Spirit of Freedom Coral Sea & Ribbon Reef 4 Day / 4 Night LiveAboard
Departs most Sundays at 12pm and includes up to 15 Dives
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About Trip
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About Spirit of Freedom
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| Departs | Most Sundays | No. of Divers | 26 |
| Duration | 4 Days / 4 Nights | Cabin Types | Quad, Double/Twin, Stateroom, Ocean View, Deluxe |
| No. Dives | Up to 15 Dives | Ensuites | All cabins have ensuites |
| Check in | 7:15am Cairns | Nitrox | Available |
| Disembark | 8:00am Cairns | Star Rating | 4 Star |
| Min Cert | Advanced Cert | Diving Experience | Diving is suitable for advanced divers |
| Itinerary | |
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| Day 1 | 7:30am departure – transfer to airport, light aircraft to Lizard Island – 2 dives today. |
| Day 2 | Full Day at sea. Divers will have up to 5 dives today including a night dive |
| Day 3 | Full Day at sea. Up to 4 dives today |
| Day 4 | Full Day at sea (Ribbon Reef 3, alternate option - weather dependant - Bougainville Reef). Overnight cruise to Cairns. |
| Day 5 | Breakfast served onboard, disembarkation and transfer to Cairns accommodation - 8am |
About the Cruise
The Ribbon Reefs are a string of 10 coral ramparts of the GREAT BARRIER REEF stretching southward from the Cod Hole. Coral formations vary from beds of huge plate corals to isolated pinnacles sustaining an amazing display of fish life. You will visit walls and channels for the perfect drift dives as well as caves, canyons and shallow coral gardens. The Cod Hole is located 200 km to the north of Cairns and has become famous for it's family of resident Potato Cod (Groper). Each of these huge fish can weigh up to 100 kg and are well accustomed to posing for diver's cameras. Shark dives, Potato Cod feeding, sheer walls laced with massive soft corals, manta-rays, minke whales, and abundant healthy tropical reefs, rich with marine biodiversity are just some of the high-lights you'll experience with Spirit of Freedom diving tours. Experienced snorkellers who are strong swimmers with a high level of fitness are also welcome on this trip.
Spirit of Freedom is a purpose built ocean going liveaboard dive boat. Built for passenger comfort which means stabilisers, large cabins all with ensuites, spacious saloon area for dining and relaxing and covered top side deck. Added to this is the level of onboard services offering all the amenities of a hotel - chef prepared meals, cabins serviced daily, hot towels after each dive, dive tender in the water on all dives and an inwater dive supervisor available most dives. You can choose between bringing your own equipment or full gear hire. All meals and snacks are provided in the package and accommodation ranges from Quad Share to Double, Twin, Stateroom and Ocean View Deluxe. Spirit of Freedom is air-conditioned inside with a spacious sun deck and dive deck.
This is a Fly and Dive Trip starting with a flight to Lizard Island and finishing back in Cairns, all included in the trip cost. As it is a low-level flight you will have a great Scenic Flight to Lizard Island. Due to light aircraft weight restrictions, your total luggage weight is limited to 20 kilograms/ 45 lb per person. All bags must be soft sided. If you have additional luggage that you wish to have stored whilst you are on tour with Spirit of Freedom, we have storage facilities at our office.
4 DAY ITINERARY, MONDAY DEPARTURE
Departing: Cairns 7:30am Sunday
Returning: Cairns 8:00am Thursday
Planning your travel arrangements
You will need to be in Cairns the night before departure. Spirit of Freedom recommends arrival into Cairns at least the day prior to your trip, as unforseen flight delays or lost baggage may cause inconvenience or you may even miss the boat. However, if you are flying into Cairns on day of departure, please note that you will need to make your own way to our dive shop or the vessel itself.
Check In & Hotel Transfers
Email info@prodive.com up to 48hrs prior to departure to advise your Hotel Accomodation, we will then organise a transfer for you. Pick ups from Cairns City locations only.
Making your own way - Check in is from 7.30am Sunday morning, for a 8:30am departure. The flight departs from Hinterland Aviation at Cairns General Aviation Airport, 7 Tom McDonald Dr, Aeroglen. There is street parking available; however, it does fill up quite quickly during the week.
Fit to Dive
We recommend you complete a dive medical -if required - before you arrive in Cairns
Web address for Doctors registered to do Dive Medicals Australia Wide- www.spums.org.au
Web address for Cairns 24hr Medical Center - Can provide Dive Medicals until 8pm - www.thedoctors.com.au
Dive Certification
Don’t forget to bring your Dive Certification which must be presented at check- in.
Sample Itinerary:
Sunday: Around 07:30am this morning the Spirit of Freedom courtesy coach will transfer you from your Cairns city hotel to Hinterland Aviation at Cairns General Aviation Airport. Here you will board a light aircraft for your scenic flight up the coast to Lizard Island. The Spirit of Freedom crew will greet you on arrival and escort you via tender to the vessel. After an orientation of the vessel we depart for Ribbon Reef Number 10. This afternoon we will have the opportunity for two dives at a choice of sites including Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Gardens, and Pixie Pinnacle. 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 renown for crystal clear water with visibility ranging 30 to 100 metres. 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 is a site 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. View our Osprey Reef dive sites. 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 Opsrey 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.
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 hotel around 08:00am.
Please note that above itinerary is a sample only and sites may vary or the sequence may change in accordance to the weather and the accessibility.
What to bring on board
Personal items and toiletries, swimwear, hat, and sweatshirt in the winter (May - September). Casual attire during the day and smart casual for evening wear. For safety and comfort we encourage no shoes to be worn on board. If you are not sure of your sea legs, we strongly recommend that you take motion sickness tablets on the trip. Kwells and Travel Calm are suitable to use when diving.
Luggage Restrictions
Due to light aircraft weight restrictions, your total luggage weight is limited to 20 kilograms/ 45 lb per person, plus maximum carry-on of 3kg (6.5lbs) or 10kg (22lbs) allowance for professional photo/video housed systems. Excess baggage storage is available in Cairns.
Flying After Diving
We recommend you give yourself a 24 hour surface interval after your last dive before flying.
Reef Taxes and Levies
There is an additional fee which includes Government Management Charge, as well as a Port Departure Tax and administration costs. Payable direct at the end of the trip.
Alcohol Policy
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.
Please note that the PADI Advanced and PADI Nitrox Courses are available in conjunction with this trip. They can be requested at time of booking and are only payable on board.