RECENT TRIP GALLERIES ON SPIRIT OF FREEDOM
Re-live your experience and share it with friends at home by visiting our trip gallery. The trip gallery is a snapshot of hundreds of photos taken on board each week. If you would like to purchase your complete Trip CD from a recent trip, please contact us at guestservices@spiritoffreedom.com.au.
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...
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!
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!
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.
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!
