Moreton Island Tangalooma Wrecks QLD

Make a real splash snorkeling at Moreton Island Tangalooma Wrecks, Queensland

 Oh, how most of us love shipwrecks! – We’ve read Swiss Family Robinson and got caught up in the magical adventures of being shipwrecked on a romantic island. Let’s face it, it’s very exciting to see old bits of wreckage on the beaches, all rusted and just waiting to be explored, dreaming once again of pirates, hidden treasures and far off adventures.  And most of us are intrigued to know what happened that caused such a ship to become shipwrecked.

Time to get real

If you want to relive those adventures, you just have to get your snorkeling gear together and get over to Moreton Island – it’s the world’s third biggest island, just East of Australia. There you will find the Tangalooma Wrecks. Can you believe it – 15 ships were sunk here deliberately in order to create a break-wall for smaller recreational boats to have a safe anchorage, and of course creating some amazing diving and snorkeling sites as well! True adventures happen here, in sparkling azure water and views of amazing marine life and corals. As the wrecks are quite close to the beach, it’s possible to swim over for some exciting exploration. Be careful though, because there can be some are strong currents around the wrecks – you need to be quite a strong swimmer. If you are an experienced swimmer and snorkeler you won’t need a guide to assist you.

You can do it on your own or join a tour

The wrecks that you want to explore attract multitudes of fish as well as a vast array of colored tropical fish. You can expect to see barracudas, turrum, batfish, sharks, and much more in these waters. Keep your eyes peeled for carpet sharks, dugong, turtles and the like. Snorkeling in the wrecks is truly a huge adventure; from the beach, you swim out about 80 meters to reach them. If you aren’t a strong swimmer, don’t worry, there are small see-through dinghies and kayaks to hire and you can view and admire from the safety of your boat. But underwater snorkeling takes you into another world, soaking up all the visuals and checking out the wrecks. If you stay at a resort on the Island, you can hire snorkeling gear.

A tour is also a good ideal; you kind of get the full package because the captain of your tour boat will be full of interesting information about the area, the wrecks and of course the underwater life. Tours can be safer without the need to battle against the currents as you swim around on your own and all your snorkel equipment will be laid on. Sometimes divers get to wear orange gloves because the currents can often push them against the coral reefs and hands can get easily cut. Tours also include delicious buffet lunches and you can purchase drinks from a bar.  There is usually time to bake in the sun a bit as well and swim some more.

An unforgettable experience

Snorkeling the Wrecks is a rare adventure that comes top of many people’s bucket list – you will love it too – just don’t forget that sunscreen and have a blast!