Spirit of Freedom OR TAKA?

[hallboy]

end of march
departure on monday
7days
big stuff ( it seems that the more i ll be in Osprey reef, the better it wil be )
Nitrox
maximum bottom time and number of dives dives
No nite dives.
dont care about confort/food/room.

you now it all.

So Mike ball?
SOF?
Undersea explorer?

 

[Acanthurus]

Hello ,

My husband and I have just returned from GBR where we did a 5 day with Taka. Our experience was a little different than Inalara's post

1. Max 4 dives/day - that includes a night dive on the day we did those. The time limit of 50 min was not an issue for us and is understandable in order to maintain a schedule to get to new dive sites
2. Divers were sent out at each dive site ( I often saw them go out) and we were informed about the current with each dive brief.
3. We were asked at each dive brief if anyone wanted a guide and they never discouraged this.
4. Buddy teams were put together based on experience but there was flexibilty and asked if everyone was happy - on a few occasions we had an extra buddy when someone was unable to dive and the crew always checked to make sure we were happy with it.
5. Tenders were not a problem. In the words of Jani the trip director " The boat is there for your help and safety. It is not a drama to go pick you up"
6. The food was buffet but very plentiful and there was always seconds available. I thought the food was excellent. After every dive there was food out as well
7. There was only a small shaded area available and as mentioned this was home to the smokers of which there seemed many - both crew and guests. This was the really the only complaint we had about the trip.

We met up with some friends who had just finished the Mike Ball trip and from their account ours was clearly the budget trip compared to them but as my husband says " Taka is like going to visit friends while the Mike Ball sounds like going to a good hotel"

Taka is purpose built for diving, it is not a converted vessel and it works well. Perks such as having refills without having to remove your BC, showers right on the dive deck ( we have heard this is not the case on other boats) all make the experience better

For us, it is really all about the diving though and we have absolutely no complaints. Taka and the crew did everything to enable us to concentrate on the diving with no worries about logistics.

The Taka is good value for money

 

[farsidefan1]

Mike Ball is fabulous but it seems that some of the things they take pains to provide are not among your priorities - except of course for the freedom to dive your own profile. The extra cost probably isn't something you want to pay for on this trip. Now when you want luxury and almost unbeleivable pampering, both in and out of the water ...

 

[AussieByron]

I have been on SOF about 6 times and going back on her in April 09 for private charter.

If your limited to time I would choose the 4 day Coral sea trip on Spirit which goes out to Osprey. You fly from Cairns over the reef and into Lizard island and pick up the boat and then head out to Osprey for a couple of days and then back to Cairns.

If you have 7 days I would simple do the 7 day trip. Cairns through the ribbon reefs and then out to Osprey and then back to Cairns.

You get want you pay for and the service is excellent. Yes SOF is a mono hull but she has stablisers and she moves through big swell with ease (Osprey reef run).

The wine from memory was just average Australian wines served with your meal. Basically after a full days diving a couple of drinks is all you need to knock you out. My posion is Bundy rum.

Big thing to consider is for you folks from the states is the current exchange rate for aussie dollar is .65usd which means your getting a great rate and about 40% cheaper than it was 6 months ago when the aussie dollar was about 1 to 1.

Regards Aussie

 

[Lord Melch]

:huh: would you choose a liveaboard on the basis of the quantity of wine available??

ive heard good things about both dive ops so good luck in choosing one!

Wine, nope.. Beer maybe

 

[Lord Melch]

I have been on SOF about 6 times and going back on her in April 09 for private charter.

If your limited to time I would choose the 4 day Coral sea trip on Spirit which goes out to Osprey. You fly from Cairns over the reef and into Lizard island and pick up the boat and then head out to Osprey for a couple of days and then back to Cairns.

Sounds good to me - Doing that exact trip in March
pd:

 

[divengolf]

Are there any GBR liveaboards that do a straight 7 day (or 10 day) trip from Cairns without the lost half day at Lizard Is??

 

[MA]

undersea explorer - but it leaves from Port Douglas rather than Cairns. My favourite liveaboard!

 

[AussieByron]

Are there any GBR liveaboards that do a straight 7 day (or 10 day) trip from Cairns without the lost half day at Lizard Is??

Its good to get a break from diving in the middle of the trip and stretch your legs.

Regards Mark

 

[Lord Melch]

Not if you have spent 20+ hours in a metal box to get to the dive site and have limited time ! Dive Dive Dive !!

Its good to get a break from diving in the middle of the trip and stretch your legs.

Regards Mark