February 2014 on the Great Barrier Reef

Yongala 2014
Captain Trevor Jackson

We are heading south on May 15 to see the results of nature’s latest muscle flexing. I wonder which version of the Yongala we are going to get.

When cyclone Yasi came through the region a couple of years ago it stripped a few local shipwrecks of their coral growth and immediately everyone thought the worst “Oh no, it’s not going to be worth diving anymore”. The truth is that some of them got better. For example, if you sit around a table full of divers that have dived the Yongala many times over the years, opinion is divided. Some say it was better before however most will say it is better now. I butted in on one of these conversations a few weeks ago and queried the group on how the wreck could be better. The response went along the lines of ….”Well it has still got all of the life swarming all over it, but now there’s so much more wreck to see. The structure, the artifacts, there is simply more of it now”

The argument made sense to me. Effectively what they meant was that it used to be a great dive in terms of marine life, but now it’s a great WRECK dive as well. We’ve had a few little blows this season and no doubt the Yongala will have changed again.

There are 4 special expeditions visiting the Yongala Wreck between 15^th and 29^th May 2014 offering 4 regions of diverse and exciting dives.

3 Nights Cairns to Townsville        Lady Bowen & Yongala     15 – 18 May
4 Nights Townsville / Townsville Yongala & Gothenburg     18- 22 May
3 Nights Townsville / Townsville Yongala & Wheeler Reef 22 – 25 May
4 Nights Townsville to Cairns        Yongala & Lady Bowen      25 – 29 May

Rogues Gallery