7 Day Cod Hole and Coral Sea Dive Liveaboard

The Great Barrier Reef is a broad chain of 2,900 individual reefs and is the Earth's largest structure built by living organisms, being clearly visible from space. It is an ecosystem of unsurpassed marine diversity and presents the diver with a vision of exquisite natural beauty. 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 gorgonian fans and rising from thousands of feet below.

Be prepared for an amazing range of diving experiences on Spirit of Freedom's 7 day/ 7 night Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea adventure.

The first part of your dive expedition will be on The 'Ribbon Reefs' - a string of 10 coral reefs stretching over 100 miles to the north of Cairns . Awaiting you are picturesque coral gardens and isolated 'bommies' crowned in delicate corals, anemones, and colourful reef fish. The Cod Hole lies at the top of the Ribbon Reefs, and is home to a family of resident Potato Cod (Groper). These diver friendly fish will amaze you with their sheer size and seeming eagerness to pose for camera.

You will also venture out 120 miles offshore to Osprey Reef in the oceanic wilderness of Australia's Coral Sea. Here 3,000 ft walls emerge from the ocean depths and the water is so astoundingly clear that divers appear suspended in air. You will see massive red and yellow soft corals, reef sharks, whaler sharks, schooling hammerheads, mantas, plus schools of barracuda, big eye trevally, and mackeral.

Other tour options:

• 3 day Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs
• 4 day Cod Hole and Coral Sea
  

Daily itinerary

Day 1 - Monday

Board Spirit of Freedom at 11:15am 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 we 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 we will dive theCod Hole. This is a popular dive site famous for it’s resident family of large Potato Cod, (Groper). We may also dive Dynamite Pass, Lighthouse Bommie, Challenger Bay, and Pixie Wall. This evening we overnight at Watson’s Bay on Lizard Island.

Day 4 - Thursday

This morning some of our guests will depart at Lizard Island and some new guests will join us. There will be time for a morning walk on the island. This afternoon we 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.

Days 5 & 6 - Friday and 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

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 we will dive Bougainville Reef, a second coral sea reef

Monday: Arrive Cairns approximately 06:30am. Breakfast will be served on board and hotel transfer will be arranged for approx 07:30am.

Please note that above itinerary is a sample only andsites 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.

Return to tours...