Robert Becker
I’ve just returned from a marvelous 14 day exploratory expedition to the far northern Great Barrier Reef on a wonderful boat; The Spirit of Freedom. We sailed north from Cairns, just a small group of divers and support staff, and dived our way through the remote passes and reefs and channels all the way up the Queensland coast past the tip of Cape York to Ashmore Reef and back again.
It was a spectacular undertaking and we got to dive reefs that have simply put: never been dived before. These are beautiful waters far from any land where sea life is abundant and unafraid of visitors. To be sure, there is some reef damage due to storms, bleaching, and the simple fact that the ocean goes through warming cycles. But there is also a lot of evidence that the ocean renews itself; habitats return to some balance, and we were treated to some truly spectacular diving.
Imagine limitless stands of staghorn coral, giant table corals, healthy fish stocks, plentiful sharks, a kaleidoscope of tropical fish and creatures as far as the eye can see. The journey was so unique and so successful that our story made the front page of the Cairns Post the morning after our return.
To be sure, we had a top-notch crew aboard, and the service was truly outstanding. The Spirit of Freedom crew were as attentive to the changing needs and whims of their guests on the 14th day of the voyage as they were on the 1st. It is truly a pleasure to work with partners like these people who bring some of the best diving in the world within easy reach.
Australia is only one of the many destinations we offer really unique and beautiful diving and adventuring in. Our calendar this year has divers headed for the Cayman Islands, the far islands of Indonesia, to the fabled Phoenix Islands Protected Area in the Republic of Kiribati, and to other out of the way destinations where the diving is first rate, where the locals welcome our clients and friends with open arms and the best diving in the world.
You too, can share in these often one of a kind experiences. Drop us an email and let us know what your diving fantasy is. Chances are, its not as out of reach as you think. Nothing makes us happier than putting divers into beautiful waters.