Tour Eye On The Reef - Marine Conservation Program On The Great B

Transport

All boat transfers included

Guide

Dive instructors on the liveaboard and during respective dive courses Master Reef Guide Eco guide on conservation day trips to the GBR

Others

Open Water OR Advanced Open Water Dive courses. Dive courses include 3 day/ 2 night live aboard reef trip on the Great Barrier Reef. Certified divers have recreational dives. Transfers to/ from the dive school are provided. 2 x day trips on Passions of Paradise with a dedicated Master Reef Guide doing Eye on the Reef – Rapid Monitoring and other Marine Conservation tasks incl. equipment Number of dives included: Open Water Course + Passions of Paradise: 13 dives on the Great Barrier Reef (pending weather conditions) Advanced Open Water Course + Passions of Paradise: 15 dives on the Great Barrier Reef (pending weather conditions) Certified Divers + Passions of Paradise: 15 dives on the Great Barrier Reef (pending weather conditions.) 1 x day trip to Fitzroy Island and visit at the turtle hospital, with hands-on activities (subject to availability on the day) Volunteering experience with local marine conservation organization including hands on activitie Conservation program participant t-shirt Tour coordination and assistance by No Limit Adventures

Meals

3 x breakfast 5 x lunch 2 x dinner

Accommodation

Hostel accommodation: 4 or 6 share rooms with share facilities

Not included:

Others

Reef taxes and levies (approx. $85 for the 3D/2N reef trip) Rescue Diver or Nitrox course upgrade Other personal expenses

Flights

Flights are not included.

Optional

Nitrox + Advanced Open Water course upgrade available Rescue Diver course upgrade available

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To Cairns
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Welcome To Cairns

Arrive to tropical Cairns and transfer to you hostel. Enjoy your day discovering Cairns by foot. Points of interest include a stroll along the Esplanade, the Botanic Gardens, a swim in the Lagoon, the port and the CBD. Group briefing late afternoon/ early evening at a time TBA.

Note: Participants should arrive in Cairns by midday. Briefing time to be confirmed by your local host.
Day 2 Day 2-3: Open Water Course & Scuba Training Center
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2-3: Open Water Course & Scuba Training Center

Over the next 2 days you will do the first part of your scuba diving adventure. Get picked up by the dive school early morning and transfer to the training center, where you will commence your theory on scuba diving with your qualified instructor. Put all the theory into use in the pool during your practical sessions where all your underwater skills are honed under the watchful eyes of your instructors. After lunch on day 2 it is time for your theory test and a briefing of the upcoming days out on the Great Barrier Reef. Transfer back to the hostel late afternoon each day.

Note: activities on days 2 – 3 for Open Water students only.

Free time for all other participants.

Rescue Divers: your course commences on day 3 at the training centre with theory. Travel to the Great Barrier Reef on day 4 and complete your course over the next 3 days.
Day 3 Day 4-6: Great Barrier Reef - Liveaboard Trip
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4-6: Great Barrier Reef - Liveaboard Trip

Depart early morning on day 4 on your Great Barrier Reef dive adventure. All participants will complete their respective courses over the next three days. Once you arrive on the Great Barrier Reef begin exploring the underwater world on this magnificent natural wonder. Return to Cairns late afternoon on day 6. Transfer to your hostel and free time. (B,L,D*)

Open Water + Advanced Open Water + Rescue students: check in at the Pro Dive Shop (Corner Grafton and Shields Street, approx. 200m from the hostel) at 06.20am (unless advised otherwise by Pro Dive Cairns)

Reef levies payable directly to Pro Dive Cairns (AUD$28.33/ day = AUD$85)

Note: Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Rescue students will do their respective courses during this trip.

Certified divers will enjoy 11 included recreational dives during the live aboard trip.

*No dinner on day 6.

OPEN WATER STUDENTS – ONCE YOU COMPLETE YOUR DIVE COURSE PLEASE ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR TO REGISTER YOUR PAPERWORK WITH PADI AS YOU WILL BE DIVING A FEW DAYS LATER. ALTERNATIVELY PLEASE ENSURE YOUR LOGBOOK IS CLEARLY STAMPED AND SIGNED BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR INDICATING YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR OPEN WATER DIVE COURSE.
Day 4 Day 7-8: Cairns/ Fitzroy Island & Turtles
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7-8: Cairns/ Fitzroy Island & Turtles

Your conservation adventure continues with a day trip to the turtle hospital on Fitzroy Island (either day 7 or 8 – TBA. See Note.). Transfer by ferry to Fitzroy Island in the morning, 45 minutes from Cairns, where you will meet other volunteers working at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. You will learn about the work done by this organization, meet some of the patients and, possibly, go behind the scenes to lend a helping hand. Tasks may include feeding turtles, cleaning tanks as well as a beach clean-up. Return to Cairns at midday or alternatively stay on the island for the afternoon. If the latter enjoy free time. Do one of the walks on the island, relax on the beach or swim and snorkel. The afternoon ferry returns to Cairns approx. 17:45.

Note: The experience at CTRC will take place either on day 7 or 8. The maximum number of our participants at CTRC at one time is 4 persons. Should the Marine Conservation group size exceed 4 persons we will be splitting the group into two, with one group visiting CTRC on day 7, the second group on day 8. This is at the request of CTRC and is to keep the turtles’ stress to a minimum, limit the number of people behind the scenes and in turn allow you to have the best possible and most fulfilling experience on the day.

Too many people = stressed turtles and we do not want that ?

No snorkeling equipment provided. You can hire equipment at your own expense or bring your own.
Day 5 Day 9-10: Great Barrier Reef – Reef Conservation Tasks
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9-10: Great Barrier Reef – Reef Conservation Tasks

Over the next 2 days you will be onboard Passions of Paradise, a locally owned premier operator promoting sustainable day trips to the Great Barrier Reef to enhance your marine conservation volunteer experience. Under the guidance of your designated Master Reef Guide you will undertake a selection of activities each day while diving (2 x dives per day), being Rapid Monitoring surveys and a species count to be entered into Great Barrier Reef Marine Park’s Eye on the Reef Sighting’s Network (number of activities could vary depending on conditions). Optionally you may also carry out Coral Watch surveys while snorkelling. Each day you will need to check in at the Reef Fleet Terminal by 07.30am and return to Cairns late afternoon. Free time each afternoon. (L)

PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE YOUR TEMPORARY OPEN WATER CARD, EMAIL FROM PADI CONFIRMING YOUR OPEN WATER CERTIFICATION- OR LOG BOOK WITH YOU ON DAY 9. NO LOGBOOK/ EMAIL/ TEMPORARY CARD = NO DIVING. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR INSTRUCTOR HAS SIGNED OFF YOUR FOUR (4) QUALIFYING OPEN WATER DIVES IN YOUR LOGBOOK.
Day 6 Day 11: Cairns/ Plastic Sorting With Local Marine Conservation Organization
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Cairns/ Plastic Sorting With Local Marine Conservation Organization

This morning you join the team of a local marine conservation organisation, where you will hear about the organisation’s mission, meet the team on the ground and learn about their projects in Australia. You will discover what impact marine debris have on our oceans and you can ask the expert conservation coordinators where the rubbish originates from and find out what steps we can take to fight the war on plastic. This organization relies heavily on the help of volunteers, so you will assist with various tasks required on the day which may include maintenance of their facilities, assistance with admin or sorting and segregating rubbish collected at organised beach clean ups. It is one thing to clean the beaches, but the next task is to get the ball rolling with the upcycling process and this is what your manpower will provide today. If the weather permits and the dates align, you might also be part of a local beach cleanup or another community activity. Regardless of the tasks you can expect a day of fun, education and feel-good action. Your help is appreciated!

Note: A one-way transfer is provided to the project site. RETURN TRANSPORT IS NOT PROVIDED.
Day 7 Day 12: Cairns – End Of Your Adventure
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Cairns – End Of Your Adventure

Today is the end of your tour. Check out and transfer to the airport for your onward or homeward journey. Safe Travels!

12 days tour

Eye On The Reef - Marine Conservation Program On The Great B

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Eye On The Reef - Marine Conservation Program On The Great B

Day 1: Welcome To Cairns

Day 2-3: Open Water Course & Scuba Training Center

Day 4-6: Great Barrier Reef - Liveaboard Trip

Day 7-8: Cairns/ Fitzroy Island & Turtles

Day 9-10: Great Barrier Reef – Reef Conservation Tasks

Day 11: Cairns/ Plastic Sorting With Local Marine Conservation Organization

Day 12: Cairns – End Of Your Adventure

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