Special 4 day 4 night expedition trip to the Ribbon Reefs Friday 12 November – Tuesday 16 November 2021
Special 4 day 4 night expedition trip Friday 12 November – Tuesday 16 November 2021
This four-day trip gives you the opportunity to enjoy up to 14 stunning dives along the beautiful Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns. You will encounter clouds of tropical fish, an incredible variety of vibrant healthy corals, giant clams, anemones, huge schools of cruising pelagic fish and so much more!
OceanQuest is a 35.7m catamaran over three decks. With 18 twin share and 4 double rooms there is capacity to sleep only 42 customers overnight. Cabins offer unrivalled comfort and luxury.
All rooms have en-suite facilities as well as TV’s, bar fridges and internal phones. There is a large saloon area on the wheelhouse deck with a bar where you can relax and kick back after a long days diving. The main deck has a large dining room capable of comfortably seating 48 passengers.
The dive sites are frequented by myriad’s of tropical fish and include the ever popular large Maori Wrasse, who are always diver friendly. The swim through, wall and drift dives will appeal to every level of diver experience.
Click here for a floor plan of OceanQuest
Join us for a special 4-day expedition to the remote and flourishing dive sites of the Ribbon Reefs. The expedition will take place on the Liveaboard vessel OceanQuest. The expedition will cover Ribbon Reefs including Steve’s Bommie & Lighthouse Bommie (exact sites dependent on conditions). These will set off from Friday 12 November – Tuesday 16 November 2021.
To the north of Cairns and Port Douglas, and finishing to the east of Lizard Island lies a 120km ‘string’ of 10 individual coral reefs, collectively called the ‘Ribbon Reefs’. Well beyond the reach of day trip boats, the Ribbon Reefs’ remote location and Green ‘No Take’ zoning makes them home to some of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef.
Fringing the edge of the continental shelf, this stretch of the Great Barrier Reef is only accessible by a few liveaboard dive companies. Due to their relatively isolated location, these reefs support a huge range of biodiversity, from the giant clam with its violet fluorescent interior, to the vividly red flame file shell and the elusive leaf scorpionfish.
Reef formations include beds of huge plate corals, isolated pinnacles crowned in delicate corals and anemones, walls, channels, caves, canyons and shallow coral gardens.
This renowned Great Barrier Reef dive location is only accessible on an overnight trip.
Ocean Quest is offering a 1 time four-day, four-night Ribbon Reef Expedition expeditions . Spaces are limited and trips sell out quickly!
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
The crew will collect you from your city location and check you in at the Divers Den shop, 319 Draper Street at 7.30am. From there you will go straight to our liveaboard OceanQuest and set off for the outer Barrier Reef. Here you’ll enjoy one afternoon dive and one night dive at either Saxon or Norman Reef, before steaming to the Ribbon Reefs overnight.
Day 2
Wake up to the sun rising over the Great Barrier Reef at Steve’s Bommie, one of the best dive sites on the reef thanks to its huge array of marine life including schools of fish, sharks, rays, nemos, octopus and more. You will enjoy four dives today, two at Steve’s Bommie and two others (including one night dive) at various other sites on the upper Ribbon Reefs..
Day 3
Kick the weekend off with more diving and snorkelling opportunities throughout the Ribbon Reefs, giving you the opportunity to explore some of the Great Barrier Reef’s most untouched areas. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary. Your two morning dives will be at Lighthouse Bommie. You’ll also have an afternoon dive and another night dive.
Day 4
Explore more of the Great Barrier Reef at various dive sites along the Ribbon Reefs over four incredible dives – two in the morning, one in the afternoon and one night dive. The reef locations that we visit are less frequented by any other boats, and are home to many tropical fish species and bright mesmerising coral. After your night dive (finishing around 8pm) we will steam south towards Cairns.
Day 5
Wake up to your last morning on OceanQuest. After breakfast, you will be transferred back to your Cairns city accommodation at approximately 9am, so you’ll be able to plan other activities on this day.
Please note itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions. Our dive schedule will be adjusted to enable as much in-water interaction with the Minke whales as possible.
*pick up and drop off from city accommodation is included. This does not include Northern Beaches area. Pick ups start from 07:30
Please note, itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions.
Reef Taxes included.
Advanced and Nitrox courses are additional costs.
Tour dates Friday 12 November – Tuesday 16 November 2021
*BCD, regulator, dive computer, mask, snorkel, full foot fins, 5mm Short arm/leg wetsuit