Updated on: Wednesday November 19, 2008

Departing out of Cairns daily to the Great Barrier Reef are a variety of different Live Aboard vessels, who will provide you with more than just one day out on the reef.  Instead of spending a good part of your day travelling out to the reef and back from the reef, you will spend more time on these trips doing what you came to do, diving and snorkelling!

Usually you will be transferred out to these boats by faster boats and once you arrive out at the reef, you're free to go diving and snorkelling at their great reef locations.  Certified divers will need their certification card, but other than that, all equipment is supplied for you.  Snorkellers also are well catered for.

Accommodation is varied from  multi share to very comfortable and your own cabin too if you choose (you are on a boat after all!)  and your overnight experience can be made complete with a night dive.

Australia has some of the best locations in the world for scuba diving, and Cairns is the capital of the Great Barrier Reef.  Read on and discover the tours that can provide you with a great floating accommodation!

For a map of the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, see Maps

The Clipper

This beautiful old sailing vessel, Atlantic Clipper provides you with comfort and style without the huge price.  Leaving from Cairns daily, a high speed transfer vessel will take you out to the Clippers location.

Cairns dive company Down Under Dive runs these live aboard cruises around the Great Barrier Reef for two, three or even four days. You will visit around four reef destinations over the days that you are out there and you won't run out of things to see.  There are fish and coral of all colours with diving to around 25 metres.  You will see turtles, rays and even a moray eel something you don't want to get too close to!

There are many different swim through's and caverns for certified divers, and you will found the night and early morning diving the best.  

Introductory divers can do a maximum of two scuba dives in one day and they are well catered for.  The instructors are friendly and patient and conduct great tours of the reef, along with making sure that you keep breathing!

All equipment is supplied, as well as meals, hot showers and accommodation in twin, double or share cabins. 

Departs Daily

A winner at the TNQ Tourism Awards 2000

The Cod Hole

This a fantastic trip that goes right up to the Cod Hole not far from Lizard Island and is considered among the best diving that you can get in Cairns and on The Great Barrier Reef with visibility usually around 20 - 30 metres and a huge variety of marine species.

There are 2 options , a four day/three night trip that visits the Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs, and a five day/four night trip that goes to the Cod Hole and Coral Sea as well.  

The large dive boat is well set up for diving as well as relaxing.  It is a 22 metre long steel monohull which cruises at around 11 knots.  It carries a maximum of 26 passengers and 8 crew.  

Remember: June/July is the whale season and a great time to dive the Great Barrier Reef and this is the dive trip to be on board during this period with over a 90% chance to meet and greet these gentle giants. For the best chance of an encounter with these giants of the ocean we suggest travelling in the last 2 weeks of June and the 1st 3 weeks of July on either of the Taka Dive trips.

Below are the  itinerary for both trips: -

Cod Hole/Ribbon Reefs 4 Day/3 Night

Tuesday

Complimentary pick-ups from Cairns City accommodation commence between 4:30pm & 5:00pm. Passengers arrive to the vessel at approx 5:10pm. Check in is then done by one of the experienced & friendly crew members.

The first evening  travel overnight 150 km to the Cod Hole. During this time passengers organize their dive gear or hire gear. You also have a brief period of introduction followed by paperwork and a briefing on the schedule for the next day. Dinner is served at approx 7:30pm with the rest of the evening for relaxation.

Wednesday

7:30am Breakfast

8:30am Arrive at the Cod Hole

Dive Briefing

Dive 1
Familiarization with the Cod Hole. Check out dive for those who have done less than 50 dives or have not dived in the past year. Likely Sightings include Giant Potato Cod, Moray Eel, Reef Sharks & Maori Wrasse.

Dive 2
Cod Feed at the Cod Hole- Close encounters with the Famous Potato Cod.

Lunch

Dive 3
Pixie’s Pinacle/Reef/Wall or Challenger Bay. Likely Sightings include Lion Fish, Nudibranchs, Garden Eels & Barracuda.

Afternoon rest & snack.

Dive 4
6:30pm Night Dive at Challenger Bay
Likely Sightings include Cuttle Fish, Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks & Manta Rays.

8:00pm Evening Meal

Thursday
7:00am Breakfast

Dive Briefing

Dive 5
7:30am Clam Gardens. Likely Sightings include Giant Clams (150-200 y/o)

Dive 6
10:00am Steve’s Bommie. Likely Sightings include Red flame File Shell, Stone Fish, Wobbegong Sharks, Turtles & Thousands of schooling Anthias.

Snack

Dive 7
12:00/1:00pm Temple Of Doom. Sightings include Flatworms & Clownfish.

Lunch followed by Afternoon Rest.

Dive 8
6:30pm Beer Gardens. Sightings include Sleepy Turtles & Parrot Fish.

8:00pm Evening Meal

Friday
Dive Briefing

Dive 9
6:30am Hogs Breath. Sightings include Blue Spot Lagoon Ray & Clown Fish.

7:30am Breakfast

Dive 10
8:30am Split Bommie. Sightings include Octopus & various Butterfly Fish.

As you sail back to Cairns, passengers have plenty of time to rest and relax in between snacks and lunch.
Arrives back to Trinity Wharf in Cairns at 3:00pm.
complimentary transfers to local accommodation between 3:00pm and 4:00pm


Cod Hole and Coral Sea 5 Day/4 Night 

Friday
Complimentary pick-ups from Cairns City accommodation commence between 4:30pm & 5:00pm. Passengers arrive to the vessel at approx 5:10pm. Check in is then done by one of experienced & friendly crew members.

The first evening we travel overnight 150km to the Cod Hole. During this time passengers organize their dive gear or hire gear. We also have a brief period of introduction followed by paperwork and a briefing on the schedule for the next day. Dinner is served at approx 7:30pm with the rest of the evening for relaxation.

Saturday
7:30am - Breakfast

8:30am, arrive at the Cod Hole, dive briefing.

Dive 1:
Familiarization with the Cod Hole. Check out dive for those who have done less than 50 dives or have not dived in the past year. Likely Sightings include Giant Potato Cod, Moray Eel, Reef Sharks & Maori Wrasse.

Dive 2:
Cod Feed at the Cod Hole- Close encounters with the Famous Potato Cod.

Lunch

Dive 3
Pixie’s Pinacle/Reef/Wall or Challenger Bay - Likely Sightings include Lion Fish, Nudibranchs, Garden Eels & Barracuda.

Afternoon rest & snack.

Dive 4
6:30pm Night Dive at Challenger Bay - Likely Sightings include Cuttle Fish, Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks & Manta Rays.

8:00pm Evening Meal

Sunday
7:00am Breakfast

7:30am Arrive at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.

Dive 5
8:30am North Horn. Wall Dive with drop-offs to 100m. There is a fantastic variety of sharks swimming off the wall- such as Gray Whalers, White Tip & Black Tips, Hammerheads, A Giant Potato Cod and the occasional Bull Shark.

Dive 6

10:30am North Horn SHARK FEED. Divers observe this amazing spectacle from 15m sitting on dead coral palettes. The SHARK FEED can last anywhere from 5min to 30min depending on how many and how hungry the sharks are. Once the feed is completed, once the instructors gives the ‘all clear', the divers can leave the wall and continue the dive.

Lunch

Dive 7
1:30pm Half Way Wall. Sightings include interesting coral formations, Feather Stars and Green Sea Turtles.

Dive 8
4:00pm The Entrance. Sightings include Puffer Fish & Clown Fish.

Evening Meal

8:00pm Depart Osprey Reef and head back to the Great Barrier Reef.

Monday
7:00am Breakfast

Dive Briefing

Dive 9
7:30am Clam Gardens. Likely Sightings include Giant Clams (150-200 y/o)

Dive 10
10:00am Steve’s Bommie. Likely Sightings include Red flame File Shell, Stone Fish, Wobbegong Sharks, Turtles & Thousands of schooling Anthias.

Snack

Dive 11
12:00/1:00pm Temple Of Doom. Sightings include Flatworms & Clownfish.

Lunch followed by afternoon rest.

Dive 12
6:30pm Beer Gardens. Sightings include Sleepy Turtles & Parrot Fish.

8:00pm Evening Meal

Tuesday
Dive Briefing

Dive 13
6:30am Hogs Breath. Sightings include Angelfish & Clown Fish.

7:30am Breakfast

Dive 14
8:30am Split Bommie. Sightings include Octopus & various Butterfly Fish.

As you sail back to Cairns, passengers have plenty of time to rest and relax in between snacks and lunch.
Arrives back to Trinity Wharf in Cairns at 3:00pm.
Complimentary transfers to local accommodation between 3:00pm and 4:00pm.

All bed linen including towels, accommodation transfers, tanks and weights are included in the price.  

What is Included-

• All linen, including two towels per person.
• Transfers to/from the vessel from Cairns City accommodation,
• Tanks, weights & Safety Kits (safety sausage with a whistle and cylume stick),
• Two night dives with torches, batteries and cylume sticks,
• free dive guide subject to instructor availability,
• Superb meals - freshly prepared onboard from dinner on the evening of departure to lunch on the last day,
• Snacks after every dive,
• Complimentary tea, coffee, Milo, water, cordial, biscuits and fresh fruit are available 24 hours a day.

Snorkellers are most welcome on the  trips - just deduct $100.00 from the prices.

Pay on Board Fees & Charges apply including Environmental Management Charge $4.50 per person and these fees  are NOT included in the tour/cruise fare.

Tour

Price pp

Twin Share $345

Double $355

Twin Share $480

Double $500

Twin Share $615

Double add extra $645

Twin Share add extra $15

Double add extra $25

Twin Share $255

Double $265

Twin Share $390

Double $410

Twin Share $525

Double $555

Twin Share add extra $15

Double add extra $25

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