Time’s not ticking on the Great Barrier Reef, on which I snorkel, eyes wide. Nothing else I have to do. Nowhere else I need to be.

Suddenly, a masked face blocks my view: another human, how annoying! Their index finger points up to ask me to resurface, which I do reluctantly. “Hey, wanna see a Nemo-fish?” asks the assistant skipper from Coral Sea Dreaming, the sailing boat I came on. Now, that’s an opening line. I follow him to the nearby anemones with no regrets, wondering if I shall also get to meet Dori the royal tang and Crush the green sea turtle.

I do see them, and so much more. The coral itself is not nearly as bright as it would have been at its birth, around 20,000 years ago. Like a plain palette once dropped by a distracted artist in the middle of the ocean, its real beauty lies in the shades of the paints it holds. Butterfly fish yellow. Reef trout red. Parrot fish purple. Damsel fish blue – colours as intense as the eye can take.

The more discreet inhabitants of the Coral Sea are often the most intriguing, though. To finally spot a shy ray hiding in the bottom sand! To swim next to a proud humphead wrasse that looks like a prehistoric fossil… To feel the hair of my neck stand up in the presence of a reef shark, at night, only a small torch to illuminate this strange liquid world suddenly gone black.

Finding a boat in the state of Queensland that allows introductory divers to go out in the water after dark is no easy feat, but I got lucky. I feel safe in the hands of the instructors of the Coral Sea Dreaming team – or as safe as any human could possibly feel in the depths of the ocean with unknown things swimming around them at 10 p.m.

Coral Sea Dreaming organises overnight trips on a classic sailing boat, leaving from the port of Cairns three times a week and taking groups of up to 12 guests on an intimate, unforgettable exploration of some of the most renowned quarters of the Great Barrier – in my case, it was the stunning Milln Reef.

The crew, high in positive vibes, make the whole experience seamless, and the navigation more than comfortable. It’s no five-star hotel: vessels do tend to sway, and cabins do get pretty hot in the summer. But all is forgotten when out on the deck again, at dawn, breathing in the sunrise on the limitless waters, rocked by the embrace of a cosy hammock.

Whatever your water background, Coral Sea Dreaming won’t fail to impress. At the end of the second day, on the way home, everybody’s happy: certified divers, introductory divers, and even those who’ve decided to stick to ‘just’ snorkelling. The package is flexible, as is the cost, which means you can choose to go out on the reef as many times as you wish, including none at all.

If you’re still debating whether it’s worth investing a few more dollars in a small-group tour… Just do it, mate! I’ve also been on boat trips that take out dozens of guests at a time and this small family-run business beats that 10:1, offering a tailored experience that will truly touch your soul.

On a big tour you will sure see things. But on a small one, you will feel them.