• If you are up to it you can assist the crew by pulling ropes or even steering, our experienced crew love to share their knowledge.
• Explore the remote beaches of Magnetic Island on the Great Barrier Reef, come face to face with the local wildlife and relax on our luxury sailing yacht.
• Sail, swim relax and enjoy a delicious lunch with locally sourced produce.
• Perfect half day trip on the Great Barrier Reef for you and your family and friends, there is no better way to discover the waters surrounding Magnetic Island.
• Enjoy a 4 hour lunchcruise on a luxury 58 foot sailing yacht with a maximum of 10 guests onboard

Sail on a luxury sailing boat around Magnetic Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Jump on board our 58-foot yacht at Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island for your lunchtime snorkel cruise. With 23 beaches and bays you can swim, snorkel or relax surrounded by the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Come along for a Great Barrier Reef tour like no other from Magnetic Island for lunch.

Our custom-built luxury sailing boat is a 58-foot (17 metres) yacht licensed up to 24 persons for coastal sailing but we generally only host 12 guests (approx.) on our Great Barrier Reef lunchtime tour so there is plenty of relaxation space for everyone and they have a more intimate experiece.

Join our 4 hour lunchtime sailing cruise and explore some of Magnetic Island’s 23 secluded bays and golden beaches.

This is a small group sailing experience; small and intimate - it's almost like being on a private charter boat.

If you wish to help hoist the sails or be the captain at the helm, then you can be as hands-on as you would like or if you just prefer to relax and kick back, then you can laze on the boats deck on the comfy beanbags and enjoy the passing scenery. 

We usually sail for approximately one hour before we set anchor in a secluded bay you will then have an hour to relax and swim before lunch is ready onboard.

Depending on the weather conditions on the day you might even get an opportunity to snorkel at Arthur or Florence Bays to admire fringing reef and colourful fish - please note snorkel equipment not provided, please bring your own.

Not only can you enjoy snorkelling with the huge variety of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef, you will also have the chance to hand feed the curious and friendly batfish, you might even meet Charlie the friendly Cod.

During the months of May to September you may even see Humpback Whales playing in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef as they migrate northwards to calve in the safety of the coral reefs.

Not only is the action underwater in the coral lagoons, there are also many seabirds that call the forests on Magnetic Island home and you may see circling Kites, Ospreys and Sea Eagles.  

A whopping two thirds of the island has been classified as National Park land and it is indeed paradise on Earth.

Inhabiting this National Park is a host of native Australian wildlife including cute rock wallabies, koalas and possums, with a variety of species of birds. 

After a scrumptious lunch we will start sailing back to Nelly Bay.

Magnetic Island Snorkel - Sailing Great Barrier Reef

A lunchtime Great Barrier Reef tour is a great way to explore the beauty of Magnetic Island and having a hands-on sailing adventure. 

Magnetic Island (or Maggie Island – as the locals call it) sits a short 8 km from Townsville in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

It is a lush island surrounded by the brilliant blue waters of the Coral Sea.

The traditional owners, the Wulgurukab Aboriginal people have inhabited this Great Barrier Reef island for thousands of years and call Magnetic Island ‘Yunbenun’. 

Over half of its mountainous 52 sq km is National Park. 

With 23 stunning and secluded bays to choose from you can sunbathe under tropical sunshine in stunning pristine locations.

Golden-sanded bays fringed with giant granite boulders, eucalyptus and hoop pines give a rugged beauty.

Getting There

If you are staying in Townsville catch the Sealink ferry from the Breakwater Terminal, to Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island. Walk just a short distance to your awaiting luxury yacht. 

Here you will be welcomed on board by the staff and after a safety briefing your sailing and snorkelling trip will begin.

Sailing & Snorkelling Magnetic Island

Your lunchtime Great Barrier Reef tour will leave Nelly Bay for the coastal waters and beautiful bays of Magnetic Island.

When the wind and conditions are right you will be able to help hoist the sails so the only power driving the yacht will be wind power.

Relax as we cruise around the scenic coastal waters of Magnetic Island or choose to assist at the helm and steer the yacht.

The boat has large deck areas for relaxing, swinging in a hammock and just soak up the passing stunning scenery of Magnetic Islands National Park.

Lunch Cruise Anchorages on Magnetic Island

The yacht will moor up at one of the following bays with weather conditions on the day determining which bay will be visited:

Radical Bay

Radical Bay used to be home to a low key resort in the 1970’s.

Now, nature has taken over and the privately owned access road has fallen into disrepair with minimal access. 

This means that Radical Bay can only be accessed by sea.

Our yacht’s dinghy can take you onshore to explore.

You can be sure that your footprints will be the only ones.

Arthur Bay

There is a track that leads from Arthur Bay which ascends one of the background hills.

It’s possible to walk a part of this track and see samples of the local wildlife, including koalas.

As you continue, you will see the historic ruins of the Australian Defence Force station that helped protect this area of Australia from Japanese forces.

If you prefer a more leisurely time then just relax on the pristine sands and admire the natural, serene beauty of Arthur Bay.

Florence Bay

Florence Bay is one of the most popular bays for the locals and one of the most beautiful.

Fringed on the left by corals with a coral bommie (coral mountain), which makes ideal snorkelling, Florence Bay is a favourite for ‘yachties’ and makes this bay a great scenic stop on your tour.

Lunch

Our lunch consist of delicious platters of locally sourced produce so it changes according to the seasons.

We can accommodate most dietary requirements as long as we are given some notice - please advise at time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

 

Relax and Chill

If the hands on sailing is not your style you might prefer to kick back and just soak up the tropical sun. 

There is plenty of space on the deck where you can do just that.

While you relax look up and watch the circling Kites, Ospreys and Sea Eagles common to this area. 

This easy going Great Barrier Reef tour offers something to suit everyone.

Snorkelling Magnetic Island Tour

Snorkelling is not always possible, it depends on the weather conditions on the day.

Magnetic Island is off the Great Barrier Reef and has both hard and soft corals off its shores. 

The batfish you swim with are gregarious and friendly and get even friendlier when you are feeding them!  

You might be lucky to meet Charlie the Cod who likes nothing less than to swim around visitors and become acquainted! 

Please note snorkel euipment is not provided, please bring your on.

Private Charter Boat - Magnetic Island

If you would like the whole boat for you and your loved one then take a look at our private charter yacht cruise for two.

Sunset Sip & Sail Afternoon Cruise

If you enjoyed your day with us exploring the Great Barrier Reef then why not join us for our popular sunset sip and sail tours as we cruise under the colourful sky as the sun sets in the west behind the mountains.

Take a peek here at our Magnetic Island Sunset Sail and Sip yacht tours. See all Magnetic Island tours and attractions.

Tour Languages Offered

• English

Departs From

Magnetic Island

Departure Time

• Boarding 10.00am - Returns 2.15pm
• Our Lunchtime Sailing Cruise times are changing from December to March to minimise the time in the peak heat of the day for our crew and guests. From 1st December to 28 March, we will run the Lunchtime Sailing Cruises from 8.30 am until 12.30 pm.

Departure Instructions

• One of the crew will meet you on the corner of the Peppers Blue on Blue deck & next to the Car Ferry Ramp 15 minutes before the scheduled cruise start time.
• The deck is situated outside the restaurant at the Peppers resort, if you see chairs, tables and umbrellas you're in the right spot.
• DIRECTIONS TO MEETING SPOT FROM FERRY TERMINAL: When disembarking the ferry, turn left immediately (before the terminal building). Hug the foreshore walking across the car barge ramp to the deck area outside Peppers Blue on Blue Resort's restaurant.

Destinations

Magnetic Island

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

Duration

4 hours

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Return Ferry Transfers from Townsville: $35 (adult return)
• Return Ferry Transfers from Townsville: $17 (child return)
• Insulated Wine Glass: $35

Fitness Level Required

Medium

Additional Information

• Minimum numbers need to be reached for this tour to depart: Lunchtime Cruises – there is a minimum of six adults
• Dietary requirements can be accommodated if requested at the time of booking).

• Snorkel equipment - snorkelling is weather dependent)
• Swimwear
• Towel
• Flat white soled shoes
• Comfortable clothes
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Insect repellant
• Camera
• Cash or credit card for additional purchases

• Child price applies to children aged 1 to 14.
• Infant below 1 travel free of charge.