4 days under sail

Liquid Desire offers private overnight charters departing Port Douglas to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef.

All charters are professionally catered for by our onboard chefs. Liquid Desire is also crewed by myself as skipper and an in water guide / deckhand when needed.

We take small private groups of 4 to 6 for overnight trips.

What's included?

• Your skipper and crew, snorkelling gear, and meals from our private chef, made to suit your tastes.
• We provide soft drinks. Yes. Bring your own alcoholic drinks; we will have a fridge or esky for them.
• Snorkelling gear, stinger suits, wet suits and towels.
• Stand up paddle boarding
• Fishing equipment (note: we fish for food but are not fully focused on fishing)
• Reef taxes

There are a couple of great options available for an overnight charter out from Port Douglas.

Liquid Desire departure and return point is the public pontoon in Ashford Avenue. Not the marina. Use the map and link on the website. Or type in Ashford Avenue to Google. Please arrive 15 minutes before departure.

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.

It is useful to be comfortable in the water. We do regard our trips as reasonably adventurous. If you are not a strong swimmer, we will manage with either flotation devices or a guide if possible. Flotation vests and noodles are on board.

We fish only where the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning allows it, and the focus is on soft plastics and lures.

Sailing Options

OPTION 1 - Port Douglas to Lizard island

This is a 4-day trip to Lizard Island … I would normally recommend a 5 to 7 day time period

Lizard Island which is our premier trip.

A return delivery fee applies to every Lizard Island trip, as the crew sails Liquid Desire back to Port Douglas, which takes 2 days. Please ask us for the current fee when you enquire.

Daintree air can provide a private plane 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. Approximate cost is $3,000 or more

The best option for a 4-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. Beachcombing 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 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 trevally, 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 # 10

Ribbon # 10 is 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 trawl 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. The drift snorkelling requires you to have a reasonable level of fitness as you will be away from the main vessel and need to be able to get in and out of the inflatable dinghy in open water.

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 at the resort in the afternoon around 4pm.

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 Resort. The best of both worlds.

We can cater to all your preferences and have activities such as snorkelling, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, spearfishing and of course sailing.

OPTION 2 - OPAL REEF / MACKAY CAY / LOW ISLAND

Day 1

Opal reef is located 28 nautical miles offshore on the Outer Barrier Reef, this is approximately a 4 hour sail, 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 2

After breakfast the following day we travel to either Mackay Cay or Undine Cay. This is 20 nautical miles from Opal Reef, and the sail will take 2.5 hours.

We can do some trawling between Opal Reef and the Cays, this is generally a nice downwind sail with the spinnaker out in all its glory.

We anchor up behind the sand cay and spend the afternoon snorkelling and exploring the small sand island. The cays are spectacular, with aqua blue water and sensational swimming. We sometimes light a small fire on the cay and watch the sun go down behind the mountain range of Cape Tribulation and the World Heritage Rainforest.

Dinner on the boat and let the sound of the water drift you off to sleep.

Day 3

Mackay cay to Undine Cay then on to Snapper Island

Travel the short distance of aprox 8 nm to Undine cay spend the morning exploring the cay which is smaller in size to Mackay and you will most likely have the place to yourself. There are generally lots of birds and if you feel like flicking a lure off the beach you may hook up. Snorkelling is also a good option.

Then sail to Snapper island where we can have and a walk on the beach and explore this beautiful tropical island.

There is some beautiful rainforest and flicking lures off the beach might produce a fish.

Day 4

Snapper Island to Port via Low island

The options here are open. We could sail to Low island for the day as it has a great mangrove island that is amazing for Stand up Paddling where we get in behind the mangroves no matter how strong the wind is and spot turtles and rays in the shallows.

Its a really good anchorage for the day and a nice fast Broard reach home to Port in the afternoon. It would be a 10 nm punch from Snapper to Low Island but this is unavoidable.

We can cater to all your preferences and have activities such as snorkelling, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, spearfishing and of course sailing.

Boarding and sailing

ARRIVAL AND BOARDING:

• Public pontoon in Ashford Avenue. Not the marina. Please arrive 15 minutes before departure.
• Meet the crew and get acquainted with the yacht.
• Receive a safety briefing and any necessary instructions.

SETTING SAIL:

• Depart from Port Douglas and start sailing out to the reef or Island
• The island takes around 1 hour and the outer reef 2 hours.
• Enjoy the scenic views as the yacht glides through the water.
• Anchor in a sheltered reef / island lagoon and go for a snorkel.
• Enjoy a tasty lunch and enjoy your choice of activity for the afternoon
• Either stay on anchor or find another anchorage depending on weather and your preferences and settle in for the night.
• Enjoy the sun setting over to the west and get rocked to sleep for the night.
• The following day you can enjoy a healthy breakfast then we plan the days activities. Snorkelling , SUP , Sailing , relaxing.
• By mid afternoon we up anchor and sail to next location.

RETURN TO PORT:

• As the sail comes to an end, head back to the departure point in Port Douglas.
• Disembark from the yacht, bidding farewell to the crew.