Australia - Coral Sea & Ribbon Reefs

Sleek and spacious, the ‘Spirit of Freedom’ offers the best in live-aboard dive cruising to the Coral Sea and Ribbon Reefs. This tour begins every Monday from Cairns, and travels 240km along the rarely visited Ribbon Reefs, to the Cod Hole. Along the ‘Ribbons’ you will encounter clouds of colorful tropical fish, an incredible variety of vibrant healthy corals, giant clams, anemones, huge schools of cruising pelagic fish, and a family of giant potato cod. Within your 7 days, you will also spend 2 days at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. An old volcanic atoll lying 220km off the coast, Osprey Reef is renown for its spectacular walls to 1000m, its massive soft corals, shark action, and exceptional visibility.

Beyond the continental shelf that harbors the Great Barrier Reef, lie the isolated reef systems and crystal clear waters of Australia’s Coral Sea. The region covers over 1 million square kilometers – three times the size of the neighboring Great Barrier Reef – and is scattered with spectacular coral reefs, in an undersea world of ancient mountains, rising thousands of meters from the ocean floor. In this oceanic wilderness, pelagic fish populations abound including grey whalers and white tip reef sharks, hammerheads, tuna, barracuda, big eye trevally, mackerel and manta rays. Rare sea creatures such as the Nautilus and Lacey Scorpionfish inhabit these waters, alongside an incredibly diverse range of corals. Astoundingly clear water. Amazing diving.

Package Includes:
• 1 night at Pacific Hotel Cairns (October 3rd)
• 7 nights aboard the Spirit of Freedom (Oct. 4th-11th)
• Up to 26 dives
• All meals on board Spirit of Freedom
• Beverages: water, tea, coffee; soft drinks & wine with dinner
• Reef Tax
• Transfers to/from your Cairns Hotel to boat & airport transfers
• 4 nights at Pacific Hotel Cairns (Oct 11th-14th)
• Tjapakai Tour
• One way skyrail / one way Kuranda Railway Package
• Group leader
• Government taxes

Package does not include:
• Airfare
• Meals & beverages not specified
• Travel/dive insurance
• Fuel levy (currently free but subject to change)
• Nitrox fills ($180 AUD for the full charter)
• Crew gratuities