The ‘Taka II’ is a 22 metre vessel with a cruising speed of 11 knots. She can accommodate 28 passengers in air-conditioned cabins. There are 7 two berth and 3 four berth cabins.
The Taka II takes on the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. She has been in the shipyard recently undergoing a major refurbishment. It was decided to upgrade the accommodation facilities on Taka II, as well as a total blast and paint, with some structural modifications. The 2 upstairs cabins have been reworked with new fabrics and both now have private ensuite shower / toilets installed. The galley has been updated and new carpet fitted throughout the main deck level. She has just finished her 6th month after the refit, and everyone is very pleased with the results.
Built in 1980, with extensive
modifications in 1990, there are 10 cabins, all air conditioned, including
one deluxe 2-berth cabin, 6 twin cabins, and 3 cabins with 4 berths.
Passengers share 5 toilets and showers. On each trip, the crew develops
one roll of slide film and holds a slide-show in the evening around the
lounge. In addition, the crew videotapes the underwater action, and
inserts it into a feature tape that is offered for sale at the end of the
trip.
Offering two different itineraries throughout the year, including:
4day/3night dive cruises (10-11 dives) to Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs; 5day/
4night dive cruises (14-15 dives) to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea, Cod
Hole, and Ribbon Reefs. Two Ingersol Rand 15cfm air compressors provide
for rapid refills to the tanks carried onboard. A custom 19' tender with
outboard takes divers to and from the dive sites.
Itineraries
Cost Includes:
- 4 nights accommodation in air-conditioned cabin ‘Taka II’
- All meals whilst on board
- Dive Package includes 4 days diving 14-15 dives covering the Cod Hole, Cod Feed, Ribbon Reefs, Night Dive, Osprey Reef and Shark Dive, outer edge Great Barrier Reef and weights/tanks/airfills.
Day One:
Pick up from Cairns accommodation at 5.00pm and transfer to Taka II which departs from Cairns Harbour and travels over the smooth waters inside the Great Barrier Reef up to the Cod Hole.Day Two:
Taka II arrives at the Cod Hole at approx 9 am. We do our first dive at the Cod Hole, which allows divers to get back into the swing of things as well as check out the huge variety of marine life that lives in this area.Our second dive at the Cod Hole is the Cod Feed, where huge schools of fish and Maori Wrasses compete with the large family of Potato Cod for a fish dinner. This would have to be one of the world's premier dive experiences.
We do another dive in this area at either Dynamite Pass or Snake Gully, then a night dive. Taka II departs this area at approximately midnight to travel to Osprey Reef. Dive Sites:
Day Three:
Diving Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea, the most exciting shark diving location in Australia. We do a Shark feed and some stunning wall dives in this world famous area that has an average visibility of 40 metres. Dive Sites:Day Four:
This day is spent divng the Ribbon Reefs at various locations we have chosen for their diversity of marine life and coral architecture. You will see giant clams up to 2 metres across, huge coral gardens, swim throughs and an abundance of marine life unmatched anywhere on this planet. 3 day dives and a night dive. Dive Sites:Day Five:
We do 2 dives on this day, as we are now nearing the end of our trip. These dives are on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and feature unique coral formations and fish life. Taka II then cruises through the reefs arriving back into Cairns at approx 3.30 pm. Dive Sites:
4 Day/3 Night Cod Hole and Northern Great Barrier Reef - (3 days diving) 10 dives, Departs Tuesdays
COST INCLUDES:
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3 nights accommodation in a twin/quad share cabin
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Dive Package includes 3 days diving 10-11 dives covering the Cod Hole, Cod Feed, Ribbon Reefs, Night Dive , outer edge of Great Barrier Reef and weights/tanks and airfills. Departs Tuesdays from Cairns and returns Fridays. The Cod Hole has the reputation as a highlight of any dive trip to the Great Barrier Reef.
Day One:
Pick up from Cairns Accommodation at 5.00pm and transfer to Taka II which departs from Cairns Harbour and travels over the smooth waters inside the Great Barrier Reef up to the Cod Hole.Day Two:
Taka II arrives at the Cod Hole at approx 9 am. Our second dive at the Cod Hole is the Cod Feed, where huge schools of fish and Maori Wrasses compete with the large family of Potato Cod for a fish dinner. This would have to be one of the world's premier dive experiences. After the second dive we move down the Ribbon Reefs to one of our many select dive locations for an afternoon dive and later a night dive. Dive Sites:Day Three:
This day is spent diving the Ribbon Reefs at various locations that we have chosen for their diversity of marine life and architecture. You will see giant clams up to 2 metres across, huge coral gardens, swim throughs and an abundance of marine life unmatched anywhere on this planet. 3 day dives and a night dive. Dive Sites:Day Four:
We do 2 dives on this day, as we are now nearing the end of our trip. These dives are on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and feature unique coral formations and fish life. Taka II then cruises through the reefs arriving back into Cairns at approx 3.30 pm. Dive Sites
Advanced & Speciality Courses
PADI ADVANCED COURSE
During the advanced course, you will get an introduction to five specialities in the PADI system: Underwater Naturalist, Boat Diving, Underwater Navigation, Night Diving and Deep Diving. A fairly relaxed course, this focuses on the practical aspects of diving rather than theoretical classroom work.
The cost of the Advanced Course is AUD $110 in addition to the trip cost
DEEP DIVER SPECIALITY
UNDERWATER NAVIGATOR
MULTILEVEL DIVER
UNDERWATER NATURALIST
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