Spirit of Freedom - TRIP Gallery

Mon 25th April 2011 - Thu 28th April 2011

We started the trip off with 2 dives at Norman Reef on a site called Clipper's Mooring. It was an easy dive to start the trip with plenty to see. A few highlights throughout the dives included seeing a white tip reef shark destroy a small fish, a flamboyant cuttlefish and some huge giant trevally hunting bait fish. After a fantastic 2 dives it was time for dinner followed by an overnight steam to Ribbon Reef number 10, some 120 nautical miles away.

After a great night's sleep it was time to begin an adventurous day of diving. During the day we saw a plethora of spectacular marine life. We managed to find a lacey scorpion fish and a small octopus camouflaged into a reef crevice. A few bump headed parrot fish were seen munching on the coral, along with a large titan triggerfish sifting in the sand.

The cod feed was unreal, with 6 cod turning up for the occasion. These guys must have been hungry, displaying aggressive behaviour towards one another to mark their territory. There was definitely a hierarchy between the group, with the elders getting to eat before the younger. We got up close and personnel with these magnificent animals and got some awesome photos.

Other interesting marine life sighted through out the day included, sea snakes, turtles, harlequin sweet lip, filefish, a few bi valve- mollusc, pipe fish, burrowing clams and sharks. The night dive had to be one of my favourite dives of the day. You know when you have one of those dives that is very tranquil and you seem to see one interesting thing after another, this was that dive. We saw a large pleurobranch, a free swimming moray eel being harassed by red bass, white tip reef sharks hunting, giant trevally and red bass hunting in our torch light, large a coral crab, coral polyps feeding, tons of shrimp and much more. After a great days diving it was time to relax and wait for the next exciting day to come.

The last day of diving brought us many unique creatures. We saw schools of colourful anthias, more potato cod, a file flame shell, a large grey whaler shark, a few lionfish, stacks of nudibranchs (one of which we had never spotted before), turtles and many cleaning stations where fish come to get cleaned. We had a couple of drift dives along walls filled with healthy hard and soft coral. The giant gorgonian fans mad for some great pictures. It was a terrific day of diving. After such an epic few days it was time to relax in true Australian style with a good old BBQ, a few drinks and great conversation.

Congratulations to Andrew, Anne- Carole and Antoine for completing your Nitrox course
Well done to Patrick, Kelli and Warner for completing your Advanced Diver course.

Cheers for coming aboard Spirit of Freedom,
Catch up with you under the water sometime. Chris Haslam (Trip Director)

Phone :	+61 (0) 7 4047 9150
Fax :	+61 (0) 7 4047 9110
Email :
PO Box 1276, Cairns QLD 4870 Australia

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Spirit of Freedom - TRIP Gallery

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