Spirit of Freedom Cod Hole - Ribbon Reef - Coral Sea, 7 Day / 7 Night
Departs most Thursdays at 12pm and includes 26 Dives
PADI Advanced OpenWater and Nitrox Courses available on this trip
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About Trip
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About Spirit of Freedom
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| Departs | Most Thursdays | No. of Divers | 26 |
| Duration | 7 Days / 7 Nights | Cabin Types | Quad, Double/Twin, Stateroom, Ocean View, Deluxe |
| No. Dives | 26 Dives | Ensuites | All cabins have ensuites |
| Check in | 12.00pm Cairns | Nitrox | Available |
| Disembark | 7.00am Cairns | Star Rating | 4 Star |
| Min Cert | Advanced OpenWater Cert | Diving Experience | Suitable for experienced divers |
| Itinerary | |
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| Day 1 | 12.00pm departure – Lunch served while cruising to the outer reef – 2 dives today. |
| Day 2 | Full Day at sea. Divers will have up to 5 dives today including a night dive along the Ribbon Reef |
| Day 3 | Full Day at sea. Up to 4 dives today Ribbon Reef |
| Day 4 | Stretch your legs ashore on Lizard Island. 2 Dives on the Ribbon Reef today |
| Day 5 | Full Day at sea. Up to 4 dives today in the Coral Sea |
| Day 6 | Full Day at sea. Up to 4 dives today on your last day in the Coral Sea |
| Day 7 | Full Day at sea. Up to 4 dives today along the Ribbon Reef |
| Day 8 | Disembark 7.00am in Cairns- transfers back to your hotel |
About the Cruise
This Dive Expedition showcases the best that the Coral Sea and Ribbon Reef has to offer whether it be diving Osprey Reef, Bougainville Reef or the world famous Cod Hole. Potato Cod, masses of colourful tropical fish, turtles, anemones, sea snakes and magnificent coral gardens are just some of the highlights. You will be diving the spectacular walls of Osprey Reef, an old volcanic atoll lying 220 km off the coast. Renown for its spectacular 1000 meter walls, Osprey Reef also offers massive soft corals, amazing 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. 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.
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.
Please contact info@prodive.com or call 1 800 820 820 if you require more information
COD HOLE - RIBBON REEFS - CORAL SEA
7 DAY ITINERARY, MONDAY DEPARTURE
Departing: Cairns 12:00 noon Thursday
Returning: Cairns 7.30 am 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 -Boarding is from 11.15 -11.30am Monday morning, for a 12.00 noon departure. The vessel is located at Trinity Wharf at the end of Lake Street. Taxis and coaches can drive up onto the wharf to locate the vessel, which is usually berthed under the clock tower.
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:
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 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.
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 Tuesday. On Wednesday 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. A good chance to stretch you 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.
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 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.
Wednesday: 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.
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
We request that you only bring a small bag on board. If you have bags that need to be stored when you are at sea, this can be done through the operator.
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.