3 Day Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs Dive Trip - Double/ Twin

Location(s):

Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Cod Hole.

Description:

Spirit of Freedom is Australia’s most comfortable live aboard diving vessel offering the best dive cruising to the Great Barrier Reef and remote Coral Sea reefs out of Cairns in tropical north Queensland. During your dive trip you will be treated to first class chef prepared meals and complimentary wine with your evening meal after an amazing day of diving or snorkelling. There are three decks on Spirit of Freedom with a separate lounge, dining and under cover top deck providing plenty of space for up to 26 guests. The 11 generous air-conditioned cabins all containing private bathrooms make for a very comfortable live aboard diving adventure to the Great Barrier Reef.

The Double/ Twin share cabin rate can be for a double bed or single bunks. Please check with Spirit of Freedom if you have a preference.

3 DAY ITINERARY, MONDAY DEPARTURE
Departing: Cairns 12:00 noon Monday
Returning: Cairns 11:30 am Thursday

Sample Itinerary

Monday: Boarding Spirit of Freedom at 11:15am at Trinity Wharf in Cairns (complimentary transfers from Cairns city hotels are available) for a 12 noon departure. Lunch will be served on board while we cruise to the Great Barrier Reef to the north of Cairns, for an afternoon orientation dive and a twilight or night dive.

Tuesday: Today we dive Steve’s Bommie, on Ribbon Reef # 3. This is an isolated pinnacle that rises from 100 feet at its base to around 15 feet from the surface. Colourful antheas and a vast array of fish cover this bommie, while big eye trevally and barracuda hang out in the blue. Look for nudibranch and stonefish. Today we may also dive the Clam Gardens, where giant clams up to three feet across will amaze you. Some of our other favourite sites in this area of the Ribbons include Flare Point and the beautiful Gorgonia Wall.

Wednesday: This morning we will dive the Cod Hole. This is a popular dive site famous for its resident family of large Potato Cod, (Groper). Good opportunity for photographers. We may also dive Dynamite Pass, possibly as a drift dive, well known as a channel for sharks cruising from the Coral Sea to the Barrier Reef. This afternoon we may dive Lighthouse Bommie, where Golden sea snakes are frequently sighted. In the spring months this site is also a Manta Ray cleaning station. Other sites we may visit today include Challenger Bay and Pixie Wall. This evening we cruise into Watson’s Bay on Lizard Island where we will overnight in the lea of the island.

Thursday: This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, you have the opportunity to go ashore and explore Lizard Island. At 10:00am you will board a twin-engine light aircraft at Lizard Island for your low level flight over the Great Barrier Reef back to Cairns. Arriving back at Cairns airport at approximately 12:00 noon, the Spirit of Freedom courtesy coach will meet you for your transfer back to your Cairns city hotel.

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.

Operator Name:

Spirit of Freedom

Operator Description:

The tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef harbour an ecosystem rich in marine diversity and exquisite natural beauty. Join Spirit of Freedom for your choice of a 3 to 7 night expedition to world renown diving destinations of the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs, and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. These unique ecosystems showcase an amazing diversity from picturesque coral gardens crowned with delicate anemones and colorful reef fish to the 1000 metre walls of the volcanic atolls of the Coral Sea, home territory for reef sharks, whalers, schooling hammerheads, mantas, schools of barracuda and mackeral, and massive red and yellow soft corals. Spirit of Freedom is one of Australia’s most comfortably appointed live-aboard dive vessels, with three decks of living space, generous cabins with private bathroom, and all the amenities of a hotel, complimented by first class meals and outstanding service. 3 Day Cod Hole and 4 Day Coral Sea tours include a one way low level flight over the reef between Cairns and Lizard Island.

Additional Info:

Due to light aircraft weight restrictions, your total luggage weight is limited to 20 kilograms/ 45 lb per person. A Marine Park Levy and fuel levy is payable on board.