Spirit of Freedom - 7 Day Cod Hole & Coral Sea

At 120 feet, the Spirit of Freedom is one of Australia's largest and most comfortable live aboard dive vessel. She features three decks of spacious comfort including sun deck, lounge and bar, dining saloon, and huge dive deck. Equipped with electronic stabilisers, silent generators, and fully air conditioned throughout, the Spirit offers smooth and comfortable cruising.

The Spirit of Freedom's 7 day diving cruise offers guests the unforgettable experience of two diverse eco systems of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea.

Itinerary

Day 1 Monday: Board Spirit of Freedom at 11.15 at Trinity Wharf (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 for an afternoon orientation dive and a twilight or night dive.

Day 2 Tuesday: Today you may dive the amazing Steve's Bommie, Clam gardens, Flare Point and the beautiful Gorgonia Wall and other sites on middle Ribbon Reefs.

Day 3 Wednesday: This morning you will dive the Cod Hole. This is a popular dive site famous for it's resident family of large Potato Cod, (Groper). You may also dive Dynamite Pass, Lighthouse Bommie, Challenger Bay, and Pixie Wall. This evening you overnight at Watson's Bay on Lizard Island.

Day 4 Thursday: This morning some guests depart at Lizard Island and some new guests will join. There will be time for a morning walk on the island. This afternoon you will have the opportunity for two dives at a choice of sites such as the Cod Hole, Pixie Pinnacle and Challenger Bay before departing in the evening for the Coral Sea.

Day 5 & 6 Friday & Saturday: Osprey Reef. Australia's Coral Sea reefs are renown for crystal clear water with average visibility in excess of 100 feet. Two days can be spent diving at Osprey Reef, including North Horn, well known for its shark action. You can expect to see grey whalers, silvertips, reef sharks, occasional hammerheads, schooling barracuda, trevally, and other pelagics. The landscape is amazing with sheer walls laced with gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals, rising from thousands of feet below.

Day 7 Sunday:
Option 1- Today we return to the Ribbon Reefs # 3 to 5 to dive sites such as the sensational Steve's Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point. On Sunday evening we will cruise overnight back to Cairns.
Option 2- Weather depending you will dive Bougainville Reef, a second coral sea reef.

Day 8 Monday: Arrive Cairns approximately 06.30. Breakfast will be served on board and hotel transfer will be arranged for approx 07.30.
Please note that above itinerary is a sample only and sites may vary or the sequence may change. Access to the Cod Hole and the Coral Sea is weather conditional and while every attempt will be made to keep to the advertised itinerary, the Coral Sea and specific sites on the Great Barrier Reef are not guaranteed.

The 7 day Thursday departure is a combination of the 4 day & 3 day, it starts with a flight to Lizard Island on day 1 and returns to Cairns for approximately 5 hours on the Monday morning.

Accommodation

Accommodating up to 26 guests, Spirit of Freedom has 11 spacious air conditioned cabins all with a private bathroom. A range of cabin types are available and the three premium cabin types contain TV/DVD and CD player.

Ocean View Deluxe: Large cabin with a double bed, wardrobe, writing desk, bedside tables, TV & DVD player.

Ocean View: Contains double bed, wardrobe, TV & DVD player.

Stateroom: Spacious cabin with queen bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, bed side tables, TV & DVD player.

Double or Twin: Double bed and single over, wardrobe, bedside table.

Double: Double bed only, wardrobe, bedside table.

Twin Share: Bunk style beds, wardrobe.

Quad Share: Bunk style single beds, wardrobe.

[floorplan]

Dining

Lunch and dinner are provided on the day of departure, with four meals a day on ensuing days, and breakfast on the day of return to Cairns. The four meals include continental breakfast followed by a cooked breakfast after the first dive of the day. Special dietary requirements can be catered to with prior notice. Tea, coffee and fountain water are always available for self service. 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.

Departures

Departs: Monday 12.00 noon from Cairns
Returns: Monday 07.30 to Cairns
and
Departs: Thursday 08.30 from Cairns
Returns: Thursday 11.30 to Cairns

Vessel Details

Sleek, stylish and spacious - the ‘Spirit of Freedom' is Australia's premier live-aboard dive vessel and offers the best in cruising comfort to the far northern Great Barrier Reef and remote Coral Sea reefs. This 120ft/37m vessel features electronic stabilizers, wide screen TV/DVD, comfortable lounge areas, sun decks and luxury accommodation. With classic lines, white exterior, polished timber and chrome, gourmet meals and an outstanding level of service, you will feel like you are aboard your very own private motor yacht.

The minimum age for children onboard Spirit of Freedom is 12 years and adult rates apply. Under 18 years old divers must dive with a parent of certified diver.

A multi-talented and professional crew will look after you in and out of water needs on board Spirit of Freedom. The dive team are experienced locals who are only too happy to share their extensive reef knowledge as well as a little 'Aussie' good humour.

Length 37 metres Beam 7.1 metres Speed 12 knots Fresh Water unlimited Passengers maximum 26 Crew 8 - 10

Facilities

Dining Room Lounge Bar Wide Screen TV/DVD Sun decks Air-conditioned cabins Fully stocked bar Comprehensive Marine Library Camera hire

Activities

Guests on Spirit of Freedom are free to do their own dive planning and diving in buddy pairs. The majority of our divers appreciate this freedom and independence rather than being restrained in a larger group. A professional dive crew member will be in the water to oversee inexperienced or nervous divers. This will generally be on all dives, (with some exceptions). Divers who feel more comfortable diving with our Safety Instructor are welcome to join this group. This is not a specific guided dive situation as the Instructor is in the water primarily as a safety diver. There is no charge to dive with the Safety Instructor.

Spirit of Freedom have no set limits on time, depth of style of diving outside of normal safe diving practices. Guests may dive with their own buddies to their own pace and interests.

Guided Dives: It is not Spirit of Freedom's policy for dives to be divemaster led. However, guided dives may be available upon request to the Trip Director when on board the vessel depending on staff availability (charges apply).

Spirit of Freedom SternNitrox Dives: Refills are set at 32% at $10 per fill or package price for all dives on nitrox. Nitrox certification cards must be produced upon boarding and regulators need to be O2 approved by the manufacturer.

Snorkelers: The size and facilities of the Spirit of Freedom certainly offer the same level of comfort as a mini cruise ship. Non-divers can enjoy DVD movies, games, the resource library, and relaxing on sun lounges on the top deck. Spirit of Freedom recommend the Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs itinerary for those who like to snorkel. There are many shallow coral gardens offering fantastic snorkeling. Snorkelers are welcomed aboard Spirit of Freedom and receive a $100 discount off the advertised rates.

Flying After Diving: Spirit of Freedom recommends a minimum wait of 24 hours before flying after multiple dives. The last dive of the trip will generally be around 5.00pm the day before returning to Cairns. 24 hours is a guideline only and for maximum safety give yourself as long as possible. Please be aware that skydiving or a trip to Kuranda or the Atherton tablelands will include going to altitude.

Weather: As Cairns is close to the equator and in a tropical zone, we experience relatively warm winters and high humidity in the summer months. Rain is not uncommon from January to April, but while this rain can fall on Cairns due to the surrounding mountains, it is often clear out to sea.

Best time to Dive: May to August being our winter and colder water can offer great visibility and beautiful clear days, but sometimes stronger winds. September through to December sees the water warm up a little, generally clear conditions and light winds, with many coral reef species breeding at this time. January through April is considered our wetter season with amazing feeding and marine action following the breeding season.

Dive & Reef Destinations

Code Hole & Ribbon Reefs: 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 100kg and are well accustomed to posing for diver's cameras. 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, to walls and channels for the perfect drift dives as well as caves, canyons and shallow coral gardens. Divers can expect to encounter the enormous giant clams, golden gorgonian fans, and clouds of colourful tropical fish, as well as cruising pelagics, moray eels, green turtles, reef sharks and the giant Napoleon Wrasse.

Coral Sea & Cod Hole: Beyond the continental shelf that harbours the Great Barrier Reef, lie the isolated reef systems and crystal clear waters of Australia's Coral Sea. This is home territory for huge schools of pelagic fish and sharks in an undersea world of mountains, pinnacles and sheer walls laced with golden gorgonian fans and rising from thousands of feet below. Be prepared for an amazing range of diving experiences at the Coral Sea. Destinations will vary and be selected according to the prevailing weather in order to provide you the best diving and most comfortable conditions.

Highlights

Opportunity for up to 27 dives Coral Sea Reef & Cod Hole Diving Flight over the reef to Lizard Island

Inclusions

Transfers to/from Cairns city accommodation Opportunity for up to 27 dives En-suite cabin with daily service Chef prepared meals Australian wines & soft drinks with evening meals Time ashore at Lizard Island

Getting There

Each Monday Spirit of Freedom provides a courtesy coach transfer from Cairns city accommodation to Trinity Wharf where boarding commences at 11.15am. Return is by low level reef flight the following Thursday. The courtesy coach will meet you at the airport and transfer you back to your Cairns city accommodation.

Additional Information

Instant Quote: Provides rates in Australian Dollars including GST
Exclusions: Dive equipment (excluding tanks and weight belts), additional beverages, Environmental Management Charge (Reef Tax), Crew gratuities, Travel or medivac insurance.
Fuel Levy: Payable onboard
Luggage: Due to light aircraft weight restrictions your total luggage weight is limited to 20kg per person, preference of soft sided bags.
Operated by: Spirit of Freedom