Cod Hole and Coral Sea (Osprey Reef)
5 Days/4 Nights (4 Full Days Diving)
TAKA, being purpose built for these waters will offer you the best expedition possible to 'Osprey Reef' in the Coral Sea, "The Cod Hole" and the Northern Great Barrier Reef. Osprey reef in the Coral Sea is one of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. Offering a diverse range of shark life all year round and pristine soft corals unlike anything you have ever seen before.
On our shark feed dive, you are more than likely to see anywhere from 10 to 70 sharks at a time. Bob Halstead who was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame recently said "I'm thinking this is one of the best shark dives I have done in 41 years". You will also experience the magic of diving with the 'Giant Potato Cod' at the Cod Hole and visit some truly amazing sites up and down the Ribbon Reefs, located within the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
You will depart Cairns on the Friday evening, with a leisurely cruise overnight, to wake up at the fantastic 'Cod Hole'. From there you will experience four full days of diving with a minimum of 14 dives over the trip. On this trip we regularly encounter huge schools of pelagic fish, Manta Rays, Giant Australian Cuttlefish, Loggerhead and Green Turtles, Moray Eels, Red Flame File Shell, Lionfish, various Nudibranchs as well as the magnificent Giant Potato Cod.
Friday
The first evening we travel overnight 150km to the Cod Hole. During this time passengers organize their dive gear or hire gear. We also have a brief period of introduction followed by paperwork and a briefing on the schedule for the next day. Dinner is served at approx 7:30pm with the rest of the evening for relaxation.
Saturday:
7:30am - Breakfast
8:30am, arrive at the Cod Hole, dive briefing.
Dive 1
Familiarization with the Cod Hole.
Check out dive for those who have done less than 50 dives or have not dived in the past year.
Likely Sightings include Giant Potato Cod, Moray Eel, Reef Sharks & Maori Wrasse.
Dive 2
Cod Feed at the Cod Hole -
Close encounters with the Famous Potato Cod!
Lunch
Dive 3
Pixie’s Pinacle/Reef/Wall or Challenger Bay -
Likely Sightings include Lion Fish, Nudibranchs, Garden Eels & Barracuda.
Afternoon rest & snack.
Dive 4
6:30pm Night Dive at Challenger Bay -
Likely Sightings include Cuttle Fish, Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks & Manta Rays.
8:00pm Evening Meal
Sunday:
7:00am Breakfast
7:30am Arrive at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.
Dive 5
8:30am North Horn. Wall Dive with drop-offs to 100m.
There is a fantastic variety of sharks swimming off the wall- such as Gray Whalers, White Tip & Black Tips, Hammerheads, A Giant Potato Cod and the occasional Bull Shark.
Dive 6
An amazing shark feed on this dive!
10:30am North Horn SHARK FEED.
Divers observe this amazing spectacle from 15m sitting on dead coral palettes. The SHARK FEED can last anywhere from 5min to 30min depending on how many and how hungry the sharks are. Once the feed is completed and the instructors gives the ‘all clear', the divers can leave the wall and continue the dive.
Lunch
Dive 7
1:30pm Half Way Wall.
Sightings include interesting coral formations, Feather Stars and Green Sea Turtles.
Dive 8
4:00pm The Entrance.
Sightings include Puffer Fish & Clown Fish.
Evening Meal
8:00pm Depart Osprey Reef and head back to the Great Barrier Reef.
Monday
7:00am Breakfast
Dive Briefing
Dive 9
7:30am Clam Gardens.
Likely Sightings include Giant Clams (150-200 y/o)
10:00am Steve’s Bommie. Likely Sightings include Red flame File Shell, Stone Fish, Wobbegong Sharks, Turtles & Thousands of schooling Anthias.
Snack
Dive 11
12:00/1:00pm Temple Of Doom.
Sightings include Flatworms & Clownfish.
Lunch followed by afternoon rest.
Dive 12
6:30pm Beer Gardens.
Sightings include Sleepy Turtles & Parrot Fish.
8:00pm Evening Meal
Tuesday:
Dive Briefing
Dive 13
6:30am Hogs Breath.
Sightings include Angelfish & Clown Fish.
7:30am Breakfast
Dive 14
8:30am Split Bommie.
Sightings include Octopus & various Butterfly Fish.
As we sail back to Cairns, passengers have plenty of time to rest and relax in between snacks and lunch.
Taka then arrives back to Trinity Wharf in Cairns at 3:00pm.
Complimentary transfers to local accommodation between 3:00pm and 4:00pm.
