Photographs show different viewpoints, dates and conditions. They do not establish current access to a particular route. Every image is credited below.
The Great Barrier Reef is a vast system rather than one uniform underwater view. Different sites offer different combinations of coral, fish, water clarity and exposure. Looking patiently at a small area can reveal feeding and sheltering behaviour that disappears in a rush to cover distance. A shore or island perspective adds another scale to the marine experience.
Select the operator, departure port and actual reef sites before comparing trip lengths. Ask how the day changes in the expected sea conditions.