Liquid Desire offers private day charters departing Port Douglas to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef.
All charters are professionally catered for by our onboard French and or Asian chef’s. Liquid Desire is also crewed by myself as skipper and an in water guide / deckhand when needed. Day trips to the Barrier Reef are our speciality and there is no better way to fully experience the reef and the magic of the cruising experience, sailing aboard your own private catamaran with up to 5 of your friends and family.
The 2023 rate per day is $3900. The 2024 rate per day is $4200.
This includes:
- Morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea
- Non alcoholic refreshments, alcoholic beverages are BYO
- Snorkelling equipment including wetsuits / or stinger suits
- Stand up paddle boarding
- Fishing equipment
- Reef taxes
Option 1 Port Douglas to Lizard island
This is a 5-day trip to Lizard Island. I would normally recommend a longer period
Lizard Island which is our premier trip. There is a return delivery fee of $800 per day for me and the crew to sail the Yacht back to Port Douglas. It takes 2 days for me to return to Port.
Daintree air can provide a private plan out of Lizard Island and back to Cairns … takes about an hour and is very scenic. You can contact them directly to arrange … talk to Greg, he owns the business. Aprox cost are $2600
https://www.daintreeair.com.au
The best option for a 5-day trip from Port Douglas to Lizard Island would be.
Day 1 Port Douglas to Hope Island
Hope island is located 50 nautical miles north of Port Douglas and directly offshore from the famous Daintree World Heritage Rainforest. Which offers stunning mountain views as we sail by.
The island itself is your classic tropical paradise with coconut trees , a fringing reef , beautiful white sand , many species of birds and loads of bait fish in the shallows.
We will arrive here just after lunch and have the afternoon to relax and enjoy the Island. Beach combing is always interesting and you can find beautiful shells and flotsam washed up above high tide.
You can snorkel directly off the beach , Stand Up Paddle or throw a fishing line in. It is also possible to have a fire on the beach and a enjoy a cold beer or wine as the sun sets.
We spend the night a Hope and Sail out to the outer reef the next morning.
Day 2 Hope Island to Steve’s Bommie
Steve’s Bommie is located 28 nautical miles offshore from Hope Island on the Outer Barrier Reef. This is approximately a 4 hour sail, a great opportunity to troll for Mackerel or Tuna along the way.
Steve’s Bommie is a premium Outer Reef location, with a pinnacle rising up from 30 mt housing some of the best reef and fish-life in the area. You can expect to see over 400 species of colourful coral, reef sharks, rays, large fish such as big eye travelly , basketball size stone fish , yellow snapper , clown fish , and occasional turtles. During June and July it is possible to spot a pod of Minke Whales in the area. We can overnight on the bommie or travel in closer to the main reef ( Ribbon # 3 ) and have another snorkel or two in the afternoon. Fishing is also possible if you feel like something fresh.
Day 3 Ribbon # 3 to Ribbon #9 and # 10
Ribbon # 9 and # 10 are located 35 nautical miles from Ribbon # 3 ( Steve’s Bommie ) Sailing on the inside of the outer reef is something else , Relatively calm seas and fast broad reaching is an amazing way to travel. We are normally flying the spinnaker and trawling for Mackerel or Tuna. There are some great drift snorkelling to be experienced in the location with some reefs in the passage between Ribbon # 9 and Ribbon # 10 , particularly on the incoming tide where we end up starting out on the pass and finish up in the shallows at least 1 to 2 km away. Drift snorkelling is easy with our high speed tender and experienced crew always with you.
In this area there are some spectacular underwater peaks with various large schools of fish circling in the current. Lunch on day three is generally served whilst underway and we can either spend the night on a mooring or anchor in the shallow’s of Ribbon # 10. Watch the sun set and be treated to a delicious meal cooked by your personal chef.
Day 4 Ribbon # 10 to Lizard Island
Lizard Island is located 20 to 25 nautical miles from Ribbon # 10 and we can sail via the Cod Hole if you would like to snorkel it.
A morning snorkel in the shallows at Ribbon # 10 is also an option before departing and this drift snorkel can be quite spectacular with a close up look at the reef offering a different perception as you gently float over the top of it all.
At the Cod Hole it is possible to swim with the famous potato cod along with reef sharks and large schools of red bass. We would have lunch on the mooring there then set sail for Watsons Bay / Lizard Island and have you on the beach by the afternoon around 4pm.
Day 5 enjoying Lizard Island
Lizard Island has some amazing walks and reefs to enjoy. You can easily spend time here enjoying the many attractions. The walk to Cooks lookout is highly recommended.
You can fly out at around 4 or 5pm.
I think this trip would be a fantastic way to experience the remote Outer Ribbon Reefs along with a stunning Tropical Island and then have the time at Lizard Island to really relax and enjoy the place. The best of both worlds.
We can cater to all your preferences and have activities such as snorkelling , diving , stand up paddle boarding, fishing, spearfishing and of course sailing.
Diving ( an instructor is required along with all the certified gear / add $860 a day for 2 divers / $1000 a day for 3 divers and $1150 a day for 4 divers / with 2 dives each day / yes a dive compressor is onboard ).
Liquid Desire departure point is right in the heart of Port Douglas from the Public Pontoon, located on Ashford Avenue. There is plenty of free parking available.
A shuttle bus can be arranged for pick up from Port Douglas, Cairns or anywhere on the Northern Beaches. Best if you arrange this yourself or have your accommodation management / travel agent assist.
Option 2
Low Isles and or Tongue Reef
Day 1
The Low Isles are a spectacular island group located on the Inner Barrier Reef only 8 nautical miles offshore, usually about a 1 hour sail. The Island offers beautiful and easy snorkelling, plenty of turtles and sea life, relaxing on the beach and enjoying our water sports activities. Perfect for kids, or guests who are learning to snorkel.
Tongue Reef is a gorgeous reef located 18 miles offshore on the Outer Barrier Reef, about a 2 hour sail. Tongue Reef offers a wider variety of coral species and more marine life. You can really see all the Reef has to offer here, and we often engage in ‘drift’ snorkels here. This location can please both experienced adventurers and the younger ones alike.
Day one can be spent either sailing to Tongue Reef and spend the day snorkelling and enjoying the area. Then we would sail back to Low Isles for the afternoon and spend the night there on anchor.
Day 2
Low island to Opal reef is located 28 nautical miles offshore on the Outer Barrier Reef, this is approximately a 4 hour sail from Port Douglas ( 3 hours from Low Island ) a great opportunity to troll for Mackerel or Tuna along the way.
Opal reef is a premium Outer Reef location, with dozens of snorkel sites available. You can expect to see over 400 species of colourful coral, reef sharks, rays, large fish such as the beautiful Maori Wrasse, and occasional turtles.
Liquid Desire can anchor at Opal reef with a beautiful coral garden directly behind the Yacht. There may be a bit of current here and we often engage in exciting ‘drift snorkels’ using our high speed tender.
You can go stand up paddle boarding, fishing, or simply relax and unwind on the beautiful catamaran.
Watch the sun set and be treated to a delicious meal cooked by your personal chef.
View the stars at night from your bed while you gently rock to sleep.
Day 3
After breakfast the following day we travel to Agincourt Reef, 12 nautical miles, about 1.5 hours.
We can do some trolling between Opal Reef and Agincourt. upon arrival to Agincourt we offer a tasty lunch and drop the anchor. Agincourt Reef has many locations worth visiting and we can spend the afternoon drift snorkelling the top and bottom of Agincourt # 1. ‘Triggerfish Point’ is a great drift snorkel, particularly on the incoming tide where we end up starting out on the pass and finish up in the shallows at least 1 to 2 km away. Drift snorkelling is easy with our high speed tender and experienced crew.
‘Whaler’ is another great drift snorkel location on the southern end of Agincourt # 1 , there is a progression of shallow and isolated reefs leading to some deeper edges. It is possible to see large schools of fish, reef sharks, rays, more than 400 species of coral, and the occasional turtle. The waters around the reefs of Agincourt are deep and can attract Minke whales, Pilot whales and even whale sharks.
Day 4
We spend the night at Agincourt and snorkel Agincourt # 2 the following morning. ‘Barracuda Bommie’ and ‘Nursery Bommie’ are both spectacular underwater peaks with various large schools of fish circling in the current. There are some beautiful drifts on the inside of Agincourt # 2 also.
In the afternoon we sail to Undine Cay and need to allow 3 hours where we can do some trolling and relaxing on the deck. Lunch on day three is generally served whilst underway.
Undine Cay will be a great spot to relax and enjoy the sunset. Even have a fire on the beach or flick a lure.
Day 5
On day 4 we normally set sail after a quick snorkel and or island walk. Sailing via Snapper island for a quick sheltered lunch stop. Snapper island is a rainforest clad tropical island with amazing beaches and vegetation. We can do a couple of short walks here and enjoy the peace and quite as we are more than likely to have the place to ourselves. From Snapper island its is another 12 nm to Port which can be a nice sail with the fishing lines out.
We can cater to all your preferences and have activities such as snorkelling, diving (at cost), stand up paddle boarding, fishing, spearfishing and of course sailing.
Diving ( an instructor is required along with all the certified gear / add $860 a day for 2 divers / $1000 a day for 3 divers and $1150 a day for 4 divers / with 2 dives each day / yes a dive compressor is onboard ).
Liquid Desire departure point is right in the heart of Port Douglas from the Public Pontoon, located on Ashford Avenue. There is plenty of free parking available.
A shuttle bus can be arranged for pick up from Port Douglas, Cairns or anywhere on the Northern Beaches. Best if you arrange this yourself or have your accommodation management / travel agent assist.