Spirit of Freedom - TRIP Gallery

Thu 20th January 2011 - Mon 24th January 2011

The first dives of our 4-day trip were at Ribbon Reef # 10 at a site called Cathedrals. There was plenty to see on these dives including schools of rainbow runner, a common lionfish, a minor notodoris, a couple of inquisitive black tip reef sharks, trumpet fish and a small school of blue lined snapper.

Throughout day 2 we dived 4 different sites along Ribbon # 10. We manged to dive some sites that were hardly dived and it showed with such a great diversity of healthy soft and hard corals. Some of the many marine species spotted during the dives included, a spotted unicorn fish, a dwarf lionfish, barracuda, 3 humungous queensland groupers, 1 white and silver tip reef shark, 2 painted crayfish, a large school of giant trevally, pristine coral coverage, clown triggerfish, schools of anthias, 5 or so curious blacktip reef sharks and a silvertip charging through a bait ball. We also saw turtles, red bass, toby fish and a few stingrays. The day was action packed with many awesome dives.

After a good nights sleep, day 3 had arrived and it was time to dive. Diiiivvvvve Time! The day brought us epic diving along the Ribbon Reefs. We saw a moray eel, barracuda, spectacular reef walls full of fans, whips and the coral was just stunning. We also witnessed parrotfish, butterfly fish, surgeonfish, yellow tail fusilier and even coral polyps having some breakfast. Great start to our day. We also spotted throughout the day a starry puffer, a coronation grouper, a school of giant trevally, dash- dot goatfish, threadfin butterfly fish, stripped surgeonfish, vlaming's unicornfish, moorish idols and a face fox. There was also an adult and juvenile freckled porcupinefish that I watched for ages. The adult kept going into his home and the juvenile would follow then the adult would chase him back out, this happened more then 10 times, highly amusing!

For nudibranch lover's day 3 had a few photo opportunities with sighting of a black protaeolidiella, a black- margined glossodoris, a heron ardeadoris, aphyllidiella pustulosa and a minor notodoris. Good luck trying to pronounce them, luckily they are easier on the eyes then they are on the mouth. To finish off the day we sighted a tawny nurse shark, common lionfish and a unique sea cucumber that burries itself in the sand with its tentacles exposed. It uses its tentacles to pass food to its mouth. Was a sight to see.

Day 4 had arrived on us all to soon. To finish off a great trip of diving we saw stonefish, dolphins, reef sharks, nudibranchas, and surgeonfish. The trip brought us many different species of marine organisms and the divers were seeing something new on every dive. Every night we would get together, open up the marine books and discuss all the interesting things we saw. It's amazing how many organisms call the Ribbon Reefs home. I had a great trip.

Keep diving and see you under the water sometime,
Signing off, 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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