Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation Program including Open or Advanced Dive Course

Below is the itinerary for your 12-Day program.

Welcome to tropical Cairns. Enjoy your day discovering Cairns. Points of interest include a stroll along the Esplanade, the Botanic Gardens, a swim in the Lagoon and the CBD. A group briefing will be arranged on this day after midday at a time TBA.

Note: Participants should arrive in Cairns by midday in time for the briefing. Briefing time & place to be confirmed by your local host.

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 3 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.

Participants doing the Advanced Open Water Dive can enjoy free days. There are a lot of optional activities to choose from in Cairns. We recommend you check in at the Pro Dive Shop to fit your equipment on Day 3.

Depart early morning on day 4 on your Great Barrier Reef diving 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 back to your accommodation and free time.

Note: Advanced Open Water will do their respective courses during this trip.

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.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.*
*No dinner on day 6.

Your conservation adventure continues with a day trip to the turtle hospital on Fitzroy Island (either day 7 or 8 - TBA. See Note.). You will meet a Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre rep at the Reef Fleet Terminal in the morning in time for your ferry transfer to Fitzroy Island in the morning, 45 minutes from Cairns, where you will meet other volunteers working at the turtle hospital on the day. 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 and other task associated with the centre. 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 on the island. You can hire equipment at your own expense or bring your own.

Over the next 3 days you will enjoy the Great Barrier Reef onboard Passions of Paradise, a locally owned, award-winning operator promoting sustainable day trips to the Great Barrier Reef. The experience on Passions will enhance your understanding of citizen science and marine conservation while immersing you in the beauty of the reef. Under the guidance of your designated Master Reef Guide you will undertake a selection of reef conservation activities each day while diving & snorkeling. On days 9 and 10, you will enjoy two dives per day (four total), followed by a snorkeling-focused day on day 11. While out on the reef you will learn about reef health surveys and take part in the Eye on the Reef citizen science. These surveys include fish counts and entering iconic and endangered animals into the Eye on the Reef Sighting’s Network, contributing valuable data on reef health. Further you will learn about the Coral Nurture program which Passions of Paradise is actively involved in. The Coral Nurture program is an initiative aimed at researching, creating coral nurseries and planting corals at various locations across the Great Barrier Reef, to ensure the ongoing health of the ecosystem. Another effort you will also take part in (depending on the season) is the Great Reef Census, a citizen science initiative to photograph and survey the GBR and enter photos into the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef AI.

Over the 3 days on the reef your dedicated Master Reef Guide will tailor the program and choose the best activities for the group depending on prevailing sea conditions, for the best possible experience. Each day you will need to check in at the Reef Fleet Terminal by 07:30 and return to Cairns late afternoon. Free time each afternoon.

Overnight in Cairns each day. Lunch is included daily.

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 LOG BOOK/ EMAIL/ TEMPORARY CARD = NO DIVING. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR FOUR (4) OPEN WATER DIVES ARE SIGNED OFF BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR.

Today is your departure day and the end of your marine conservation experience on the Great Barrier Reef. Check out and transfer to the airport for your onward or homeward journey. Safe Travels!

Possible tasks at the Cairns Turtle Rehab Centre tasks may include:
- General cleaning and maintenance, food prep and cleaning tanks, or other if advised by the staff.
Participants will be asked to complete the following set tasks on each set dive (days 9 & 10):
- Timed swim (minimum 10 minutes on each dive) - underwater monitoring and species count on the Great Barrier Reef (i.e. corals, marine life species).
- 360-degree survey of sea bed on the dive site - Objective is to clearly identify the animals and plants observed in each section - (macro-algae, live coral, live coral rock, coral rubble and sand).
- Recording of any impacts on coral being observed (i.e. coral bleaching or damage noticed).

- Accommodation at Gilligans Backpacker Resort in 4 or 6-share dorms with ensuite
- Meals as noted in the itinerary
- 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.
- 3 x day trips on Passions of Paradise with a dedicated reef conservation guide doing Eye on the Reef - Rapid Monitoring and other Marine Conservation tasks incl. total 4 dives & snorkeling activities
- 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)
- 1 x return ferry transfer to Fitzroy Island and visit at the turtle hospital, with hands-on activities (subject to availability on the day) - SEE NOTE under Day 7 & 8.
- Conservation program participant t-shirt
- Tour coordination and assistance by No Limit Adventures