Book Spirit of Freedom dive trips before the end of April 2025 and receive a $200 AUD off the 3 and 4 Night trips and $400 AUD off a 7 Night trip) – Travel Valid between Jan 23rd – April 30th 2025
Enjoy 7 fantastic days diving the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and in the Coral Sea at reefs like Osprey Reef, Bouganville Reef and Holmes Reef. Destinations will vary and be selected to provide the best diving, and allow maximum dive time and passenger comfort, according to the prevailing weather.
The Coral Sea reefs feature spectacular walls, steep drop-offs and lone seamounts, rising thousands of metres from the ocean floor to just below the surface. Renown for crystal clear water with average visibility well in excess of 50 metres, a diver can appear suspended in air against a vertical wall laced with massive gorgonian fans.
Sharks and schooling pelagic cruise through an amazing display of gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals, while nudibranch, anemones, unusual tropical fish, invertebrates, and huge schools of fish provide a rich variety of marine life. You will dive with giant potato cod and encounter an ecosystem of unsurpassed marine diversity. With deeper water you will encounter greater number of pelagic marine life, massive isolated bommies of coral and some of the best adventure diving the Great Barrier Reef has to offer.
Departs Cairns 12:00 noon Thursday
Returns Cairns 08:00am Thursday
Highlights
Diving details
This trip combines the most exciting dives you will complete on both the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. If you did one dive trip this year then consider this ultimate diving adventure. Coral Sea dive depth is limited only by your air consumption and experience levels. The ocean floor drops away to 1,000m and some dive sites don’t start until 20m below the surface. Dive conditions can sometimes be challenging in the Coral Sea, with strong currents. Visibility is amazing, often over 50m.
Spirit of Freedom – The Vessel
At 37 metres, Spirit is one of Australias largest liveaboard dive vessels, with on board facilities to satisfy the most discerning dive traveller. Electronic stabilisers ensure the smoothest cruising, while the comfortable furnishings and polished timber interior, give you the feeling of being on a luxury private yacht. Passenger entertainment areas include sun deck, lounge/ bar and huge dining saloon with wide screen TV/DVD system. Theres also a large fully equipped dive deck with Nitrox and photo facilities. 11 roomy cabins all feature private bathrooms and are serviced daily.
Cabin Details:
Ocean View Deluxe
Located on the top deck with internal stairwell access to the main deck, as well as external access to the top deck and dive deck, the Ocean View Deluxe Cabin boats a 10.5m² area with 3 large windows overlooking the starboard side of the vessel. The room features bedside tables, wardrobe and 26″ flat screen TV plus Ensuite.
Ocean View Standard – Ocean View cabin is located on the top deck with internal stairwell access to the main deck, as well as external access to the top deck and dive deck. Double or Sole Occupancy Available.
Stateroom – The largest of all cabins onboard the vessel, The Stateroom cabin is located in a private area on the lower deck, close to the dive deck and dining saloon. Double or Sole Occupancy Available.
Standard Double or Twin Share – There are seven standard double or twin share cabins. Five of these cabins contain a double bed with a single bed over the top, bunk style. One cabin contains just a double bed and one cabin has two single beds. These cabins are all located on the lower deck, with easy access to the main deck. Sole Occupancy is also available.
Quad Share – Located midships on the lower deck, the quad share cabin containing four single beds, bunk style and is a great options for groups or families.
Number of passengers:
24 maximum
What to bring:
Dive Certification Card (Minimum Open Water Level – Hat & Sunscreen – Warm clothing for evenings – Money for bar and other on-board purchases – Soft luggage
Courses Available:
PADI Advanced Course and PADI Nitrox Course
Special Note:
Prices are all listed per person and valid between 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025
This 7 Day liveaboard dive trip provides you with the ultimate diving holiday experience on the Great Barrier Reef and Australia’s. The trip itinerary is a combination of the operators 3 Day Ribbon Reef Trip and 4 Day Coral Sea Dive Trip.
Departs – Thursday
The Spirit of Freedom courtesy bus will pick you up from your Cairns hotel around 11:00am 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 departing at 12 noon. 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.
Friday & Saturday
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 know 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 Friday. On Saturday evening we overnight at Watson’s Bay, Lizard Island, and enjoy a sunset BBQ dinner on the top deck.
Sunday
This morning after breakfast you will have the opportunity to go ashore at Lizard Island. This is a good chance to stretch your legs on land at the halfway point of your trip! We recommend taking 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.
Monday & Tuesday
Two days will be spent diving Osprey Reef (weather permitting). Australia’s Coral Sea reefs are renowned for their crystal clear water, with visibility ranging from 30 to 100 metres. The landscape is amazing, with sheer walls laced with gorgonian fans, 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. Four to five dives will be available each day, including a night dive on the Monday. See our Coral Sea and Osprey Reef dive sites here. On Tuesday night we will depart Osprey Reef for overnight travel to the Ribbon Reefs.
Wednesday
At Ribbon Reef 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 Osprey to Bougainville Reef, known for its unusual underwater landscape or caverns, and its partially submerged wreck. On Wednesday evening we will cruise overnight back to Cairns.
Returns – Thursday
We arrive back into Cairns at 06:30am. Enjoy a light breakfast on board and a group photo opportunity, before being dropped back to your Cairns accommodation around 08.00am.
NOTES
SNORKELERS. The reefs of the Ribbon Reefs are relatively close to the surface, and with little current, offer excellent snorkelling 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 are safe under the watchful eye of the ‘look-out’ crew, a snorkel buddy may not always be available.
This itinerary is a sample only and sites may vary or the sequence may change. Access to the Cod Hole and the Coral Sea is tide and weather conditional.
Cancellation: Should You Cancel With:
In the event you cancel your booking with us, the following charges will apply:
More than 60 days before departure: no charge (full refund applies)
Between 60 days and 30 days before departure: 20% of your tour cost
Within 30 days of departure: 100% of your tour cost (no refund applies)
If your cancellation is due to a government-mandated travel restriction, we may offer a credit valid for up to 2 years from your original travel date. Valid for travel during 2022 only.
Notes
Rates quoted are per person, based on double occupancy, or four share for quad.
For Sole Occupancy rates, please double the per person rate and deduct $150 per day. (N/A for Quad share)
For non-diving passengers, please deduct $200 off the 3 & 4 day trip rates and $400 off the 7 day trip rates.
Triple Share in Double/Twin: 2 people pay twin share rate, 1 person pays quad share rate.
Ocean View cabins and Stateroom contain double beds only and rates are based on double occupancy.
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