Expedition Summary
Global Adrenaline's "Ultimate Diving and Rafting Adventure" combines our "Great Barrier Reef Scuba Diving" and our "Coral Sea Scuba Diving" trips with a day of whitewater rafting. All in all, the "Ultimate Diving and Rafting Adventure" offers you an incredible nine dive days, including the opportunity for six night dives!

We begin with a 4-day / 3-night dive expedition designed to show off the very best of Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef. We'll have a chance to dive with a family of giant potato cod and maori wrasse at the world-famous Cod Hole. We'll cruise the turquoise chain of Ribbon Reefs, extending from Lizard Island to Cairns, with their pristine coral gardens, excellent for macro and fish photography. We'll enjoy a spectacular low-level Great Barrier Reef flight and visit

Diving with turtles at Yongala Wreck. (Coral Sea, Australia)

Lizard Island.

The expedition then moves on to Australia's Coral Sea. This 6-day/ 7-night diving excursion will, among other pleasures, afford the opportunity to swim with big eye trevally, barracuda, whaler sharks and tuna. Participants will be able to enjoy the thrill of witnessing as many as 30 sharks, all within arm's length, at the legendary Scuba Zoo. There will be opportunities to explore the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef and to experience the incredible historic shipwreck of the 'SS Yongala,' where some of Australia's densest populations of large marine life can be seen
Between the two parts of our dive adventure, we will challenge ourselves with a day of whitewater rafting on the Tully River! Highlights of the adventure itinerary include:

• Great Barrier Reef
  • Visit diverse sites along the turquoise chain of Ribbon Reefs.
  • Explore pristine coral gardens at Challenger Bay.
  • Drift-dive Dynamite Pass with its impressive array of pelagics and sharks.
  • Swim with huge potato cod and maori wrasse at the world-famous Cod Hole.
  • Take the world's best low-level reef flight to Lizard Island, a trip that would normally take 15 hours by sailboat.
  • Enjoy encounters with Minke whales on trips scheduled between May and August. Special Minke whale expeditions are available in June and July.
    
    
• Coral Sea
• Visit Flinders Reef, the Coral Sea's premier dive location.
• Witness as many as three dozen sharks in a feeding frenzy at Scuba Zoo.
• Dive pinnacles and walls located well off the beaten track.
• Stand awe-struck before Gigantus Gorgonus, a spectacular gorgonian fan measuring as much as sixteen feet across.
• Explore the SS Yongala, Australia's best wreck and home to a spectacular array of marine life.
  
  
• Diving Courses
• Free Reef Ecology Certificate Courses are offered.
• Free "Discover Diving" courses are offered to non-divers.
• PADI Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver or Underwater Naturalist courses are offered (at an additional charge).
  
  
• Photography
• Excellent macro and fish photography opportunities will abound.
• Underwater camera rental will be available.
• An E6 photo processing lab will be provided on board.
  
  
• Other
• Participants will enjoy a half-day whitewater rafting excursion on the Tully River.
• Participants will enjoy unlimited diving, including 6 night dives.
• Two inflatables will insure personalized dive service.
• Participants will enjoy a barbecue and party night.
• The dive boat has been rated one of the "Top 10 Live-aboards in the World." It has won numerous prestigious Rodale's Reader's Choice Awards including "Live-aboard with the Best Food in the Pacific Region", "World's Best Live-aboard Crew", "Favorite Pacific Live-aboard" and "Most Environmentally Sensitive Resort or Live-aboard in the Pacific."
  

Special Minke Whale Expeditions
Minke whales are commonly seen along the Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns between May and August. June and July are the peak whale-watching months in the Ribbon Reefs. On expeditions

Diving with giant cod at Cod Hole. (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

during the peak months, the second day of our expeditions will be devoted almost entirely to seeking out, observing, diving and snorkeling with these magnificent creatures. Our partners have well over a decade of experience in the area, affording them the skills, know-how and technique that are so necessary to successful whale-watching excursions. Over their years of experience, they have also been able to develop a diving and snorkeling protocol that minimally impacts the whales and allows them to approach our divers within their own comfort zones. Respect for this protocol, when combined with the natural curiosity of the whales, helps to create an environment where some very close encounters with these creatures are possible. There will be spectacular opportunities for close-up videos and photography. So close, in fact, that a wide angle lens is highly recommended.

Our partners have a very impressive track record: Over the past four years, our eighteen specialized Minke whale watching expeditions have enjoyed a 100% success rate. The number of whales seen in any particular expedition have ranged from a low of two to a high of twenty-two whales,

Diving with Coral. (Coral Sea, Australia)

grouped in several pods. Some encounters have lasted up to 10 hours in duration. Adults generally range up to 25 feet (8 meters) in length and are occasionally accompanied by 3-4 month-old calves. Minkes are renowned not only for their curiosity and approachability, but also for their vigorous breaching, tail slapping and spy hopping behaviors. In this regard, they are much like their larger humpback cousins, though not quite as exuberant. The wide range of the Minke's vocabulary is only recently being appreciated. Australia's James Cook University has an ongoing research project studying the whales, and all of our trip participants are encouraged to participate and assist by recording their observations on forms provided by the University.

Any day is a good day for Minke encounters. However, we've dedicated Day 2 to locating and observing Minkes at close range under water.

In the unlikely event that our partners cannot promptly locate whales upon our arrival at our most reliable sites, they are committed to spending additional time, up to two hours at a time, trying to find the elusive creatures. If none are sighted within a reasonable time, our partners will turn their focus to providing as many of the dives on a standard itinerary as circumstances would allow. In any event, each expedition will include a minimum of 9 scuba dives on the Ribbon Reefs, most centered around the most spectacular dive sites, such as Cod Hole, Challenger Bay and Pixie Pinnacle.

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Experience Required
No experience is required for this trip. Those who are not already certified scuba divers may elect to complete the free "Discover Diving" course on board and then take supervised "resort dives" with an instructor. Participants may also complete a full PADI Open Water Diver course on board for an extra charge. Certified divers may complete their Advanced Open Water or Underwater Naturalist certifications on board for an extra charge as well. If you are interested in obtaining any of these certifications, please notify us at the time of your booking.

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Day by Day Itinerary
This trip departs every Thursday during the year.

Day 1: Arrive in Cairns
Upon arriving in Cairns, we will check into the Cairns Colonial Club Resort, an excellent resort-style hotel located in a tropical setting (rooms may not be available until after 2:00 p.m.) The

Snorkeling. (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

remainder of the day will be yours to spend at your leisure exploring this city, the northernmost major city on the eastern coast of Australia. Cairns is situated right in the middle of it all. To its north lie the rainforests of Cape Tribulation and Daintree National Park, to its west lies the rugged outback, to its south lie the impressive Atherton Tablelands, and in the ocean to the east lurks the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

Day 2: Great Barrier Reef - Escape Reef and Ribbon Reef #3
We will board the Supersport as we begin our 150-mile sea safari to the world-famous Cod Hole. Our first dive will start at approximately 12:30 p.m. on this first afternoon at sea. We'll experience the incredible biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef at Wide Escape, finishing up the day with a night dive at Flare Point, where green turtle sightings are common. Trip participants can anticipate spectacular colors and close encounters with marine life in their nocturnal havens.

Day 3: Great Barrier Reef - Ribbon Reefs #3, Harrier Reef & Ribbon Reefs #9 & #10
We will descend through yellow stripe snapper, trevally and barracuda during our dive at Steve's Bommie. At that location, we'll find rich and diverse marine life, ranging from the intricate lacy scorpion fish to the majestic Minke whale (during the peak months of May through August). We'll

Fish. (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

enjoy a frenzy of pelagic action at the nearby Fish Market. We'll blend in with the batfish and experience the wrong end of a feeding frenzy as "silver torpedoes" zoom by. As we admire the magnificent plate coral formations at Table Tops, a maze of bommies, fans and red whip corals will add to the splendor of the scene. Lionfish and goat fish will abound amid the pelagics cruising nearby. We'll conclude the day with a night dive at Challenger Bay, where we'll explore the pristine coral gardens located there.

Day 4: Great Barrier Reef - Ribbon Reef #10, Cod Hole, Dynamite Pass and Lizard Island
We'll enjoy a profusion of sponges and golden gorgonian sea fans at the Pixie Wall. As we search the caves and crevices of the wall, we'll keep our eyes open for passing manta rays, sharks and

Diving with Coral. (Coral Sea, Australia)

turtles. Schools of fusiliers will engulf us as we circumnavigate the Pixie Pinnacle. Fluorescent purple and orange anthias attract predatory fish to this photogenic site. We'll have opportunities to swim, play with, and photograph a family of giant potato cod at the Cod Hole. In addition, we will enjoy close encounters with huge maori wrasse. In this world-famous dive spot, diver-sized fish will be diving right alongside you! At 5:00 p.m., we'll surface from the day's last dive and cruise to Lizard Island.

Day 5: Spectacular Low Level (700ft) 150 mile Flight Along Great Barrier Reef to Cairns
After breakfast on board, we'll transfer to Lizard Island for our flight back to Cairns. Our flight path will take us over the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, on a spectacular low level (700 foot) reef flight covering the 150 mile distance. We'll arrive in Cairns in time for an 11:00 a.m. transfer to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon and evening will be available to you for relaxation and/or exploring the many fascinating sides of Cairns.

Day 6: Whitewater Rafting on the Tully River
Early in the morning (at approximately 6:30 a.m.), our partners will pick us up to begin a very energetic day of white-water rafting on the Tully River. Trip participants should bring a separate day bag, enclosing the $10 National Park fee, lace-up shoes (running shoes), a swimming suit, a complete change of clothes, a towel and, for the fair-skinned, sunscreen. We do not advise bringing any jewelry, watches or cameras out on the river. Between rapids, our guides will explain the surrounding rainforest's flora and fauna. The day's events will include a barbecue lunch and an afternoon snack. At approximately 4:00 p.m., our drivers will meet us for the trip to Townsville and the following morning's departure on our Coral Sea diving expedition.

Day 7: Coral Sea - China Wall and Trigger Happy
We will depart early in the morning on the start of our cruise out to the Coral Sea. On one of our first dives, we will enjoy the amazing experience of 150-foot visibility at the famous China Wall, which plummets to a depth of 3,000 feet (900 meters). We will then circumnavigate Trigger Happy, a group of bommies rising from 150 foot (45 meter) depths. We may even stumble across a few

Diving with school of fish. (Coral Sea, Australia)

sleeping sharks, resting under overhangs laced with gorgonian fans.

Day 8: Coral Sea - Pelagic Lookout, Arizona and Anemone City
We will make a visit to Anemone City, where we will see coral heads carpeted with anemones beneath a superb overhang surrounded by sea fans. We will swim amidst the fish food chain at Pelagic Lookout, before moving on to Arizona, where we will appreciate a superb variety of hard corals at a depth of almost 100 feet (30 meters).

Day 9: Coral Sea - Watanabe, Grey Beards, and Midnight
We will dive the towering Watanabe Pinnacle, thrusting 140 feet (42 meters) from the sea bed, as we are engulfed in schools of barracuda, tuna, trevally and sharks. At Midnight, we'll see soft coral trees that are taller than we are. And we'll find exotic marine animals like cuttlefish, sea hares and starry morays.

Day 10: Coral Sea - Tawriffic, The Castle, Fantastic and Flinders Coral Cay
We'll search for nudibranchs and leopard sharks at Tawriffic Pinnacle, rising from 150 foot (45 meter) depths. On trips during the months of October through March, we'll stroll with the seabirds and turtles during their nesting seasons. At the end of another fantastic day, we'll celebrate with a sunset drink and an Aussie BBQ.

Day 11: Coral Sea - Cod Wall, Scuba Zoo and Geronimo's/Berlin Wall
One of today's dives will take us along this spectacular wall, which plummets to a depth of 1,000

Relaxing on the dive boat. (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

feet (300 meters). We'll descend into gorgonian fans measuring up to 15 feet (4-5 meters) across (the Gigantus Gorgonus). The day's events will also find us mingling with patrolling sharks, tuna and barracuda. This is the day that will bring us within arm's length of a shark feeding frenzy at Scuba Zoo. We may see as many as 30 sharks at extremely close range.

Day 12: Coral Sea - Yongala Wreck and Return to Townsville
We'll enjoy exploring one of the world's best dive sites, at the wreck of the 'SS Yongala.' Trip participants should be forewarned that we are not always able to descend to the Yongala; dives in this area are subject to weather conditions. If we're able to descend, as is normally the case, you'll be fascinated by the many remaining artifacts scattered around the wreck site. Huge stingrays hover over the wreck. Before lunch, we'll enjoy two dives at the Yongala wreck site, and then head back to shore. Around 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon, we'll arrive in Townsville, where we'll spend the night at the four-star Holiday Inn Townsville in the city center.

Day 13: Depart for Home
Depart for home.

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