[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":182},["ShallowReactive",2],{"leaderboard-total":3,"spot-blue-buoy-opal-reef-site":9,"spot-seo-blue-buoy-opal-reef-site":147},{"entries":4,"total":5,"period":6,"type":7,"generated_at":8},[],0,"all_time","reports","2026-10-03T06:32:05.526386Z",{"id":10,"name":11,"slug":12,"latitude":13,"longitude":14,"description":15,"difficulty":16,"image_url":17,"status":18,"tide_constituents":19,"hazard_entries":70,"access_info_structured":78,"area_boundary":17,"routes":17,"created_at":87,"updated_at":88,"today_conditions":89,"today_verdict_view":111,"images":142,"submitted_by":143,"region_name":145,"verification_status":146,"verified_at":17,"disputed":140,"verifier_count":5,"last_verified_display_name":17},"10e2eec0-4ff7-4bd0-893a-8ddc1a24a65f","Blue Buoy (Opal Reef site)","blue-buoy-opal-reef-site",-16.396,145.883,"Blue Buoy is one of the premier snorkel sites on Opal Reef, a 9 km² ribbon reef on the outer Great Barrier Reef, 50 km east of Port Douglas. This site features shallow coral gardens with near-complete coral coverage—branching, plate, and giant boulder corals—coupled with exceptional visibility of 12–18 m. Named for its mooring buoy, it offers drift snorkeling over vibrant bommies where you can float above parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, clownfish, and giant clams, with regular sightings of green sea turtles and white-tip reef sharks.","beginner",null,"published",{"name":20,"amplitude":36,"phase":52,"latitude":13,"model":68,"epoch":69},[21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35],"2N2","J1","K1","K2","M2","M4","MF","MM","N2","O1","P1","Q1","S1","S2","T2",[37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51],0.025339426635042513,0.02013336022889941,0.3100422187976916,0.08761446801651122,0.521590338459185,0.002174249140347501,0.010728677078180236,0.009453037505107207,0.1793094648942462,0.1497714074545689,0.0863556331911599,0.024001204400984986,0.00959489698539301,0.30487441134991006,0.030414678909539854,[53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67],317.7762114102122,49.849085957764785,39.98384536520394,299.1218236444987,343.964809701202,213.08319686143764,3.517720181294165,39.395401541671575,328.13482251733365,11.743066665024173,37.708817031847246,357.75777402908426,350.3132270577716,304.0174593205866,273.1829375006788,"EOT20","1992-01-01T00:00:00Z",[71,75],{"name":72,"description":73,"severity":74,"season_start":17,"season_end":17},"Tidal current","Outgoing tide can create a gentle drift current; snorkelers should stay with the group and guide.","caution",{"name":76,"description":77,"severity":74,"season_start":17,"season_end":17},"Sun exposure","Sun exposure is intense in tropical waters; reef-safe sunscreen, hats, and shade breaks recommended.",{"directions":79,"parking":80,"facilities":81,"fees":85,"access_method":86},"Blue Buoy is a snorkel site on Opal Reef, approximately 50 km east of Port Douglas. Tours depart from Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas (about 1.5 hours travel time each way).","Paid parking available at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina, Port Douglas.",[82,83,84],"toilets","drinking_water","showers","Tours cost approximately $318–$329 AUD per person (Wavelength Reef Cruises or Calypso Reef Cruises).","snorkel_tour","2026-07-27T02:56:47.499556Z","2026-08-04T05:30:44.786462Z",{"verdict":90,"evaluated_at":91,"models":92},"go","2026-10-03T02:21:25.726645Z",[93,100,105],{"model_name":94,"is_favourable":95,"value":96,"threshold":97,"unit":98,"operator":99},"Wind Speed",true,8.32,10,"kn","lte",{"model_name":101,"is_favourable":95,"value":102,"threshold":103,"unit":104,"operator":99},"Wave Height",0.11,0.5,"m",{"model_name":106,"is_favourable":95,"value":107,"threshold":108,"unit":109,"operator":110},"Visibility",2.15,2,"","gte",{"verdict":90,"rating":112,"evaluated_at":91,"generated_at":91,"source":113,"confidence":114,"visibility":117,"parameters":118,"models_passed":141,"models_total":135},"Excellent","precomputed",{"level":115,"value":116},"High",100,{"score":107,"rating":17,"confidence":17},[119,122,128,131,137],{"name":101,"value":102,"label":17,"unit":104,"favourable":95,"score":120,"optimal_max":103,"marginal_max":121},3,1,{"name":123,"value":124,"label":17,"unit":125,"favourable":95,"score":120,"optimal_max":126,"marginal_max":127},"Swell Period",6.85,"s",8,12,{"name":94,"value":129,"label":17,"unit":98,"favourable":95,"score":120,"optimal_max":97,"marginal_max":130},8.3196352,15,{"name":132,"value":133,"label":17,"unit":134,"favourable":95,"score":120,"optimal_max":135,"marginal_max":136},"Precipitation",3.5,"mm",5,20,{"name":138,"value":17,"label":139,"unit":109,"favourable":140,"score":121,"optimal_max":17,"marginal_max":17},"Tidal Phase","flood",false,4,[],{"display_name":144},"Daniel","Queensland","unverified",{"title":148,"description":149,"canonical_url":150,"og_image":151,"structured_data":152,"breadcrumbs":175},"Snorkeling Conditions at Blue Buoy (Opal Reef site) - How's the Spot","Check snorkeling conditions at Blue Buoy (Opal Reef site), Queensland. Excellent conditions, water 24.3°C, waves 0.11m","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fspots\u002Fblue-buoy-opal-reef-site","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fog-default.png",[153,162],{"@context":154,"@type":155,"name":11,"description":156,"url":150,"geo":157,"address":159},"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org","Place","Blue Buoy is one of the premier snorkel sites on Opal Reef, a 9 km² ribbon reef on the outer Great Barrier Reef, 50 km east of Port Douglas. This site features shallow coral gardens with near-compl...",{"@type":158,"latitude":13,"longitude":14},"GeoCoordinates",{"@type":160,"addressRegion":145,"addressCountry":161},"PostalAddress","Australia",{"@context":154,"@type":163,"name":164,"description":149,"url":150,"breadcrumb":165},"WebPage","Snorkeling Conditions at Blue Buoy (Opal Reef site)",{"@context":154,"@type":166,"itemListElement":167},"BreadcrumbList",[168,172,174],{"@type":169,"position":121,"name":170,"item":171},"ListItem","Home","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com",{"@type":169,"position":108,"name":145,"item":173},"https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fexplore?region=queensland",{"@type":169,"position":120,"name":11,"item":150},[176,178,180],{"label":170,"href":177},"\u002F",{"label":145,"href":179},"\u002Fexplore?region=queensland",{"label":11,"href":181},"\u002Fspots\u002Fblue-buoy-opal-reef-site",1791009132902]