing. Saw lots of reef fish, more Trevally and Turtles. One even decided to pop up next to me for a breath of air. To repeat, Australia Tourism where is the great diving?