Dive & Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns: Liveaboard Trips (Overnight)
Spoilsport, Mike Ball Coral Sea 4 nights
Northbound

5 days/4 nights departs Thursdays

Departs Thursdays 7pm includes up to 14 dives (Dive up, fly back)

Dive the pristine Ribbon Reef’s north of Cooktown and remote Cora Seal. Enjoy Osprey Reef’s 40m (132ft) visibility, plummeting walls to 1000m (3300ft) and resident shark population. Dive with diver size fish at the Cod Hole and schooling tuna and barracuda at North Horn.

Included in this trip, a spectacular low level scenic flight back from Lizard Island to Cairns.

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see also:
3 Night Cod Hole - Monday departure

2008 Prices (from April 2009 to March 2010)

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Premium Cabin	Lounge

Itinerary

Thursday

• Prior to 4:00pm . Check-in luggage at 143 Lake Street , Cairns .
• 7:00pm board Spoilsport at the Marlin Jetty - Berth 16, Cairns .
• Cruise overnight to the magnificent Ribbon Reefs, the first stop on your 700km dive odyssey.

Friday

• Ribbon Reef #9 - Pixie Gardens , Cod Hole
  Buddy up with diver size fish that dive with you at the Cod Hole!
• Swim with giant potato cod, napoleon wrasse, moray eels, tuna and barracuda.
• Enjoy close encounters with huge Maori wrasse.
• Anticipate spectacular coral gardens, spotted rays, reef sharks and green turtle sightings.
• Night dive where decorator crabs, egg cowry shells, moray eels and crayfish are just a few of the creatures you can find.

Saturday and Sunday

• Coral Sea - Osprey Reef
  Cruise 100 miles overnight to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea .
• Enjoy 40 meter (132ft) visibility with spectacular walls disappearing to 1000metres.
• Witness the resident shark population including grey whalers, whitetip reef sharks, silvertips and hammerheads.
• Search for the commonly seen green and loggerhead turtles.
• Find the caves, overhangs and spectacular walls adorned with huge soft coral trees and gorgonian fans.

Monday

• Breakfast on board and transfer to Lizard Island .
• Spectacular low level Great Barrier Reef flight to Cairns .
• 150 miles, altitude 600-1000ft - saves 12 hours travel time.
• Return at approximately 11:00am for courtesy transfer to city hotels.

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MEALS

• Breakfasts served with Fresh Fruit Salad, Porridge, yoghurt,

  Equipment	Price per day
  Reg + Octopus + Timer	AUD $15
  BCD	AUD $10
  Computer	AUD $12
  Snorkel Gear	AUD $5
  Torch	AUD $10
  Stinger suit	AUD $8
  Wetsuit	AUD $8
  ALL OF THE ABOVE	AUD $40
  Nitrox fills	AUD $25
  Prices subject to change, payable on board in Australian Dollars

  cereals and Hot Toast.
• Lunches served with homemade Soup of the Day, Hot Bread, Selection of fresh Salads. Pate & Toast, Cheese Board & Biscuits and a Tropical Fruit Platter.
• Dinners served with Fresh Garden Salad & Warm Dinner Rolls.
• Desserts: Aussie Pavolova, Fresh baked cheesecake, Chocolate brownie, Flakey apple strudel

Gear Hire

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PADI Advanced Course
(Availability can't be confirmed until departure)

Requirements

• Must have proof of Open Water Diver certification.
• Be medically fit to dive as indicated by completing a PADI Australia Medical Statement.
• Purchase Advanced manual and read prior to expedition.

Includes:

• 5 dives (navigation, night, deep, u/w naturalist, and drift or multilevel or search) with Instructor and PADI certification.

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PADI Enriched Air Specialty

Requirements:

• Must have proof of minimum 20 logged dives & PADI Open Water or Advanced Diver
• Be medically fit to dive as indicated by completing a PADI Australia medical statement.

Includes:

• Loan of course materials for the duration of the course (1-2 days duration).
• Theory Phase - Completion of video, manual, knowledge reviews and exam.
• Orientation to the nitrox filling station and O2 analysers.2
• With Nitrox Course FREE Nitrox fills including training dives for the duration of the trip.

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Solo Diving

Experience & Minimum Age Required
Minimum age: 18 years if Divemaster certified or 21 years with proof of 100 dives with 5 in the last 12 months.

Equipment Required:

• Redundant air system (minimum 6 cubic feet)
• 'Dive Alert' air horn or similar & safety sausage
• Dive light on dive if within 2 hours of dusk
• Dive knife and compass

Skill Evaluation:

• Surface snorkel 100m wearing scuba and be familiar with use
• Demonstrate use of safety sausage & air horn
• Navigate 100m at 5m with 75% accuracy
• Hover at 5 metres for 3 mins, clear mask
• Slowly surface using redundant air source

Safe Solo Dive Procedures

• Plan each dive to be shallower than the previous dive, and within the no decompression limits of dive tables or computer. Advise dive staff: direction of dive and ETA back onboard.
• Dive depth must be limited by the capacity of your redundant air system and your experience and training. The redundant air system must not be used to extend bottom time and is for emergency use only. With an absolute maximum depth of 30m (100ft) permissible whilst solo diving.
• Drink water before every dive to reduce risk of decompression sickness.
• Do not drink alcohol until after your last dive of each day and then in moderation to ensure safe diving the next day. Also, no illegal drugs must be taken.
• Slowly ascend from every dive. Recommend less than 9m (30ft) per minute.
• Complete a 5 min. safety stop at 5m (16ft) on every dive.
• If you are feeling unwell after a dive, or at any time, tell a staff member & lie down flat. Do not sit up or allow anyone to sit you up.
• Multiple dives over multiple days can have an accumulative effect in contributing to decompression sickness. Every 3rd or 4th day make fewer dives. If you do 4 - 5 dives one day, do less the next. On the final day reduce bottom times and increase safety stop times.
• You understand that diving is potentially dangerous and fully accept that risk and agree to pay any medical, vessel relocation or evacuation costs incurred on my behalf and you are authorised to make medical and transport arrangements as may be determined to be necessary or desirable in my interests.
• You will also be required to complete a "Dive Experience Record" which includes your diving experience, information about your certification and medivac information and sign a "Discharge of Liability."

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PADI Resort Diving

Requirements:

• Must be medically fit to dive as indicated by completing a PADI Australia medical statement.
• When booking supply PADI Australia medical statement (no history of asthma, diabetes, heart/lung problems etc).

Includes:

• Complimentary dive gear rental & one dive per day (extra dives $50 each)

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