For a far-flung charter, try an Outer Reef 70 on Australia’s exotic Great Barrier Reef
by Peter Janssen 15 Apr 2019 01:22 AEST
Outer Reef 70 on Australia's Exotic Great Barrier Reef © Peter Janssen
If you're thinking about a real charter adventure, take a look at Aroona, a 70-foot Outer Reef in Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef, home to some of the most exotic cruising, fishing and diving grounds in the world.
Aroona can hold up to nine guests in three staterooms, all with en suite heads and showers, and is based in Cairns in North Queensland.
Aroona is privately owned, and is outfitted for a memorable charter, with three tenders, snorkeling, scuba and fishing gear, two SUPs and one kayak. It has ABT stabilizers for comfort, a washer and dryer and an available sat phone. A 2010 Outer Reef, Aroona carries 2,300 gallons of fuel, so you enjoy a long charter, 400 gallons of water and a watermaker that produces 1,800 gallons a day. It's powered by twin 500-hp Cat diesels.
With Aroona, you can choose many different itineraries and types of charter. Most start with an overnight trip to Lizard Island, or to Ribbon Reefs, a string of long, turquoise, narrow reefs on the continental shelf at the northern edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Trips there can end at Cod Hole, one of the most famous dive spots on the Great Barrier Reef.
On most cruises, you can enjoy the diversity of the coral and fish species on the Great Barrier Reef, or fish from the tenders, drift dive on the reef wall, or snorkel along the shallows among coral gardens and giant clams. On many charters, you'll see only one or two other boats each day.
Other destinations vary depending on the time of year. From March to June, for example, charters head to remote spots for the Barramundi fishing season. In June and July, you can see Minke whales, while game fishing is best from October to November.
On all charters, you can relax on Aroona's living areas on three decks. For living comfort, the master stateroom has a king-sized berth that can be converted to two large bunk beds. The VIP stateroom has a double bed that can be converted to two singles, and the guest stateroom has a double bed and a single bunk. Each room has its own individually controlled air conditioning.
The boat also can be used by film crews and for scientific research. Indeed, last year Aroona carried a team of scientists for two weeks on a research project aimed at regenerating the Great Barrier Reef with millions of coral spawn.
Read more at aroonaluxuryboatcharters.com.au
This article has been provided by the courtesy of the Cruising Odyssey.