3 Day / 2 Night Liveaboard for Certified Divers

Frequently Asked Questions

Equipment

What Brand of hire gear do you have onboard?
  • Technisub stratus full foot fins
  • Tusa Liberator Masks
  • Aqualung Wave BCDs
  • Aqualung Calypso regs with compass and Suunto Zoop computers
  • 5mm Neptune ¾ leg, long arm wetsuits
  • 3mm Neptune/Aqualung hoods (seasonal)
  • dive light: Aqualung lumen HD or Princeton Tec Torrent LED

Accurate as if 6 September 2018

Can I hire a camera

There are no camera hire available onboard. However you can hire a camera from Calypso Productions in Cairns

Can I bring my own equipment?

Yes. We always recommend bringing your own mask and snorkel.

For divers, you may not take your own weights or tanks on the boat but you are welcome to bring everything else. We have both DIN and yoke style for your first stage, so just make sure to notify staff which one you need when you are checking in.

Marine animals

Are there sharks on the Great Barrier Reef?

Yes, there are sharks in every ocean. A variety of sharks inhabit the Great Barrier Reef. What we most commonly encounter are smaller species which pose no threat to divers or snorkellers. The shark that Australia is infamous for, the Great White Shark, does not exist in Far North Queensland.

I have heard about the stinging jellyfish. Can I still go diving?

Stingers, also known as box jellyfish, are coastal dwellers and are never seen on the reef. They breed in the estuaries and live their life on the shoreline, therefore do not pose a threat to divers on the reef. The jellyfish season is from November to April. Swimming enclosures are provided at local beaches for people to swim in.

Other

Can I bring alcohol onboard?

Yes, you are allowed to bring alcohol on board, but in moderation as we only have limited space on all of our boats. Please note once any alcohol has been consumed, you are not allowed to go into the water again until the following day. Pro Dive Cairns encourages responsible drinking.

If a friend / partner is a certified diver or non diver, can they come on the same trip with me while Im on the course?
Yes - your friend / partner will be buddied up with another certified diver onboard while you complete your 4 training dives. After that you will have the opportunity to complete 5 pleasure dives together.
There is plenty of time throughout the whole trip to snorkel and socialise with a non diver if you are traveling with someone who doesnt dive/snorkel.
Can I fly my drone while onboard?

Your can use a Drone while on the 3 day trip with permission of the skipper.

Is there somewhere I can securely park my car in Cairns?

We recommend the Betta Airport Parking which we do a pickup from.

Can you smoke on the boat?

Yiu can smoke on the top deck, usually at towards to end of the boat but it depends on the winds.

What do I bring on the boat?

You will need to take along a towel, preferably 2. We suggest taking 2 towels along - 1 for when you get out of the water and 1 for showering at night.
Certification card & log book or other proof of experience.
Swimwear.
Comfortable, casual clothing for 3 days.
Warm clothes for the evening and pyjamas.
Toiletries i.e. toothbrush, soap, sunscreen etc.
Please do not bring sleeping bags, bulky luggage, large amounts of money as the account you incur on the boat will be paid direct to the Pro Dive retail shop at the end of the trip.

What is the minimum age to go out on the boat?

The minimum age that PRO DIVE Cairns takes is 7 years. All Children under the age of 15 must be supervised by a partent/guardian at all times on the boat. There are no child minding services available

What is Reef Tax?
An additional fee of $85 per person is payable direct to PRO DIVE Cairns. This fee includes $16.50 Government Environmental Management Charge as well as a Port Departure Tax and administration and Fuel levy.
What do I do with my extra luggage?
PRO DIVE Cairns can store any additional luggage you may have at their retail shop for your trip duration.
Be aware there is limited space on the boat.
What diving experiences can a scuba diver expect from a 3 day / 2 night Liveaboard trip with PRO DIVE Cairns?
  • Over the 3 days you will complete 11 dives, including 2 night dives.
  • We have exclusive dive sites over 4 different outer reef sites (names Flynn, Millne, Thetford and Pellowe).
  • Generally you will spend no more than 2 dives per dive site to ensure you experience the entire barrier reef.
  • Our trip itineraries allow for greater flexibility which allows for a variety of dive sites to be visited which ultimately provides everyone with a more personalized dive trip.
Can you pick me up from my accommodation?
Yes PRO DIVE Cairns can provide complimentary transfers from your Cairns & Northern Beaches accommodation, as far as Palm Cove.
Please Note;
Port Douglas & Kuranda transfers are not available.
Please be aware we don't pick up from Residential houses also.

Training or Certifying Agencies

Do I need my certification card when boarding?
It is an Australian Government requirement that your certification card be sighted by the crew on all vessels before you can be permitted to dive. You cannot dive as a certified diver without producing your card.

Travel

How many divers will be with me on the trip?
PRO DIVE Cairns operate with smaller numbers to ensure a comfortable and safe diving trip. We hold a maximum of 32 passengers on any of our 3 premium liveaboard vessels (Scubapro, Scubapro II and Scubapro III).
There will be a mix of skill levels onboard - snorkellers, certified divers and people completing diving courses such as Advanced, Rescue and Divermaster courses.
What is the best time of year to dive in Tropical North Queensland

The warm waters of Tropical North Queensland are ideal for year round diving.
Water temperature can vary from 22' to 28' Celsius (75' to 85'F).

Summer (Dec-Feb)
Overall great marine life activity with plenty to see
Visibility - Excellent
Water temperature 29?C (85?F)
Generally calm sea conditions
Low to moderate rain - generally at night

Autumn (Mar-May)
Overall great marine life activity with plenty to see
Visibility - Good
Water temperature 25-27?C (80?F)
Calm to moderate sea conditions
Potential moderate rain

Winter (Jun-Aug)
Minke Whales & Humpback Whales
Visibility - Good
Water temperature 22-24?C (70?F)
Moderate sea conditions
Low rainfall

Spring (Sep-Nov)
Humpback Whales & Coral Spawning (Nov)
Visibility - Excellent
Water temperature 25-27?C (80?F)
Generally calm sea conditions
Low rain fall

How safe is diving the Great Barrier Reef?

The Queensland dive industry has the best safety statistics of any diving destination worldwide. Dive operators are required to comply with strict government workplace health and safety standards.

What if I am travelling alone? Who will I dive with?

We will arrange a dive buddy for you. Before every dive, the dive supervisor conducts a detailed site briefing.

 

I have a seafood and peanut allegies, can you cater for me?

We can cater for people with Peanut and Seafood allegies.No prepared meals include nuts and one dish uses a sauce with seafood ingridents, but an alternative sauce is provided. Please ensure on check to let the staff know of any allegies.

Dive Training

I've lost my certification card or travelling and left my card at home?

Lost your card and need a replacement or need immediate verification to be able to dive or book onto a specific dive course, this information should assist you.

Click here to learn more about Card Replacement or Vertification

 

Diving

What depths will I be diving to?

The Great Barrier Reef is not a deep dive destination. Depths in our dive sites range from 10-25 metres (30-80 feet), with the best diving generally occurring between 10 and 15 metres (30-50 feet). This means there are some amazing sites that stay shallow enough for all certified divers to enjoy, regardless of how advanced your diving certifications may be.

Do you have in-water dive Guides?

Individual guided dives are not typical in the region. Divers of all levels can easily navigate the reefs we visit. Before each dive, the dive supervisor provides a thorough briefing to help with navigation and highlight interesting spots. For unfamiliar or rusty divers, we offer an orientation dive with an instructor for the first dive of the trip to familiarize them with Great Barrier Reef diving. First-time night divers receive guidance for the first night dive, but all other dives are buddy dives without a guide.

If you have not dived for sometime, then we recommend doing a 2 hour Pool Refresher prior to the trp to get back up to speed. Details can be found here

Medical

Diving with Diabetes

Please note the following restrictions for divers with diabetes at Pro Dive Cairns. Diabetic divers must have an up to date dive medical from a doctor stating that they are fit to dive with their medical condition. Following guidelines set out by the South Pacific Underwater Medical Society (SPUMS), diabetic divers are limited to 2 dives per day and must use a minimum surface interval of 2 hours between dives.

For more information please see the Forms for Diabetics on our website:

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/SPUMS-Medical%20-4th%20editio-2011.pdf

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/Suggested-assesment-for-divers-with-Diabetes-2016.pdf

After reviewing these documents please click the link below, complete and sign the document and bring a printed copy with you for your trip with us.

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/Statement-regarding-diabetes-and-diving-2016.pdf

lease note the following restrictions for divers with diabetes at Pro Dive Cairns. Diabetic divers must have an up to date dive medical from a doctor stating that they are fit to dive with their medical condition. Following guidelines set out by the South Pacific Underwater Medical Society (SPUMS), diabetic divers are limited to 2 dives per day and must use a minimum surface interval of 2 hours between dives.

For more information please see the Forms for Diabetics on our website:

 

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/SPUMS-Medical%20-4th%20editio-2011.pdf

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/Suggested-assesment-for-divers-with-Diabetes-2016.pdf

After reviewing these documents please click the link below, complete and sign the document and bring a printed copy with you for your trip with us.

http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/Statement-regarding-diabetes-and-diving-2016.pd

Liveaboard

Dietary Requirements
We do our best to cater for dietary requirements, but are operating with limited facilities available. We try and provide as much variety as possible within the confines of what we have onboard
 

During the trip, we serve buffet style meals with plenty of fresh fruit and salads. There is gluten free bread and pasta available, as well as soy milk. The cook will be happy to speak with you once onboard about your diet to accommodate you as best as possible. 

 
If you are vegan or gluten free we recommend bringing your own snacks which don't need to be refrigerated as refrigerator space is at a premium on the boat.

*All Prices are Per Person and Prices may vary depending on Start Dates and options.

More Information

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