Advice on Oz Liveaboard

[LPR]

We are leaving for a trip to Oz in Apr/May 2004... so excited! I've read all the posts on Oz liveaboards so I've got the important points (reserve from Oz, etc.). I've narrowed down the liveaboards to 3 and wanted to ask a couple of questions.

Diversity (4 ni) - Coral Sea (max 12 passengers)

Nimrod Explorer (4 ni) - Cooktown, Coral Sea, Ribbon Reef (max 18 divers)

Spirit of Freedom (4 ni) - Coral Sea (max 28 passengers)

1) Any details on the ones above?
2) How's the food?
3) Rent or bring eqpt? Coming from US, lugging eqpt doesn't appeal to me. I've heard eqpt is cheaper over there... so maybe buy some new stuff?
4) Do any of these LAs offer AOW Cert?

Appreciate any details you can give me!

Lorie

 

[cdiver2]

Just got back from Diversety see post PNG/coral sea/GBR

 

[LPR]

I guess I'm surprised by your post that with so few divers that it wouldn't have been a little more leisurely! The only thing that should take you away from such interesting sites should be low air.

 

[cdiver2]

Its keep up with the DM and group and go back to the boat with the group its that simple

 

[caymaniac]

The first two days on Diversity, I would say that you had to follow the guide, the second two days, we took our time. Even with following the guide, our dives were an hour or more. They didn't seem to keep track of my wife and I especially because I stopped to take pictures.
Then again, we had only 6 divers with the 5 crew, it wasn't full like on CD's trip.
Thinking back, I think the night dives were really great, we seen alot of feather stars, flashlight fish, hunting white tips, even the Goliath Groupers.
If I would do it over, I'd go for the 7 day,maybe the Sea Hunter.
From your choices, I think that any of them would be great. The advantage to the Diversity would be less divers, and a cat instead of monohull. If you are going to go, just make sure you get to the Coral Sea as well as the Ribbons.

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[Craigus]

Hi, LPR:

We were on the Nimrod Explorer last year and can't say enough great things about our experience .... the diving ... the boat ... the crew. It was just an all-around superb experience, and we'd do it again at the drop of a hat.

The food was great .. good variety, well prepared, yummy and plentiful. We took our own gear. We usually did 4 to 5 dives a day and just felt it was worth it to have our own gear. You can rent whatever you want on the boat, tho. We didn't take a course, but there was an instructor aboard and I'm sure AOW would not be a problem.

Check out our pic's here: http://www.survivalcreek.com/scuba/barreef.htm

Open deck diving just made the trip for us as we're photographers and always feel we're holding a group back. The dive guides are extremely accomodating, tho, and will guide you as often as you like.

You've made a great choice to dive the GBR (d'uh!!) ... have a super time!!!

Let's get wet! :tree: :tree: :tree:
Eric.

 

[h3o]

I've heard great things about Nimrod and Diversity, however I can't say much about them as I have only dove with Spirit of Freedom. As far as having a guide, there is none, they just tell you where everything is at during the briefing and you go dive in your buddy teams. There is no time limit either, you come back when your air is low or whenever you want. I would much rather have it that way anyway, more freedom to take it fast or slow. Sometimes I like to take my time and stay in one area to try and get the best shot of a school of fish or whatever, and sometimes I like to propell fast over the reef with the current... SOF allowed all of that, they were not strict at all.

About the food, it was pretty good... light breakfast, followed by first dive, then the "real" breakfast, then was lunch, mid-day snack, and dinner. I remember their being oysters, mussels, fish, stuffed chicken, turkey, salad, breads, eggs, fruit, etc. Every dinner also started with a complimentary glass of wine.

As for the equipment, I would definitely leave it behind. Rent it from Pro-Dive (dive shop in Cairns central) instead, they will offer it to you for $50 AUD (if you look iffy about the first price they give you)for the 4 day trip (includes light and computer too). It is much more expensive if you get it on the boat with SOF. Their equipment was brand new at the time too (June 2003). SOF will also pick you and your gear up at Pro-Dive so you don't have to worry about carrying all the stuff to the dock.

As for AOW, quite a few people were doing it on board for around $90 USD.

Have a great trip! I plan on diving with SOF again in June of 2004, this time up to the Coral Sea.

 

[Booges]

My husband and I were new divers last year when we went to Australia. We dove with the Nimrod Explorer and had an absolutely perfect time. We have done a great deal of diving since and no one has even come close to being as wonderful as the Nimrod. The crew was very knowledgeable, they truly cared about the ocean and the creatures and went as far as to have evening presentations to educate their divers. The food was great. The crew was friendly and fun. There were two dive masters aboard and both were great about showing us things we would have missed. They were also great about giving us advice since we were new to diving. The crew also made sure we were safe and that we were not damaging the reef.

I don't know about the other operators but I would certainly say that you would not be dissapointed on the Nimrod. My only dissapointment was that I didn't stay on the boat long enough! They weren't full on the south bound trip and offered us 1/2 price to sail with them. We had plans already so we didn't but that was a major mistake!

 

[LPR]

Thanks to you all for the great detail.... if you have more, keep it comin'!

Lorie

 

[Booges]

We rented all of our gear on the Nimrod and it was all in very good condition. The wetsuits were probably in the worst shape and if you are used to a nice computer, you won't be impressed with what they have. My husband and I own all of our own equipment now but I wouldn't hesitate to rent from the Nimrod again. If you were concerned with the wetsuit, that is a relatively small item to pack! Anyway, have fun in Australia. I want to go back so bad!!