September Dive trip to Australia: Advice & recommendations appreciated!

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Hi there. I live and work in Cairns as a dive instructor (since 1991) and have experience with most of the trips there. Also I run a small web booking site that offers discount on the trips there for divers from these forums. If you want discount, then I can offer 5%.
SOF is definitely the best boat currently running to the Ribbon Reefs. Mike Ball is great too, but I think SOF has better boat.
As for Taka you are not really roughing it. SOF is bit more expensive because you fly one leg of the trip. Taka you will sail up and back.
September is a great month to go, but getting busty. Definitely try to do the Coral Sea a well as the Cod Hole trip as the shark feed and viz are superb. But as mentioned above you do get what you pay for.
Personally I would go SOF then Taka. Same dive sites, just bit more classy with the flying one way!!
Feel free to get in touch if you need more personal unbiased advice, and check out the link below for a bit of discount!!

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Discount dive travel to the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea - live aboard and day trips.

Cairns Discount Scuba Diving Trips - Great Barrier Reef

 

[marinediva]

If you have time you should check out some of the diving south of Sydney.
Recently I moved here from PNG and Port Douglas and am truly amazed at the extent of diverse marine life. Nothing like the Barrier Reef as it is cold water diving, but has seals, sea dragons, spiders and other assorted all with great vis.

Humpbacks are not uncommon here as well and during that time will be heading back from the northern waters.
Jervis bay area certainly has a lot to offer the international diver.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Good advice Marinediva and reminded me of Merimbula on south NSW. Merimbula Dive Lodge caters for divers and had some of the best diving. Wrecks, seals, shore and boat dives. I grew up in Victoria and south coast (bloody cold!), but Piers have sea dragons, sea horses, seals sigh...
Love the GBR but do miss the variety of the southern states.

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Discount dive travel to the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea - live aboard and day trips.

Cairns Discount Scuba Diving Trips - Great Barrier Reef

 

[tyguypb]

ok... well since this thread is pretty similar to what i was going to post maybe you helpful people can answer a small dilemma i have. i am wondering how the diving is on the "outer barrier Reef" i am not sure exactly what my schedule is while i am in Australia but its either a dive on the Scuba Pro on the outer reef or there are open spaces on the Spirit of Freedom with a trip out to ribbon reef and cod hole for a 3night 4 day. Is the extra night and the diving/facilities of the SOF worth the extra 500 dollars? i suppose this is a decision i obviously must ultimately decide for myself but any helpful advice would no hurt. thanks oh and i will be there from sept 11th to sept 21st. thanks

 

[MA]

tyguypb. I have done both, and all i can say is it would be worth an extra $1000 to head out to ribbon reef and codhole. colour on the outerreef is really lacking as is viz. and as a bonus, the boat is way better, and i think you'll get a reef flight in. So no,you won't regret it the extra cost!

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Have to agree with MA here. Assuming you are going out of Cairns, I solidly recommend Ocean Quest for a 3 day or 2 day trip if you want the "Outer Reef" as a close to coast line trip BUt....
.
If you can go a little bit more upmarket and have the time - Spirit of Freedom, Taka and Mike Ball are the best 3 that run to the Ribbon Reefs (best of the Barrier Reef and includes the Cod Hole) and Coral Sea.
Personally I agree with MA again and recommend SOF. Beautiful dives, boat and experience.

Check out the link below if you need a bit more info and feelfree to drop me a line if you ant any unbiased advice. I live and work out of Cairns.

Kev

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Discount dive travel to the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea - live aboard and day trips.

Cairns Discount Scuba Diving Trips - Great Barrier Reef

 

[Under-Exposed]

ok... well since this thread is pretty similar to what i was going to post maybe you helpful people can answer a small dilemma i have. i am wondering how the diving is on the "outer barrier Reef" i am not sure exactly what my schedule is while i am in Australia but its either a dive on the Scuba Pro on the outer reef or there are open spaces on the Spirit of Freedom with a trip out to ribbon reef and cod hole for a 3night 4 day. Is the extra night and the diving/facilities of the SOF worth the extra 500 dollars? i suppose this is a decision i obviously must ultimately decide for myself but any helpful advice would no hurt. thanks oh and i will be there from sept 11th to sept 21st. thanks

I did Spoilsport in July and it is definitely worth it to head to the Ribbon Reefs/Cod Hole and across to Osprey.

 

[AussieLass]

I am booked on SOF 4day/4night the last week in Sept.
Cant wait for it....the only worry I have is the weight restriction on luggage.
My dive gear + camera weighs 17.5kg + and thats without wetsuit.
The limit is 20kgs due to the light plane flight to Lizard Island.
I guess I will be limited to a toothbrush and a few pairs of cozzies....but who cares !!!
GBR here I come. Woo hoo !!

 

[tyguypb]

Alas, i am but a budgeting college student who has no income for the next 4 months since i am studying abroad in Fiji so contrary to my desires, but congruent with my better judgment i am going for the ScubaPro since it is cheaper. thanks for the advice and for making me regret my final decision!! haha only kidding about that last part. thanks for the good word though maybe i will have to return another time to further explore the GBR, (hopefully before all the coral dies)
-Tyler S.

 

[clofty]

We couldn't get on Mike Ball or SOF for our trip and just came back from a 3 day liveaboard with Scuba Pro on Scuba Pro III.

You won't regret it, despite the fact the reefs aren't as good, you'll have a great time, just like we did. It was great value for money. You will have a great time and great diving. Yes, a couple of dives lacked viz - less than 20 metres (60') gee, is that bad viz! - not where I've dived lately. First site doesn't have great magnificent coral but we did see coral and turtles and sharks and stacks of parrot fish and tonnes of other fish and reef life that I can't even begin to list..... hundreds of species of fish. Our last site (Coral Gardens) was great and had beautiful coral and tonnes to see. Let's face it compared to the Carribean, or Mexico, or Florida, it's the Great Barrier Reef even if it's a bit tired, it's still better than these alternatives.

PS. Food was plentiful, staff great, gear great, accom. great.