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Dive Review of Spirit of Freedom in
Australia

Spirit of Freedom: "It is now the sort of Ok, but not great Barrier Reef", Oct, 2015,

by Lydia S Segal MD, VA, US (Reviewer Reviewer 5 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 8669 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 2 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments Two adult divers took a week long trip on the S.o.F. In early October. For more experienced divers, it would be wise to go elsewhere. The reef, though called Great barrier, is lacking in fish and critters and the reef has been hurt by recent typhoons. It should be renamed the sort of good barrier reef.
It is a good introduction to liveaboards for relatively new divers only. The crew is great, especially the lead dive guide Jack, and the cook who is also a great fish id person.

The diving; the boat is large, and though it handles the numbers well, there are a lot of divers and they do no adequately spread then out in the water. Dive times are 60 min. Water temp 77. If you have adequate experience you can dive without a dive guide. There is a curved staircase to get from the dive staging area to the platform for your giant stride. The ladder is good. There were some dives with no current and others with a fair amount. All the crew was helpful.

The boat accommodations.. Rooms nice, higher end. The food quite good and more than filling.

If you decide to do this trip, be clear you may not make it out to Osprey island, as it is a far motor out and the weather may not cooperate. We did not make it. Also would not do the seven day, but the half week option. On the turnaround day most of the day was wasted doing passenger loading and unloading and not diving for those of us on the full trip.
Websites Spirit of Freedom   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Indonesia, PNG, Maldives, Philippines, Bonaire, Roatan, Belize
Closest Airport Cairnes Getting There No problens, flew Air New Zealand from the US

Dive Conditions

Weather windy Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp 76-77°F / 24-25°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 25- Ft/ 8- M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions 60 min, dive with a buddy or dive guide, no deco
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments There was more than adequate place to clean, store and charge all camera and associated toys.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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