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 Cairns:
Liveaboard Trips (Overnight)
Nimrod Explorer, Nimrod - Itinerary 6
8 days/7 nights departs Saturday
Saturday 21st - 28th October 2006
Saturday 13th - 20th October
2007
Saturday 18th - 25th October 2008
Departs Saturday
from Cairns, disembarks Saturday in Cairns
Cairns to Lockhart River, 8 days/7 nights – up to 27 dives.
 The
section of the Great Barrier Reef north of Lizard Island, just off
Australia’s Queensland coast, offers an unparalleled opportunity
to explore a remote area visited only very infrequently by divers.
This special itinerary offers the best of
the sites that we have found on previous expeditions, as well as
the chance to experience reefs never before visited by divers!
Hammerhead, silver tip and grey reef sharks
are often seen at Tijou, as well as huge schools of jacks and barracuda.
Big animal fans won’t be disappointed! Reef environment lovers
will be astounded at the diversity and colour of the easily accessible,
pristine coral reefs in shallow water.
Though we are normally able to do four to
five dives daily (including night dives), the remoteness of the
area means that weather and tidal considerations sometimes unexpectedly
and adversely affect certain sites. The following itinerary is an
example only, and can and will change during the course of the trip.
Click
here for Schedule (departure dates)
Click here
for itinerary
see also:
- 8Days/7Nights
- itinerary 8
Southbound Far Northern Exploratory Tour
Lockhart River to Cooktown or Lizard Island, 8 days/7 nights -
approx. 27 dives
| 8 Day / 7
Night Liveaboard with Nimrod Cairns - Itinerary 6 |
| Inclusions |
| Prices |
- from AUD$2345
see full price list below
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| Commences |
- Saturday 21st October 2006
- Saturday 13th October 2007
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| Requirements |
- All divers must be certified by an internationally
recognised accrediting organisation.
- All divers must have logged at least one dive within
the 12 months prior to boarding the vessel, or participate
in a refresher course prior to boarding.
- Special flying
after diving rules apply
- Travel insurance is highly recommended.
- Soft luggage is recommended as it takes up very
little space when empty. Due to weight restrictions
on the low-level air flight, please limit the weight
of the loaded luggage you will be taking aboard the
boat to 20 kg/44 lbs; overweight baggage may
be assessed an additional charge.
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| Cancellation Policy |
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30% deposit to secure booking
Full payment 30 days before departure
- 90 days + - 10%
- 89-60 days - 20%
- 59-30 days - 30%
- less then 30 days - 100%
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- Opportunity for 27 dives, including up to 6 night dives
- 6 diving days
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Low-level scenic flight from Cairns and Cooktown.
- Sheets, towels and linen
- Three meals daily, plus snacks
- 4 to 5 dives per full day
- Use of tanks, weights, weight belts
- Transfers back to Cairns accommodation at conclusion of
trip
- Australian Government Tax (GST - 10%)
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| Not Included |
- Rental, instruction, or retail charges
- Alcoholic beverages
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
- Environmental Management Charge
- Crew gratuities
- Transportation to Cairns office on departure date
- Flight from Lockhart River to Cairns. Approximately
AUD$220 to be confirmed 6 months prior to departure
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| Extras (to pay direct) |
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These include;
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Prices
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Room Type
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Bathroom
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Prices
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from 1st Jan 2006
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Double / Twin
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Ensuite
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AUD$3345
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Quad Share
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Ensuite
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AUD$2345
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Gear Rental
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AUD$ 200
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Price valid until 31st Dec 2006
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Gear Rental (payable
on board)
The vessel provides tanks,
weights and weight belts for your use. If you prefer
to rent the rest of your equipment from us, we have all of the equipment
you will need. Otherwise, the following items are the diver's responsibility:
- Certification Card (required to avoid a A$100 checkout fee for
certified divers)
- Diving Log Book
- Mask *
- Snorkel *
- Fins *
- Booties (if you wear them)
- Buoyancy Control Device (required)
*
- Regulator w / alternate air source (required)*
- Submersible pressure and depth gauges (required) *
- Underwater time piece (required)
- Dive Light *
- Dive Computer ( recommended ) *
- Wetsuit *
- Repair kit w/ spare parts
* Available for rent on board
Room types
Click on the image to enlarge (opens in new window):
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Quad Share
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Master Stateroom
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Midship Twin/Double
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Twin Stateroom
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- 1 master stateroom
- 1 twin stateroom
- 1 twin/double midship cabin
- 3 quad-share cabins
All cabins are air conditioned and have
ensuite bathrooms
Itinerary 6
Itinerary #6: Far Northern Exploratory
Tour
Cooktown to Lockhart River
7 Nights / 8 Days – Approximately 27 dives, weather permitting
Day 1 - SATURDAY CAIRNS TO COOKTOWN
- Guests meet at Explorer Ventures’ Cairns office at 1.30pm
- Bus transfer to General Aviation airport for 3.00pm 40-minute
flight to Cooktown
- Free time to tour Cooktown, visit the historic museum and other
points of interest
- Luggage may be kept onboard until boarding time
- Guests board M/V Nimrod Explorer at Cooktown Wharf at 5.00pm
- M/V Nimrod Explorer departs Cooktown around 7:30 pm
- Evening free to relax on board
- Arrive near the first dive site at approx midnight, anchor
overnight
Day 2 - SUNDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including a night or dusk dive
- Orientation dive at Challenger Bay or Pixie
Reef
- 2 dives offered at the Cod Hole, including
a Cod Feed (weather dependant) or Dynamite Pass or the Three Sisters
- Steam overnight to the Far Northern Reefs
Day 3 - MONDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including night or dusk dives
- Dive sites such as Aladdin’s Wall, Floyds
Reef, followed by open deck diving, where you are able to enter
the water as you wish, or simply relax onboard
Day 4 - TUESDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including night or dusk dives
- Dive sites such as Cay 5 and Cay 7; these
sites are important bird and turtle nesting islands, and are protected
areas
- - Open deck diving offered at Tijou Reef
Day 5 - WEDNESDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including night or dusk dives
- Dive sites such as Bligh Boat Entrance, Picasso’s
and The Swimming Pool
Day 6 – THURSDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including night or dusk dives
- Dive sites on the Southern Small Detached Reef,
where you will find sheer walls dropping thousands of feet.
Day 7 – FRIDAY
- 4 to 5 dives
offered today, including night or dusk dives
- Dive sites such as Black Rocks, Lloyds Reef,
Mantis Reef
- After dinner, steam into Portland Roads, arriving
in the early hours of the morning
Day 8 – SATURDAY LOCKHART RIVER TO CAIRNS
- Guests disembark the M/V Nimrod Explorer by
8:30 am at Portland Roads
- Bus transfer to the Lockhart River airstrip
for charter flight to Cairns, departing at 11:00 am
- Arrive at Cairns General Aviation airport
at approximately 1:00 PM
- Bus transfer to inner city accommodation
Click
here for Schedule (departure dates)
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Meals
Aboard the Nimrod Explorer, evening meals usually
consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, pasta, chicken, beef,
pork and fish. Breakfast is the usual fare of eggs, bacon, cereal,
toast. Lunches vary from soup and sandwiches to burgers, pasta,
assorted salads and quiche. All meals are served in the main saloon.
If you have any dietary restrictions or requests, please indicate
so on your application form so that we may provision the vessel
accordingly.
Solo Diving Policy and Courses
Though diving solo isn't for everyone,
diving alone can be done safely by well-trained, experienced and
responsible divers. Scuba Diving International (SDI) recently
has formulated standards by which qualified dive instructors can
offer solo diving courses, and as of March 2004, all of the vessels
in the Explorer fleet will offer SDI solo diving courses on board.
Any solo divers diving off of our
vessels - including staff - must be both properly trained and
equipped. The equipment, training and administrative requirements
are extensive. If you would like to do a solo diving course during
your time with us, or to dive solo, you will need to be aware
prior to your arrival of the SDI requirements which we follow.
Please also recognize that not
all dive sites which we will visit may be conducive to solo diving,
due to weather, current, entry method, Marine Park regulation
or otherwise. There may be occasions where solo diving is not
allowed by the dive staff, based on their local knowledge of conditions
or dive logistics.
Solo Diver Course Requirements
Those wishing to take the SDI solo
diving course on board must meet the following prerequisites:
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Completion of standard liability release, as
well as medical history form
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Minimum Advanced Diver rating
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Minimum 21 years of age
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Minimum 100 logged dives (proof must be presented
to the instructor).
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Ability to complete a 200-meter surface swim
in full scuba gear, without stopping.
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In addition, the diver must be mentally and
physically fit to complete the course.
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Instructors have discretion in determining
whether a candidate qualifies on these points.
The solo diving course consists
of a class session emphasising equipment and planning, as well
as two dives. Each dive must follow the dive plan discussed before
the dive or the student must do an additional certification dive.
During each solo dive, the equipment requires specified below
must be met.
Requirements - Certified
Solo Divers
Divers wishing to dive solo, who
have previously been certified to do so, are welcome to dive solo
off of an Explorer vessel. The follow requirements must be met:
Solo divers must present proof
of their certification. Solo divers must carry a pony bottle (not
a Spare Air or similar device) or independent or isolated-manifold
twin tanks, whistle, knife, compass, and signalling device deployable
from safety stop depth (safety sausage or dive flag on a reel,
for example).
All solo divers must file a dive
plan for each solo dive with the dive staff on board, and adhere
strictly to that dive plan.
Costs - Nimrod Explorer, Australia
Solo Diver Course - A$150, not
including manual - payable on board
Equipment Rentals - from A$40,
for shorter itineraries (includes all additional required equipment)
- payable on board
If you might be interested in the
solo diving course, please make note of it on your application
form so that we can ensure that the rental equipment will be available.
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