We can offer discounts on all the prices shown so please contact us prior to booking to check availability and ask us about any current discounts running.
Prices shown are for High Season so if you plan to travel in May or August 2024 please contact us for lower pricing.
Note: SOF will be out of the water for refit from 11th August to 5th September 2024
Sunday and Thursday departures
Dive Australia’s Coral Sea, Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs with Spirit of Freedom live-aboard dive expeditions.
Most importantly, Spirit of Freedom offers an exceptional live-aboard dive experience cruising to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and remote Coral Sea reefs. Scuba Dive Tours of 3, 4 and 7 day duration depart our of Cairns to iconic dive sites such as the Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and North Horn, Osprey Reef. Shark dives, Potato Cod feeding, sheer walls laced with massive soft corals, manta-rays, minke whales, and abundant healthy tropical reefs, rich with marine biodiversity are just some of the high-lights you’ll experience with Spirit of Freedom diving tours
Spirit of Freedom is a 40m vessel carrying 26 passengers and 10 crew. In other words that means unparalleled service! Cabin types range from Quad share to Stateroom luxury cabins. Bar-B-Que nights are held on the top deck, and the lounge has a plasma screen TV to watch the days underwater filming, or the vast DVD collection.
3 three decks of spacious comfort include sun deck, lounge and bar, dining saloon, and huge dive deck. Equipped with electronic stabilisers, silent generators, and fully air-conditioned throughout. Therefore Spirit of Freedom offers smooth and comfortable cruising.
Furthermore, this electronically stabilised vessel with three decks of living area results in superb comfort when travelling. First class chef prepared meals are served four times daily, and complimentary wine is offered with the evening meal. Spirit of Freedom boasts a wide screen projector TV with DVD movie selection, games, well stocked marine library, Australian wine cellar, and generous air-conditioned cabins all with private bathroom.
Dive tours include the world famous Cod Hole and turquoise waters of the Ribbon Reefs, plus the sheer walls and spectacular visibility of the remote Coral Sea reefs. Click here for a map of your voyage. For detailed information of the Ribbon Reef dive sites click here.
A one-way low level reef flight between Cairns and Lizard Island allows you to see it all from 500 feet and is included in our 3 Day Cod Hole and 4 Day Coral Sea tours.
Eleven private and spacious air-conditioned cabins, all feature private bathroom
Click here for more details on the cabin types.
Ocean View Deluxe
Large cabin, with double bed, wardrobe, writing desk, Bed side tables, TV & DVD player.
Ocean View Standard – Contains double bed, wardrobe, TV & DVD player.
State Room – Spacious cabin with queen bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, bed side tables, TV & DVD player.
Double or Twin – Double bed on the bottom with a single bed above, wardrobe, and bed-side table.
Double – Double bed only, wardrobe, bedside table
Twin Share – Bunk style single beds, wardrobe.
Quad Share – Bunk style single beds, wardrobe.
Cod Hole Ribbon Reef Diver Safety
Snorkellers to Advanced Divers
Diver experience recommendation: Open Water certification with minimum 10 ocean dives including 5 dives in the last 12 months
Coral Sea Diver Safety
Advanced type diving
Diver experience recommendation: Advanced Diver certification with minimum 20 ocean dives including 5 dives in the last 12 months
Less experience may result in limited diving due to environmental conditions and remote isolation of dive site. We recommend a Scuba Diver Refresher course prior to your trip.
Diver Health: If you have a medical condition or are currently taking prescription medication, you will need a medical clearance. For further details refer to our Diver Information form or contact our Reservations team.
Due to light aircraft restrictions, your total weight of your luggage is limited to 20 kilograms/ 45 lb per person, including your dive gear and carry on luggage. However, additional luggage can be stored at the Spirt of Freedom offices.
3 Day / 3 Night Cod Hole Liveaboard dive trip – 11 dives
Departs every Thursday at 12.00 noon.
Returns every Sunday at 12.00 (Flight).
Thursday: Boarding 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 to the north of Cairns, for an afternoon orientation dive and a twilight or night dive
Friday and Saturday: These two days are spent diving at the most northern of the Ribbon Reefs (numbers 9 & 10). Sites are weather dependant but you will get at last 1 dive at the Cod Hole, where you encounter a family of massive and very friendly Potato Cod. Other sites may include Wonder-wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Challenger Bay, Two Towers, Lighthouse Bommie, and the Snake Pit, just to name a few. (More information on Ribbon Reef dive sites click click here.)
Four to five dives will be available each day, including a night dive on the Friday. On Saturday evening we overnight at Watson’s Bay on Lizard Island and enjoy a sunset BBQ dinner on the top deck.
Sunday: This morning after breakfast you will disembark and say farewell to Spirit of Freedom. On shore at Lizard Island you can take the guided walk from Watson’s Beach to Mary Watson’s cottage over Chinaman’s Ridge and back to the air-strip. Here you will board a light aircraft for your flight back to Cairns. The one hour flight arrives at Hinterland Aviation, Cairns General Aviation Airport around 11.15 to 11:45am, where the Spirit of Freedom courtesy coach will meet you for your transfer back to your Cairns city hotel.
4 Day / 4 night Coral Sea Liveaboard dive trip – 15 dives
Departs every Sunday at 08.30 am (Flight).
Returns every Thursday at 08.00 am.
Sunday: Courtesy coach transfer from Cairns city hotels to Cairns airport will commence at 07.00am. Your twin-engine light aircraft will depart at 09:00am for your scenic flight over the reef to Lizard Island. Spirit of Freedom crew will greet you on arrival and transfer you to the vessel, where we will depart for the reef.
This afternoon we will have the opportunity for two dives at a choice of sites including Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Gardens, and Pixie Pinnacle. We depart in the evening for a 10 hour crossing to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.
This afternoon we will have the opportunity for two dives before departing in the late evening for Osprey Reef, in the Coral Sea. The dives may be at sites such as the Cod Hole, Pixie Pinnacle and Challenger Bay.
Monday & Tuesday: Osprey Reef (weather permitting). Australia’s Coral Sea reefs are renown for crystal clear water with an average visibility in excess of 100 feet (30m).
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 are common. The landscape is amazing with sheer walls laced with gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals rising from thousands of feet below.
On Tuesday night we will depart Osprey Reef for overnight travel to the Ribbon Reefs.
Wednesday:
At Ribbon Reef Number 3 we will dive such sites as the sensational Steve’s Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point. A second option for this day, in special weather conditions, is to head south from Opsrey to Bougainville Reef, known for its unusual underwater landscape or caverns, and its partially submerged wreck. On Wednesday evening we will cruise overnight back to Cairns.
Thursday: We arrive back into Cairns at 06:30am. Enjoy a light breakfast on board and a group photo opportunity, before being dropped back to your Cairns hotel around 08:00am.
Please note that above itineraries are samples only and sites 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.
7 Day / 7Night Cod Hole and Coral Sea Liveaboard dive trip
Departs every Thursday at 12.00 noon.
Returns every Thursday at 08.00.
This trip is a combination of both itineraries above with 26 dives. Note there is no flight with this trip. SOF motors up and back.
Note:
The minimum age for a travelling passenger is 16 years old
All travelling passengers over 65 years old will now need to obtain a dive medical certificate prior to departure. The certificate must be less than 12 months old on the date of departure.
Contact us before booking to check availability and ask us about any current discounts.
A deposit will be taken at the time of booking with the balance due 30 days prior to departure.
Prices valid until March 31st 2025