Spirit of Freedom dive sites

26 dive sites. Some map positions are approximate: the skipper chooses the sites on the day.

The Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs

A string of ribbon reefs on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, about 200 km north of Cairns, with the Cod Hole at the northern tip of Ribbon Reef No. 10.

• The Cod Hole

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Reef slope · Terraces into deeper water

  Home to a family of giant potato cod that are used to divers. Cleaning stations, good shallow coral, and pelagics passing the terraces; on an incoming tide it becomes a drift. At least one dive here on the 3 and 7 night trips.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips

• Dynamite Pass

  Beside the Cod Hole · Drift dive

  A fast drift along a reef wall when the tide is right, through a channel sharks use. Reef sharks, green turtles, rays, sweetlips and mackerel, with soft corals and caverns.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• The Snake Pit

  Between Lizard Island and Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Patch reef · 10–30 m

  Known for curious olive sea snakes, often several on one dive. Also trevally, barracuda, batfish, reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Lighthouse Bommie

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Pinnacle · About 30 m to 5 m

  A pinnacle rising from deep water, with schools of trevally, barracuda and fusiliers, a resident green turtle, and macro life on the top, where you do your safety stop.

  On the 3 nights, 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Challenger Bay

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Sandy bay with bommies · About 30 m to 5 m

  Big schools of batfish and sweetlips, mackerel, giant clams and reef sharks. A popular night dive.

  On the 3 nights, 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Monolith

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Wall

  A wall of fist coral, with giant clams, rock lobster, barramundi cod and nudibranchs, and the occasional hammerhead off the wall.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Pixie Pinnacle

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Pinnacle · About 30 m to just below the surface

  Every reef zone on one small pinnacle: swim through schooling barracuda, trevally and anthias, then look closely for pipefish, mantis shrimp and flame file shells. The current can be strong on some tides.

  On the 3 nights, 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Pixie Gardens

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Reef slope and wall

  Sandy patches with garden eels, coral outcrops and a wall, with leafy scorpionfish, pipefish, cuttlefish and moray eels.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Vertical Gardens

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Wall · To about 40 m

  A sheltered wall covered in soft corals, excellent for nudibranchs. Only dived in the short window in October and November when the winds swing north-west.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Two Towers

  Ribbon Reef No. 10 · Twin bommies · About 25 m to 5 m

  Two bommies with inquisitive olive sea snakes, a seasonal cleaning station on a deeper ridge, bull rays and green turtles.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Wonderland

  Ribbon Reef No. 9 · Coral mound and wall · To nearly 40 m

  A large coral mound with walls, gardens, ridges, channels and caves, with cuttlefish, leafy scorpionfish and nudibranchs.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Steve’s Bommie

  Ribbon Reef No. 3 · Pinnacle · About 35 m to 5 m

  Huge schools of big-eye trevally and barracuda around pristine coral, with stonefish, leafy scorpionfish and wobbegongs hiding in plain sight.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Temple of Doom

  Ribbon Reef No. 3

  On Ribbon Reef No. 3, dived on the last day of the 4 and 7 night trips.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Flare Point

  Ribbon Reef No. 3 · Sloping wall

  A relaxed last dive: unspoiled coral and colourful reef fish, with cuttlefish, turtles, moray eels and white-tip reef sharks.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Joanie’s Joy

  South of Ribbon Reef No. 3 · Wall with bommies · About 30 m to 3 m

  Anemones, cuttlefish, turtles and nudibranchs, with sweetlips, trumpetfish, lionfish and white-tip reef sharks.

  On the 3 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

Osprey Reef, Coral Sea

An isolated reef out in the Coral Sea, its walls dropping more than 1000 metres, with visibility of 30 to 100 metres. Visited on the 4 and 7 night trips. These are dives for experienced divers.

• North Horn

  Northern tip of Osprey Reef · Wall · shark attraction dive · Soft corals at 25–40 m

  The Spirit of Freedom shark attraction dive: grey reef, white-tip and silvertip sharks, hammerheads and the occasional oceanic, with schooling bumphead parrotfish.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• North Horn Wall

  Osprey Reef, western wall · Drift dive · Recreational depths on a 1000 m wall

  A drift along the western wall that ends at North Horn: caves, drop-offs and overhangs, colourful soft corals, sharks and manta rays.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Half Way Wall

  Osprey Reef, western wall · Wall with bommies · Bommies from about 20 m

  Midway between North Horn and False Entrance: schools of big-eye trevally, grey reef and white-tip reef sharks, and dogtooth tuna.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Admiralty

  Osprey Reef, lagoon entrance · Reef maze and swim-throughs · To about 30 m, then the drop-off

  An old Admiralty anchor in a swim-through, large caves and sand gullies, garden eels, morays and octopus. An afternoon or night dive.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• False Entrance

  Osprey Reef, western side · Gully with bommies · To about 30 m

  A big U-shaped gully with bommies rising from its floor, soldierfish, triggerfish, Maori wrasse and big-eye trevally. Mostly dived in summer.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Around The Bend

  Osprey Reef, western wall · Drift dive · Cleaning bommie at about 32 m

  A manta ray cleaning station on an isolated bommie, with hammerheads, dogtooth tuna, silvertips and grey reef sharks, and gorgonian fans. For experienced divers.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Castles

  Osprey Reef, western wall · Gullies and caves · To about 30 m, then the wall

  A maze of gullies between reef turrets, caves and an overhang full of gorgonian fans, with a giant Queensland grouper.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Silver City

  Osprey Reef, western wall · Sloping wall · A 45° slope to the wall

  Volcano-shaped bommies and caves along a slope before the drop-off, with big-eye trevally schools and Maori wrasse.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips

• Secret Caves

  Osprey Reef, lagoon entrance · Wall and channel

  A vertical outer wall and a sloping channel into the lagoon, with manta rays, white-tip and grey reef sharks and barracuda. An afternoon or night dive.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

• Rapid Horn

  Southern tip of Osprey Reef · Drift dive · Wall to a plateau

  A drift along the wall to a plateau with dense fish schools, grey reef and white-tip sharks, bumphead parrotfish and barracuda.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate

Bougainville Reef

In special weather conditions, the 4 and 7 night trips may head south from Osprey to Bougainville Reef instead of Ribbon Reef No. 3.

• Bougainville Reef

  Coral Sea · Walls, caverns and a wreck

  An unusual underwater landscape of caverns, and a partly submerged wreck.

  On the 4 nights, 7 nights trips · map position approximate