RECENT TRIP GALLERIES ON SPIRIT OF FREEDOM

Thu 22nd July 2010 - Mon 26th July 2010 - (20) images

Well the weather may have been a little on the miserable side, but that's about all that was on this trip! Great diving, and great divers! We had to stay inside the Ribbon Reefs' this expedition, which meant we get to visit all the sites we rarely get to see. And despite being shaken, rattled and rolled, we still had an avid dive team out on the back deck unflinchingly preparing to brave the ocean. A little rain's not going to stop this team!

Pixie Gardens started everyone off with Sharks, Eels, and big schools of fish everywhere you looked. The Cod Feed the next day was a hit. Playing Matador with the big fella so we could sneak a pilchard to the little guys. What a show. Everyone was swept away by Lighthouse Bommie. Well, not everyone, but it was a bit of current... Still a fun dive though, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Sea Snakes, and a wall of Trevally from corner to corner. The Monolith Night Dive was so much nicer without having the usual harassment from Red Bass and GTs', guess they weren't expecting us... Wonder Gardens and Wonder Wall had the divers Wonder Struck. Brilliant displays of coral, and a special guest appearance from the Sun really brought out the colours.Down to Ribbon #3 and two amazing dives at Steve's Bommie with an Eagle Ray cruising through circling some of the divers. Century bay's resident Cuttle Fish came out to welcome our team, and our last dive at Flare Point still had the divers enthusiastic. I think they could have gone another couple of days with the amount of energy in some of them.

Thanks Nicolas for conducting your 100th dive out with us. Seemed almost planned with you stepping on board with 99 under the belt already. Congratulations George on becoming a Nitrox Diver and congratulations to a huge Team Advanced; Adam & Nina, Michael & Roxanne, Brigitte & Sophie, and Emanuel. And remember, there is always more to learn in all avenues of Recreational, Professional and Technical diving. Decide where you want your diving to go, and never stop learning. Well done to all!

View Gallery

Mon 19th July 2010 - Thu 22nd July 2010 - (20) images

Our guests joining us this trip from near and far, young and old, all manner of experience; some had never dived in the ocean before this trip. Some had never dived at all...

We started at Norman Reef where a happy turtle followed our snorkellers around for most of the time. The next day started with the beautiful Cod Hole and a busy feed with all the boys fighting in the ring. Two Towers was another amazing Minke experience with a small pod circling under the divers. Some great photo's were taken, and some great footage by divers with cameras. Challenger Bay was teeming with life; Lionfish; Pipefish; Sleeping Sharks; Damsel Schools; Moray Eels. Just a taste for Pixie Pinnacle the next day. The Drift at Dynamite Pass was sensational. Strong current and fish life everywhere. A huge male Green Turtle was tucked into the shallows having a rest, and was a focus of attention for a while with his algal growth and barnacle covered shell.

Happy Birthday Elen. It was great to have you on board for this occasion. And congratulations to everyone who tried SCUBA for the first time. Keep at it and see where the adventures take you. I hope you all enjoyed the experiences you had and continue at some stage in the future.

Thanks very much everyone, for making this trip a memorable one. We hope to see you all again one day. Stay safe and keep diving. See you on the beach,
Mossy

View Gallery

Thu 15th July 2010 - Mon 19th July 2010 - (20) images

Nineteen passengers joined us on our Coral Sea adventure this week. We began with three dives at the beautiful Pixie Gardens, then promptly off to Osprey. One complimentary roller coaster ride, and we arrived at North Horn, bright and early Friday morning. We had two fantastic dives at North Horn, including the ever-popular shark feed. The sharks seemed to be particularly hungry this week, and ravaged the tuna heads in less than 2 minutes! A fantastic show! We were lucky enough to have a couple of silver tips come by to check out the action. Two of our passengers swear adamantly that they spotted a hammerhead as well, no photographic evidence, but we believe them! After the exciting morning at North Horn, we carried on to Castles and Admiralty for a couple of nice quiet dives to finish up our Osprey visit. That night we steamed back to the Ribbons to play with our Minke friends. The morning at Two Towers, yet again delivered a visit from Dwarf Minke whales. With all the passengers hanging on the line, our Minkes were feeling very confident and playful indeed.

On Sunday, we rounded off the trip with two great dives at the always spectacular Steve's Bommie, and two dives at the wonderful Joanie's Joy. In the afternoon one of our passengers, Dr. Judy Jay, was kind enough to give a talk on inner, middle, and outer ear trauma. A very important and interesting discussion, that is very relevant to all of us avid scuba divers! Another fantastic trip on Spirit of Freedom!

View Gallery

Mon 12th July 2010 - Thu 15th July 2010 - (20) images

Twenty three brave sailors joined us on our trip up to Lizard Island this week. Our group consisted of divers and snorkellers from all over the globe; in addition, we were lucky enough to be joined by some junior scuba divers for a bit of entertainment. The most junior of our divers was a courageous young man of 13, who fearlessly conquered the ocean for the first time, and didn't put a fin wrong! A second courageous young man on board celebrated his 50th birthday. Our chef, Andrew, baked a masterpiece of a cake, which was beautiful to look at but even better to eat. Even while celebrating his big day, Ross managed to complete his enriched air diver certification (not such an easy task on such a momentous occasion).

The passengers voted on their favourite dive sight, and the final result was a tie between Two Towers and Pixie Pinnacle. As always, Pixie Pinnacle provided a stunning dive: Colourful fish, beautiful coral, massive schools of big eye trevally and barracuda. Hands down, a great dive, unless, of course, you're competing against the majestic Minke whales! Yet again, our Minke friends put on quite a show for us at Two Towers. The whales showed off as they belly rolled, and swam directly and the passengers. They were feeling very playful indeed, and boldly interacted with our group. It was an incredible experience that will never be forgotten! We were very grateful to all our guests who so politely followed the rules, and were, therefore, able to have such a close encounter. All in all, it was a successful and enjoyable trip, and we are looking forward to seeing all of you again!

View Gallery

Thu 8th July 2010 - Mon 12th July 2010 - (20) images

Working out on the reef can be quite a stressful experience, but not when you've got a group as good as this. Korea, big crew from the states including a great group from Twin Dolphins Scuba, Colorado, our carry-over champs from Japan and our Capital, and 1 from Holland (sorry ‘bout the soccer). You guys were amazing in the water, and so much fun back on the boat!

Pixie Gardens set the benchmark as our first dive with great visibility, and teeming with life. And Osprey didn't fail to amaze; clear, warm waters, beautiful fish, stunning coral, fan beds you could sleep on. And the sharks... What a shark feed. I'd love to say it went off without a hitch, but the hitch did come off! After a few tense moments desperately opening the feed bin, I withdrew from the cloud of fins to watch the frenzy of Grey Whalers and White Tips (trying not to get in the way of the Cod...) tearing tuna off the chain. Around the bend was a great drift, and a few divers sighted a Hammerhead.

Back in the Ribbons, Steve's Bommie made note with a few mentions of Minkes' cruising through. And the rich tapestry of corals and marine life left a lasting impression for our last dives.

Its so good to finish a trip with the crew having as much fun as the guests. Many adventures were had and a lot of friendships were made.

Congratulations to Yuji, Yongseon & Stephanie on completing Nitrox certification on board with us. And also to John & Hope for your 100th dives, and Crispin at the half-tonne 500 mark. Keep learning, and keep diving. Thank you to all for coming, it would be great to see you again sometime.

See you on the beach,
Mossy

View Gallery

Mon 5th July 2010 - Thu 8th July 2010 - (20) images

What a great group of divers! Scattered from all over with most from North America (ski towns too) and Japan, a couple of divers from the Australian Capital Territory, and a Dutch Ambassador. Everything from seasoned instructors to newly certified open water, and our snorkellers.

At the Caves, we were greeted by our Turtle friends and got to see all of them sneak off into a place to sleep. Straight into the next day with a couple of amazing dives at the Cod Hole. On my way to the cod feed, I saw our big guy lay the smack down and chase a Grey Whaler into the blue at a great rate of knots. Great visibility, and all the boys came out to play. Despite amazing visibility, incredibly sea creatures, and an action packed cod feed, this dive which is always a highlight fell by the wayside in light of our experience at Two Towers. Sharks, Sea Snakes, Barracuda, Trumpet Fish, Snapper, Gobies, Mackerel, Nobody noticed... The Minkes were on parade! There was a Mother and Calf off in the distance, and the rest were playing this game trying to see how many they could fit under the boat! What a show!

Congratulations Marty on completing your Advanced course, and to all the new divers, it was great to see so much improvement in just a few days.

It was great to have all of you out here for such an experience, and thank you for all your kind comments. Best of luck wito your diving adventures, you are welcome back here any day. See you on the beach,
Mossy

View Gallery

Thu 1st July 2010 - Sun 4th July 2010 - (20) images

What an awesome trip! Thanks to the guys from Pro Dive Manley for joining Spirit of Freedom on this expedition.

The curious Minke whales simply could not have been more abundant! While our divers waited on the line for some Minke Action with fantastic photo opportunities awaiting, the ever curious creatures soon approached us, frolicking and posing for us in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Just amazing!

Out to Osprey Reef for the Shark Dive at North Horn for more awe inspiring diving -  up close and personal with the creatures of the deep - plenty of sharks included!

All in all, a wonderfully memorable dive trip had by everyone. Thanks for joining us.

View Gallery

Mon 28th June 2010 - Thu 1st July 2010 - (20) images

Minke Magic! The whale's turned up at the crystal clear waters of Lighthouse Bommie putting on majestic show very few will forget! 8 large adults and a couple of smaller animals entertained their curiosity for well over an hour, as they spirled in ever decreasing circles around the divers. And as if this was not enough... a column of Trevally stretched out from the sea floor to the surface. Yellow Tail Barracuda tried to impress, on a normal day this would have been a highlight to a dive. Turtles, Sea Snakes entwined, Bull Ray, Octopus, Curious Worm Fish & a host of usual subjects could not steal the limelight.

We had the World Famous Cod Hole to follow. Cade managing to entertain the 3 large Cod, battling for the dominant position in the feed. Our guests enjoyed spectacle of their life. Once again the visibility exceeded 30m.

Congratulations to our new advanced divers, 5 divers put through the rigorous training schedule of our new Instructor Phil.

We had the Ferrari's enjoying their honeymoon onboard, congratulations guys!  We also had 3 guests join us from the land of the rising sun, one for the 3rd time! Also joining us were some Aussie guests escaping the cooler climate of the South. Our American contingent were looking to experience the GBR and their experience I am told, surpassed their previous experiences.

Safe to say that winter in the Ribbons is the place to be, Ahh we live in heaven.

Captain Cam.

View Gallery

Thu 24th June 2010 - Mon 28th June 2010 - (18) images

What a great group! Howling winds, and despite some butterfly fish in the stomache, everyone was in the water with big smiles! On the last day we were blessed with a guest appearance from the Sun, and even the wind died down to make it look like a postcard again...

Lighthouse Bommie; Turtles, Sea Snakes, Nudibranchs, Nemo's, Hawkfish, Malabar Cod, Pipefish... Guys! Stop looking at all those Minkes'! There's other cool stuff here too.

Night dive at Pixie was teeming with life, Eels tearing around, Lion Fish in their holes, and a few Flashlight Fish stalking in the darkness.

Steves' Bommie was easy to enjoy, and the diversity of coral at Flare Point and Century Bay left people with a fantastic last memory of our Reef

Congratulations to our newest Advanced Students; Sarah and Andrew. Well done studying in such conditions, and such great work in the water too!  Jari and Tuula, thank you for coming out with us to complete your 200 and 100th dives respectively. Yipee Kai-ay!

Despite the choppy weather conditions, there was not a negative word mentioned, but a few loud ones late into the last night...!  A great time had by all. Was easy for the crew to work in such conditions when there's such a great bunch of divers with us.

Dive Hard!

View Gallery

Mon 21st June 2010 - Thu 24th June 2010 - (18) images

A little adventure on the high seas to get the trip started! A wide spread of internationals with a few family dive teams as well. Was great to have so many young divers on board being shown around by a generation of divers.

Regardless of how turbulent the water may be, there is always a calming effect of seeing a Turtle pop up off the back of the boat at your first dive site. Was great to see one of the little guys at the feed, instead of the usual heavy suspects. He was quite animated trying to get a pilchard, but when he realised there was no competition around, he became more comfortable and slowed down. Two Towers offered a myriad of creatures; Sea Snakes, Sharks, and yes, a Minke! Great response to the night dive, a lot of first timers, seeing the green glow of a Sharks' eye raised a few pulses. A shadow befell Pixie Pinnacle for both dives, cast by a wall of Barracuda, and aiding their predation of Neon Fusileers and Damsels was a trio of Spanish Mackerel and a team of Trevally. The dive rapidly became an action movie for all divers to witness the circle of life. Little fish. Big fish... Other highlights at the Pixies' included Garden Eels, Shrimp Goby, and a playful octopus.

This trip saw so many divers making leaps forward in their skill, ability, and confidence! And congratulations to Dennis & Elaine on completion of your advanced course. Never stop diving, and never stop learning guys.
The guests were thrilled with the trip, and weren't going to let a little 30knot draft push them around. You are all fantastic divers, and I hope you keep it up.

Cris and Claire, it was sad to see you go so early in the trip. We hope to see you out here again for all the experiences you were meant to have.

Best wishes from all the crew, and see you on the beach.

Mossy

View Gallery

Thu 17th June 2010 - Mon 21st June 2010 - (20) images

26 crazy Texans battled 20 -30 knot winds, 100 Nm offshore to dive the pristine shark filled waters of Oosprey Reef! And sharks they saw! More sharks than you can poke a stick at! Some a little too close for Clem!

False entrance was beautiful as usual, the North Horn wall stunning and Steves Bommie impressed everyone again! Another fantastic trip, thanks again guys, I mean thanks yaaalll! Till next time!

Cade.

View Gallery

Thu 10th June 2010 - Mon 14th June 2010 - (20) images

What a great bunch of guests! Bump and grind all night in these conditions, but still front row centre for every dive! A fair spread for the group; Europe, Asia, North and South America, and some Aussies. All having fun and mixing well above and below the waves. And the cameras...

MARINE LIFE: Pixie was teeming with life as can be seen from all the photo's and video footage, and everyone still keen for another Minke, had some huge dive times. Out to Osprey through the terrain park for a shark feed and some sensational dives on the wall further down. Back at the Ribbons, despite the hopes being for something really really big, it was the macro that took the show, with Nudibranchs, Flatworms, Lacey Scorpion Fish, Flame File Shells. The night dive was a circus! Everything coming out of the woodwork, and some more great footage to show. # Grey Whalers at Steve's Bommie circling the plaque like some aquatic guardians, but were overshadowed by the variety of amazing critters crawling over the bommie.

Team "Paparazzi" this week with some cameras worth more than all my earthly possessions. Well done to Kevin for hitting Century Diver out with us. And to Marcio, for 400 dives on his second trip back with us, the most bubble time of anyone on the boat, and that camera...

Everyone was very happy with the trip. It has been great having so much energy from a small group. I look forward to seeing you all in the water again some time. Thanks Andrew for the evening home movie sessions. And remember; If you lose your buddy, your dive is OVER. A whale is not a buddy...
Mossy

View Gallery

Mon 7th June 2010 - Thu 10th June 2010 - (20) images

We were joined by a small group of 15 this trip -  predominantly from the U.S with the exception of 1 diver from France, 1 from Brazil, and one Aussie representative. All keen divers with an enormous variety of experience. And a variety of enormous underwater cameras!

MARINE LIFE: Straight in with the turtles at the Caves. All the lads were waiting at the Cod Hole for the feed that ensued. One particular Potato Cod got a little too frisky, had a little nibble on my arm. Sharks and eels everywhere at Challenger Bay for the night dive. Two Towers had it all though; Eagle Rays, Sea Snakes, Turtles, Tuna, Lion Fish, and a myriad of other little schooling fish.

But all this was overshadowed by our first underwater Minke experience. And overshadowed would be an easy term to use, as the only thing bigger than the Whale, was the smiles of the divers as they exited the water, and long into the trip.

Well done to all the divers on their first night dive, and first drift dive. Oh, and did I mention we saw a Minke? Yeah, we had Minke's with the divers!

Thanks guys - a great bunch of happy divers.  Best of luck with all future diving adventures. See you on the beach. Mossy

View Gallery

Thu 3rd June 2010 - Mon 7th June 2010 - (20) images

Any Trip that starts at the ‘Snake pit" is always going to be good! This was no exception! To quote Ash, ‘It just keeps getting better!" The weather gods smiled on our Melbourne group and osprey reef was Sunny, flat and calm! The weather gods weren't the only gods being kind. Poseidon himself unleashed sea snakes, turtles, Leopard sharks, masses of grey sharks, white tips every where, Manta ray, big Silver tips, huge cod and Hammer heads. As if that wasn't enough to make an amazing trip, everybody (except me!) had a very rare and amazingly close encounter with a 6 mtr WHALE SHARK! This particular shark must have been a rock star as he had a group of fans/paparazzi in the form of grey, silver tip and hammer head sharks following him up and down the wall as he posed for our lucky guests cameras! The ‘Diver instruction services' group were well trained, well behaved and a pleasure to have on board. You guys truly deserved such an amazing experience and will always be welcome back on the Spirit of Freedom.
Till next time. Cheers.
Cade.

View Gallery

Mon 31st May 2010 - Thu 3rd June 2010 - (20) images

With a 3 week break from the water, Spirit of Freedom has completed her annual refit and is primped and pampered, ready and raring to go! Our maiden post-refit voyage included a 7 day adventure for a group of avid divers from "Diver Instructor Services", Melbourne - most of who emerged into the balmy Northern waters wetsuit free while us seasoned tropical divers snuggled into 5mm + wetsuits to battle the cooling temperatures!

Cooling temperatures aside, this trip was one awesome adventure with a rare and interactive encounter with a Whale Shark, visits from shy yet delightful Minke Whales and a curious Hammer Head Shark - a plethora of awe inspiring big fish action!

Not to mention the 'other' action at the Cod Hole with our guests Shane successfully proposing to Tracey in an underwater engagement watched and enjoyed closely by curious Potato Cod. Congratulations guys!

View Gallery

Mon 3rd May 2010 - Mon 10th May 2010 - (20) images

This week long trip to the famous Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef was a sole charter with a great bunch of guests from Lynhaven Dive Centre in Virginia, USA.

Despite the inclement weather with gusty winds and relatively high seas, Spirit of Freedom did manage to make it out to Osprey Reef for the exciting Shark Feed - and what a great turn out it was, with several hungry sharks turning up for the frenzy! The Ribbon Reefs were teaming with an abundance of marine life including Moray Eels, Scorpion Fish, Olive Sea Snakes - to name just a few.....

Fortunately the sun did shine for our group and allowed us to take a memorable tour of picturesque Lizard Island in addition to some fantastic photo opportunities, including an awesome shot of frolicking dolphins - check out the photos!!

Thanks guys for joining us - we hope to welcome you onboard again.

View Gallery

Thu 29th April 2010 - Mon 3rd May 2010 - (20) images

This trip enjoyed a big mix of guests from a lot of places:  Europe, Asia, US, and Australia.

Getting into a rhythm at Pixie Gardens with what else but Garden Eels. A few people were getting knocked around in transit to Osprey, but it was well worth it. A big school of Grey Whalers at Around the Bend was nowhere near as interesting as the little Tiger Shark having a sniff around. Baby silver tip trying to hide under ledges during the night dive, like so many Parrot fish tucked up in their mucous sleeping bags. The Shark Feed went wild with 3 Silvertips turning up in total, and one of them cruising into the arena and chasing the feed to the surface. Some great photo's as a result. Did I mention there was a Tiger? Back through the washing machine to Steve's Bommie, where a pair of Green Turtles took turns buzzing the divers in clouds of Fusileers, Damsels, Anthias. Lazy dives with a lazy Turtle at Century Bay and Flare Point in the slack waters. Was going to call the last dive off due to rain, but when has getting wet ever stopped a diver?!

Well done Thomas on completing an Advanced Certification. And congratulations to Team China; on both your advanced certifications; and on the progression of your skills.

Thanks for coming out with us guys, and keep up the diving adventures.
See you on the beach...
Mossy

View Gallery

Mon 26th April 2010 - Thu 29th April 2010 - (20) images

With guests joining us from Europe, Asia, US and Africa, we've got the planet covered with this bunch of divers, bringing in a mix of experience from all the planets points.

We jumped right on in at Norman caves and almost landed on a White Tip Reef Shark. Cod Feed was action packed with all the guys fighting for a pilchard. Even got the little Flowery Cod in for a nibble... Heading back to the boat was being scoped by a Grey Whaler, but I was under heavy escort of 4 big Cod. Rods Rock was delayed, but worth the wait with Barracuda, Turtles, and an Eagle Ray! A pod of Dolphins came over to farewell us too. Despite the sideways rain, Challenger Night Dive brought smiles to the faces of the brave with many sharks on the prowl, and a huge crab crawling around at the mooring. A last day of pinnacles, Pixie double in the morning, bursting with life. Cathedrals with an Eagle Ray, bursting the surface. And a new site "Black Coral Bommie", bursting with Black Coral! Wow, this dive was a definite hit! The number of times I heard divers comment it was the best dive they have done in ages, or ever! The Black Coral bushes had grown so big, you could almost expect to see spider monkeys swinging through it. The base has a plethora of coral trout on guard, stationed all around, and as they are unfamiliar with divers, all came to investigate. An enormous Malabar Cod sitting under a table coral kept eyes out from the deep too. The top of the bommie is a flat 5m depth perfect for safety stops, and comprises' of almost entirely anemones, with a scattering of clams adorned throughout. Ledges and overhangs teeming with neon fusiliers and glass fish concealing the entry to an internal chamber. And Nudibranchs I've never seen before! This site is definitely, definitely on the hit list!

A big congratulations to Jayne and Robert for completing their 100th dive with us, and well done to Emelie, and Oscar for their on-board study efforts and achieving Advanced and Nitrox Certifications respectively.

Thanks for all your positive notes guys. Much appreciated. Best of luck with all your diving adventures, we hope to see you back someday.

View Gallery

Thu 22nd April 2010 - Mon 26th April 2010 - (20) images

The rain just didn't lay off for this coral sea trip, however the winds were light and the visibility was good. 15 dives across 12 different dive sites ment there was something for everyone. Pixie Pinnacle and the shark feed came out on top in the vote, with the North Horn and Steve,s Bommie following close behind! The shark feed was a success, nobody lost any limbs and 3 big Silver tips came in behind the 40-50 greys and white tips. Good job Clem! But my highlight was easily Dayna and Stevies ANZAC bickies!! I love those things! Also note worthy was Lawrence's amazing skin suit. I'm going to push to have them as the new crew uniform!! Congrats to Marilyn and Ben on their Advanced course.

Cheers from Cade everyone on the Spirit of Freedom, we will see you next time!!

View Gallery

Mon 19th April 2010 - Thu 22nd April 2010 - (20) images

A chock a block full boat of eager sailors set out from a rainy cairns to dive the rainy GBR! The sight of the sun became a rare phenomenon, but it didn't stop any one from getting wet at the cod hole. The Cod put on a great show with some sharks and turtles thrown in. Two towers provided plenty of pelagic action and a few sea snakes. A massive Tawny shark impressed at Cathedrals. And the back of the boat action at lizard island was one not to forget easily, with hundreds of Trevally, Queensland Grouper and sharks all feeding in the light. Congratulations Yoko, great work on your nitrox course. Great to see you again Harou, you must be racking up the frequent floater points now!!

View Gallery

Thu 15th April 2010 - Mon 19th April 2010 - (20) images

With our beaut group of Victorian's staying onboard for the 7 days we head out to the amazing Coral Sea!  Our first dives at Osprey, "Around the Bend" had sightings of Manta Rays and a school of Grey Whalers. It was a Cannonball run at "The Gap" with the current running out of the cut-ins, and "Admiralty" night dive was teeming with sleeping parrot fish and a baby White-Tip Reef Shark hiding in the shelter of the ledges. Next morning at "North Horn" dives, we cleaned up Tracy's plaque, then had an introduction to "Live-Boating!" During the frenzy of the Shark Feed, it was sad to see one of the Grey Whalers with a loop of plastic packing tape wrapped around its head. Our departure from Steve's Bommies was paraded by a pod of dolphins, putting on a spectacular aerial display racing around the bow.

An amazing trip, as reflected in the comments and feedback all our guests left. Thanks guys, was great to be a part of it and we hope to see you again.

View Gallery

Mon 12th April 2010 - Thu 15th April 2010 - (20) images

It's always great having such an experienced and skilled group of divers onboard Spirit of Freedom. With our group onboard from Victoria - coming up from my old stomping grounds, we are not being out done by the Northern Hemisphere this trip, with still a few guests from Canada, US, Germany and Japan.

Commencing our diving at Challenger Bay on the Ribbons of the Great Barrier Reef, there was an underwater show put on just for us. Barracuda, Sharks, Garden Eels, Reef Cuttle Fish, and Lion Fish galore!

Thanks guys for a fantastic trip!

View Gallery

Thu 8th April 2010 - Mon 12th April 2010 - (20) images

With most of the wind and rain behind us, 22 of our finest guests enjoyed some much needed sun and calmer weather. An International mix united by Dive! Or Tauchen! The crew learned quite a few words in German, French and Portuguese this week! The diving was great, the shark feed went mental! Two big silver tips showed up to say 'hi'..... A nice big Hammer head greeted some lucky divers at Silver City and the usual Rurtles, Nudi's and a white mouth Moray Eel.

Congats to Micheal for passing his Advanced course!

Cheers for a great trip guys!
‘Alles gute'

View Gallery

Mon 5th April 2010 - Thu 8th April 2010 - (20) images

An international mix of 23 keen divers attacked the Northern Great Barrier Reef in the Rain, and loved it! Despite the total lack of that odd ball of burning gas in the sky, I think they call the ‘Sun', the visibility was great and the marine life was out to play. Super friendly Potato Cod at the cod hole, Eagle rays at Two Towers and Snake Pit, Sea snakes everywhere, breeding Unicorn fish to name just a few! Everyone saw plenty of sharks too! Or did they Dwayne....?

Great work on the Advanced Course Michael and Happy Birthday Jan!

Thanks for a great trip Guys, see you again soon.

View Gallery

Thu 1st April 2010 - Mon 5th April 2010 - (20) images

Our guests onboard were from scatterings all around the planet. Britain, Europe, and Team America. All a Merry Bunch and full of enthusiasm.

Diving straight in at Pixie wall and the animals were all waiting, Sharks, Moray Eels, Barracuda, Mackerel. Around the Bend for the first morning out at Osprey brought sighting of a Manta Ray near the deep cleaning station. Live boating for the Shark Feed and all the regulars turned up for a nibble, but quietened down while a pair of Silvertips cruised along the back. Castles dive site was a hit for the last dive at Osprey, but was outshined by Steve's Bommie. Baby White Tip, Wobbegong, huge Stonefish along with the schooling Anthias and Damsels, Anemones, and Pipefish. And to farewell a big trip, a green turtle cruised by the divers on their safety stop behind the boat at the spectacular coral shelf at Century Bay

Dean walked on the boat with a score of 198 dive and within the first day had already made a double century. Well done mate, hopefull many more to come.

Well done to Michael & sandi, Scott, Trent and Brian on completion of Advanced Certification. The stick came out a few times but you all got there...  :o)

Congratulations to Naomi & Pascal who have started their engagement by coming out with us. We hope you have the best of luck in your future endeavours and adventures, and wish you much happiness in your future together.

We farewelled many happy people leaving the boat with smiles on their faces, and some good new friends.

View Gallery

Mon 29th March 2010 - Thu 1st April 2010 - (20) images

We had a lovely bunch from all corners of the Earth join us on this trip. Germany and America dominating, with Scotland outweighing the other guests from the UK, and a lot of European influence too. A few Aussies to represent the home team. Very high energy and enthusiastic! Even on a boat swinging like the sixties...

Through the gloom at Caves on Norman Reef, a turtle came to enquire. Next day started with a ripping drift dive at Dynamite Pass. Sharks Everywhere! Still on the early hunt. Cod Hole was in fine form, and all the boys turned up for an action packed feed. Challenger Bay was teeming with life, but as we prepared for our night dive, a storm blew in and told us it was time to go in for dinner.

Still in the storm the next morning when we got up. 2 great dives at Pixie Pinnacle, despite sideways rain, and the sea snakes paid a visit at the Two Towers and Rods Rock with a huge green turtle to see the divers off after a last lazy dive.

Congratulations to Shaun, Annabel, Richard and Andrew on completing Advanced Certification. Well done guys, never stop learning.

All in all, a great trip with a lot of happy remarks.  Even the Sun broke through for a quick hike on Lizard Island. Thanks everyone for a fantastic trip.

View Gallery

Thu 25th March 2010 - Mon 29th March 2010 - (20) images

The Weather was not very cooperative for our international mix of scuba divers - 20+ knots and what seemed like a constant downpour of rain stuck around the entire trip!
Despite the ‘Sporty' weather we braved the Osprey crossing and were rewarded with 60-70 very hungry sharks at the North horn feed area. It was claimed by some (shall remain nameless!) that a big Hammerhead was cruising through the area, checking out the divers. However the unnamed could not produce the proof. Don't worry I believe you Randy! Turtles came to play at secret caves and a new site was dived for the first time ever- Experiment ‘X'.

A big Happy Birthday to Pascal and a sad good bye to our Hostess Reesa doing her last trip ever on the Spirit of Freedom.

Thanx for a Great Trip Guys!!

View Gallery

Mon 22nd March 2010 - Thu 25th March 2010 - (20) images

This trip saw 14 Brave Sailors conquer the wind and rain from Cairns to Lizard Island.
Despite the 30 knot winds whipping up the surface conditions the visibility
was still very good and some great dives were had!
Light house bommie showed off some big grey sharks some curious sea snakes
and our very friendly green turtle. It was drier in the water than out for
most of the trip and that was definitely the place to be! The Cod Hole and
pixie pinnacle also proved very popular.

Congrats to Matthew great work on the advanced courses!!

Cheers Guys - hope to see you again (in finer weather...)

View Gallery

Thu 18th March 2010 - Mon 22nd March 2010 - (20) images

Our 21 guests from the Northern Hemisphere certainly dominated this trip.  The only people on board from the Southern part of the planet were the crew! Rockin' and rollin' day after day in the high seas. Bless them for staying out the week braving the elements. Why didn't I bring a surfboard? Life on a boat...

Happy Birthday to Ilse. Thank you for spending it on board with us.

Congratulations to Andreas R, and Manuella for completing their 100th dives on board. One diving milestone down, and hopefully many more to come.

Well done to Maryline on achieving an Enriched Air Nitrox Certification. There is plenty more learning and adventures to be had out there, we hope to see you through some of them.

The high winds were exhausting even the sea birds, so for the first animal encounter, we just head onto the sun deck to visit our weary stow-aways. Many critters came to visit us through the murkiness including white tip reef sharks, grey whalers and a leopard shark. The resident turtle at lighthouse bommie made an appearance, along with the longnose hawkfish. Shrimp gobies and garden eels abound at Princess Palace, and a school of fusiliers put on a show as they evaded a pair of hungry trevally at Wonder Wall. And lets not forget the nudibranchs getting frisky...

View Gallery

Mon 15th March 2010 - Thu 18th March 2010 - (20) images

This trip saw a full boat of lovely passengers dominating from the north. Many couples from the US bolstered out by London, Holland and a charter from Austria! A couple from brazil to mix it up and represent the southern Hemisphere. Bless the guys for getting into the water. Cyclone Ului isn't going to stop us from diving! Spirit of Freedom bust a groove all night and all day, Rockin' and Rollin' to the rhythm of the ocean. And despite a few felling unwell, everyone found their feet and got into the swing of things well.

We started the trip at Norman Reef with a double at Caves. Through the soup... Turtle. Another turtle. Shark!
Big day next day, the crew working in top gear the whole day tying up at the dive site and with people in the water. Drifting through the Cod Hole saw some of our big friends too, and our Cod Feed, despite the surge and current, had one of our friends try to eat a divers mask. Lots of people were getting kissed and tickled by him. The Night dive at Challenger Bay brought out many interesting animals. Cuttle Fish, Sharks, Trevally hunting in the spotlight, and a Moray Eel with a bit of battle damage to his head.
Our last day of the trip wash still a washing machine, and about to go into spin cycle! But that didn't stop us from getting in the water. Pixie Pinnacle revealed Pipefish, Lion Fish, Nudibranchs and a Grey Whaler Shark. The crew were still running hot keeping the boat tied up, but all was calm on the bottom. A last dive, cruise around the Cathedrals, and see all the interesting Coral formationsand plenty of Bait Fish

Purple Hearts to all the crew for pushing on despite being cut, battered and bruised incessantly. Above and beyond in all respects. Well done guys!

View Gallery

Thu 11th March 2010 - Mon 15th March 2010 - (20) images

Our 23 guests joining us on this trip braved rather rough weather conditions - quite a contrast for our guests staying on from the Cod Hole -  it was a nice change from the boring mirror flat, windless conditions of the first 3 days?!?  Unfortunately due to the forces of Mother Nature, Osprey was of the question however we made up for it with some great dives scattered thru the ribbons.
It took until the last dives for Dave and Andrea to find their much sought after turtle. Helen and Nigel never found their leafy scorpion fish. {no help from me!} ‘B', Marc and Rob all passed Dayna's rigorous standards to complete their nitrox course on board and the lovely Miranda celebrated her 23rd birthday aswell!  Thanks to all for joining Spirit of Freedom.

View Gallery

Mon 8th March 2010 - Thu 11th March 2010 - (20) images

Great Barrier Reef = Total glass out! With the exception of wednesday morning our lovely Cod Hole guests were treated to a rare sight. The Ribbon Reefs were a total mirror! With 30m + vis! Millpond conditions!  Manta rays showed up on a couple of dives as did some curious Eagle Rays.  The highlight however, for a few lucky divers was a large Bull Shark sniffing around at the Snake Pit! With snakes, Giant Turtles and Rays it's no surprise that Snake Pit was voted favourite dive, closely followed by Pixie Wall, Cod Hole and Lighthouse Bommie. Congratulations to our honeymoon couple John and Heather. Our birthday girl, Stacey and our newly certified advance scuba diver Yinchieh!! Thanks for a fantastic trip guys, I wish the weather was always like this!

View Gallery

Thu 4th March 2010 - Mon 8th March 2010 - (20) images

We welcomed aboard another 16 Guests with 6 carried over from the previous Cod Hole trip, and representatives for Team America with people from all the points of the States. Also representing were members for Germany, Switzerland and Ukraine. All very interesting and fun people!

Getting to it with a spiralling ascent on the Lighthouse Bommie. Hawkfish, pipe fish, lion fish, a school of blue lined snapper you could get lost in. An array of Nudibranchs down the bottom near a sleeping sea snake, and a turtle! What a way to start the trip!
At Osprey we stepped up to more military stile operations with all the guests unhindered in their ability to perform both tender and live drops. Starting at Admiralty the corals were teeming with life and the huge fans made for great photo opportunities surrounded by pyramid butterfly fish in the depths. One of the big guys (silver tip shark) was spotted at many of the dive sites including the night dive at a new bommie! Despite the unfavourable wind, we conducted 2 dives at North Horn, second being a shark feed led by Lara. A thrilling ride! Behind the scenes out silver tip friend was looking over Jesse's shoulder.
As a bonus for this trip;  we were able to head to Bouganville for the last day. Spectacular dives. Stunning coral formations, teeming with fish life. All the big guys were floating in the deep, and the last dive at Corner Shop in a raging current blew everyone away! Almost...

View Gallery

Mon 1st March 2010 - Thu 4th March 2010 - (20) images

This week we welcomed 16 Guests from different countries and diving background and experience. Europe, North and South America, Asia, a British representative snorkeller, and of course a few Aussies including the 3 Kings. Even with the high winds spirits were high, and everyone enjoyed the great dive sites we visited.

After shaking the rust off with a leisurely dive in the coral gardens of The Wild Side of Hastings Reef, we moved up to the top end of the Ribbon Reefs for some Top Shelf Diving. Pixie Pinnacle and Vertical gardens were aglow with damsels and anthias. Mackerel on the hunt for breakfast put on a spectacular display. Giant cuttle hung around at The Crack and a curious chevron barracuda got into a few photo's and a few faces. Lara was ecstatic to see an eagle ray doing flips on the surface.
We headed up to Day Reef for the last day of diving. Some of the lesser seen sites. The sharks bedroom over the back of Daydream Bommie was a hit, along with the stone fish the size of a dog! Everyone enjoyed getting lost in the rainforest-like algae formations off the bommies at the Labyrinth, with only 4 divers successfully completing the Navigation Challenge and returning to the boat.
All of our friends turned up to see the divers at the Cod Feed for the last dive of the trip at the Cod Hole. Many of the divers got a kiss or a slap from the cod as they chased the food and each other throughout the dive. Hats off to Shaun for almost buddy breathing with a cod after it latched on to his regulator!

View Gallery

Mon 22nd February 2010 - Mon 1st March 2010 - (20) images

Almost a full boat 7 day charter, our 3 guests who weren't part of the charter fitted in great as the charter group from Any Water Dive Shop in the USA were very friendly, easy to get along with and great fun! 2x wedding aniversaries and three birthdays to celebrate! Congratulations guys!!!
Our guests were all fantastic divers, and this coupled with the awesome weather conditions enabled us to spend an extra day out at Osprey and then to Bouganville Reef! A Whale shark was spotted and photographed at Around the Bend. Yes that's right I said whale shark! I still cant believe it either! 2 shark feeds brought some silver tips in but without a doubt the whale shark wins! We were also fortunate to have a huge pod of dolphins join us at ribbon 3!

View Gallery

Thu 18th February 2010 - Mon 22nd February 2010 - (20) images

This trip we had 22 guests on board from all around the globe. Europe, Britain, Canada, north and South America, Asia and of course a few Aussies. There was plenty of enthusiasm from them and all had a great time getting to know each other and the crew. Everyone was fantastic and made the trip extremely enjoyable. Starting the trip with a Cod Feed at the famous Cod Hole was a great way to get everyone in the mood for some good dives.

2nd day at Osprey was amazing with pristine visibility and low currents, the corals were teeming with life and sightings of rays and sharks were prolific. A loggerhead turtle was seen on the night dive and swooped the divers on a safety stop.

On the 3rd after an exploration of North horn, an action packed Shark Feed ensued. The White Tips and Grey Reef Sharks paused their frenzy temporarily at the arrival of a silvertip, who's attention was directed at instructor Loz, before departing with a gentlemanly brevity. The footage was amazing! The attention at dinner was averted whilst passing a mainland log floating by with a troupe of Boobie Birds aboard.

Day 4 had a definite highlight of Steve's Bommie. Homage was paid,and rewarded with pipe fish, mantis shrimp, and a moray eel with a head like a football. The schooling anthias, damsels and trevally were overshadowed by a few Baraccuda. And the interest in the anemone city on top was overshadowed by the stone fish and nudibranch eggs.

Our divers were farewelled by a spectacular display from a pod of spinner dolphins with a few curious young.

View Gallery

Mon 15th February 2010 - Thu 18th February 2010 - (20) images

We had an international mix of guests from South and North America, Europe, Britain, and always a few Aussies. All levels of diving experience, and all keen for good diving.

On our second dive we saw a shark, 2 turtles, and a mantis shrimp. Snake Pit had Manta rays, Eagle rays and a Silver Tip shark cruise through. An amazing amount of marine life was present this trip, and the best visibility and conditions seen at most of the sites.

The diving has been incredible with crystal clear visibility and a plethora of marine life at each of the sites. We had many new divers having new experiences, and a few seasoned divers continuing their exploration. Congratulations to Christine for completing her 100th dive aboard Spirit Of Fredom and a big thanks to all who joined us - we hope to see you again!

View Gallery