Great Barrier Reef & Coral Sea Liveaboard
Oct 9 - 16, 2017
Spirit of Freedom
Up to 26 dives!
Trip Includes
- 7 Days / 7 Nights on yacht with en suite bath
- Chef prepared meals
- Australian wine and soft drinks with dinner
- Up to 26 dives
- Tanks & weights
Trip Excludes
- Airfare, tips (not mandatory in Australia), gear, nitrox (available)
- Trip cancellation and dive insurance
- A $20 per person Marine Park Levy & Port fee
Diving
*Dives/day: This varies depending on the day; from two to five dives are available including the night dives. There will be two to three night dives available. Up to 26 dives are possible.
**Nitrox: Nitrox fills are set at 32% at $10 AUS per fill or you can opt for a package price for all dives on nitrox $180 AUS/trip, about $127 USD.
Expected water temp: Usually averages 79°F - 80°F.
Expected viz: The Great Barrier Reef experiences an average visibility of 20 meters (~65 feet) with a range of 10 to 30 meters (30-100 feet), while the Coral Sea Reefs experience a year round average of 30 meters (~100 feet) visibility.
Season: Spring, with low rainfall, light winds, clear skies, generally calm sea conditions, and excellent visibility. The air temperature averages are 69°F (low) and 85°F (high). It is after the cool season but before the wet and cyclone seasons. Many coral reef species breed at this time. Manta Rays are commonly spotted in the Coral Sea from April to October. It is before the box jellyfish season.
Tanks, weights: Included. Tanks are 80 cubic feet aluminum with yolk valves. They also have 65 cubic feet tanks.
Other gear: Available for rent http://www.spiritoffreedom.com.au/reservations/on_board.html
Dive guides: Not generally provided. Divers dive in buddy teams. You may dive with your buddy to your pace and interests with no set limits on time, depth or style of diving outside of normal safe diving practices. An orientation dive is offered on the first dive, and a safety instructor will be in the water on most or all dives required. Our guests are welcome to dive with our divemasters and instructors, should they feel more comfortable with this option.
Expected diving: Begins from Cairns, and travels along the rarely visited Ribbon Reefs, to the Cod Hole. Along the 'Ribbons' you will encounter clouds of colorful tropical fish, an incredible variety of vibrant healthy corals, giant clams, anemones, huge schools of cruising pelagic fish, and a family of giant potato cod. Within your 7 days, you will also spend 2 days at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. An old volcanic atoll lying 220km off the coast, Osprey Reef is renowned for its spectacular walls to 1000m, its massive soft corals, shark action, and exceptional visibility. 'North Horn' at the tip of Osprey is a site where grey reef sharks, silvertips, and the occasional oceanic congregate. Here you can also experience a close encounter with the Spirit of Freedom shark attraction dive.
Nearest hyperbaric chamber: Townsville, 450km to the south of Cairns
Liveaboard
Style/Comfort: Luxury liveaboard
Alcohol: Australian wines and soft drinks with evening meals; no-host bar at other times.
Food: Lunch and dinner are provided on the day of departure, with 4 meals a day on ensuing days, and breakfast on the day of return to Cairns. The 4 meals include continental breakfast followed by a cooked breakfast after the first dive of the day. Special dietary requirements can be catered to with prior notice. Tea, coffee and fountain water are always available for self-service. Australian wines and soft drinks are served complimentary with the evening meal. Outside of this time we operate a ships bar with beer, mixed drinks, wine selection. Drinks can be placed on a tab for payment at the end of your trip.
Our chefs serve a variety of fine quality healthy meals. You will find a mix of international influences in the meal selection that cater to most every taste. If you have a special dietary request, please be sure to note this on your 'Diver Information' form, so that our chefs can be prepared in the event you require a unique meal.
Linens: Provided
Towels: Deck and cabin towels are provided on board. While you are given 2 cabin towels each, extra towels are always available on request should you require.
External Communication: While on board Spirit of Freedom you can enjoy intermittent phone and email access, when we are in range along certain sectors of the Ribbon Reefs. While at the Coral Sea, and also the regions of the Ribbon Reefs that are out of range, we can only rely on satellite phone and fax communications, available for a fee. Limited internet available free of charge while in range.
Electrical: 220-240 Volts, 50 Hz
Logistics
Airport: Carins, Australia (CNS)
Getting here:
-
Transfer between Cairns hotels and the yacht are included
-
If coming from Townsville, Cairns is a 4 hr dive North (or a train from ~ 9 am - 4 pm, doesn't run everyday)
-
You will need a visa: http://www.australia.gov.au/help-and-contact/faqs/visas-and-immigration
-
Several flight options from PDX available, including PDX-SFO-SYN-CNS; if you depart Friday you'll probably arrive Sunday. NOT INCLUDED.
-
Hotel: Many people are staying at the ibis Styles Cairns
Money
Terms
-
20% Deposit
-
Balance due 90 days prior 9-July-2017
-
Refundable when someone books the spot
Travel insurance: We strongly recommend travel insurance. The guest or their insurance must shoulder the costs of cancellations, losses and disruptions caused by reasons outside of the Dive Operator’s control or responsibility. This includes but is not limited to: inclement weather, health problems, family emergencies, lost luggage, cancelled or postponed flights (including those we book for them) and any other unforeseen reasons that can change travel plans and/or cause financial losses. This is available several places, including DAN, Dive Assure, and www.csatravelpro.com.
Dive accident insurance: Required.
Airfare: Not included
Other fees:
-
A $20 per person Marine Park Levy & Port fee
-
Fuel Levy information as of May 2014. From 01 July 2015 a fuel levy no longer applies, however Spirit of Freedom reserve the right to re-instate a levy, should the world-wide price of fuel significantly increase.
How settle bill for on board expenses: Accepts AUD cash, Australia Dollar Traveler’s Checks, Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Tipping: Tipping is not mandatory in Australia, although it is becoming a more common practice in restaurants and with tourism related services and tour operators. It is not governed by any percentage.
Non-divers: $400 discount. Non-divers can enjoy DVD movies, games, the resource library, and relaxing on sun lounges on the top deck. We recommend the Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs itinerary for those who like to snorkel. The reefs of the Ribbon Reefs are relatively close to the surface, and with little current, offer excellent snorkeling at most sites. However, the (at times) deeper reefs tops and currents of the Coral Sea, make the Coral Sea reefs only suitable for experienced snorkelers and strong swimmers and you may not be able to snorkel at every site. Please note that while you be safe under the watchful eye of the 'look-out' crew, a snorkel buddy may not always be available.
Itinerary
Monday: The Spirit of Freedom courtesy bus will pick you up from your Cairns hotel around 11:00 am to transfer you to Trinity Wharf, where you will board the vessel. You will be greeted by the Spirit of Freedom crew, who will give you an orientation of the vessel before a 12 noon departure. Enjoy lunch on board while we cruise to the outer Great Barrier Reef for an afternoon check-out dive and a twilight or night dive. After dinner we cruise north to the Ribbon Reefs.
Tuesday & Wednesday: These two days are spent diving at the most northern of the Ribbon Reefs, Number 9 & 10 Ribbon Reefs. Dive sites and sequence may vary depending on the weather conditions, but will always include at least one dive at the Cod Hole, where you encounter a family of massive and very friendly Potato Cod. Other sites may include Wonder-wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Challenger Bay, Two Towers, Lighthouse Bommie, and the Snake Pit, just to name a few. If the current is right, you may also take a drift dive at Dynamite Pass, well known as a channel for sharks to pass through. See the dive site page for site selection of some of our dive sites on the Ribbon Reefs. 4 to 5 dives will be available each day, including a night dive on the Tuesday. On Wednesday evening we overnight at Watson's Bay, Lizard Island, and enjoy a sunset BBQ dinner on the top deck.
Thursday: This morning after breakfast you will have the opportunity to go ashore at Lizard Island. A good chance to stretch your legs on land at this half way point, you can take the guided walk from Watson's Beach to Mary Watson's cottage over Chinaman's Ridge and back to the beach. Around 11.00am we will cruise back to Ribbon Reef Number 10 for two dives at a choice of sites including the Snake Pit, Cod Hole, Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall, and Pixie Pinnacle. If the tide permits, we may repeat a dive at the Cod Hole or visit new sites. We depart in the evening for a 10 hour crossing to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.
Friday & Saturday: Two days will be spent diving Osprey Reef (weather permitting). Australia's Coral Sea reefs are renown for crystal clear water with visibility ranging 30 to 100 meters. The landscape is amazing with sheer walls laced with gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals, rising from the ocean floor thousands of feet below. 'North Horn' is a dive site at the tip of Osprey where grey reef sharks, silvertips, and the occasional oceanic congregate, and you can experience a close encounter with the Spirit of Freedom shark attraction dive. 4 to 5 dives will be available each day, including a night dive on the Friday. See the dive site page for site selection of some of our dive sites at Osprey Reef. On Saturday night we will depart Osprey Reef for overnight travel to the Ribbon Reefs.
Sunday: At Ribbon Reefs Number 3 we will dive such sites as the sensational Steve's Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point. A second option for this day, in special weather conditions, is to head south from Opsrey to Bougainville Reef, known for its unusual underwater landscape or caverns, and its partially submerged wreck. On Sunday evening we will cruise overnight back to Cairns. Last dive ~ 5 pm.
Monday: We arrive back into Cairns at 06:30am. Enjoy a light breakfast on board nd a group photo opportunity before being dropped back to your Cairns hotel around 08.00 am.
Before you go
Bring: Cert cards (including Nitrox)!
Forms: Complete the online form at least 30 days prior to the trip (includes dietary requirements) http://www.spiritoffreedom.com.au/form/diver_information_request.html
Passport: Please ensure your passport is valid at least six months after your return date to the US.
Visa: You will need a visa: http://www.australia.gov.au/help-and-contact/faqs/visas-and-immigration
Miscellaneous
Caveat: The dives are subject to the current and weather conditions that day, and can be changed at the Captain’s discretion.