Jeff Parmelee & Mike Hadden
Biol/PhyE 197

Fearless instructors...

Rattle and Hum, Cairns

camping

Can you tell which one is NOT from Iowa?

Lessons

Cassowary

At Australian Zoo

Eastern most point of Australia

lake we swam in on Fraser Island
we found Nemo

Tasmanian devil

rainforest

buses, planes...on Fraser Island

Big staghorn fern, Fraser Island

top deck of ship

Can only fit half of us in one photo...
 

Schedule:

April 25th Fly Des Moines to Dallas Fort Worth  to  Los Angeles
Fly Los Angeles to Sydney QF 108 2345/0725 +2
April 26th Cross International dateline
April 27th Fly Sydney to Cairns QF 922  0840/1140

Arrive Cairns @ 1140
On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Cairns city is in the heart of the Tropical North and is the primary gateway to Northern Australia. A modern, sophisticated city, it is an ideal base to explore the wider region with front door access to the Great Barrier Reef, rainforest and outback. An amazing number of tours are available, using Cairns as a ‘platform’ to access the diverse wonders Cairns and its surrounds have to offer.
Accommodation: Cairns Tropical Queenslander Studio room (2 nights)

April 28 Pre-Assessment day.      B
Check in at the Dive Cairns retail store at the corner Shields and Abbott Streets, prior to departure to set up the equipment for your dive trip, and to ensure that all referral papers are valid and in order.
Dive Cairns invites you to attend 'Reef Teach' at, 14 Spence Street at 6:00pm the night before your trip departure. Reef Teach is a Marine Biology presentation will enhance you experience on the Great Barrier Reef.

April 29  Cairns DAY 1 - Diving the Outer Great Barrier Reef  BLD
The PADI referral system gives you a variety of options to complete your diving education. The three day referral program is the course you undertake to complete your open water certification if you have completed your pool and school training elsewhere.
Dive Cairns is recognized as a world leader in all aspects of scuba diving education. Our diving options cater for the novice to the experienced. Dive Cairns offers the best diver training facilities at our modern diver-training centre, 2 premium live-aboard vessels and diving on some of the most spectacular dive locations on the outer Great Barrier Reef.
Our 3 day ocean referral includes a 3 day, 2 night cruise onboard on of our premium live-aboard vessels. During the 3 days on the Great Barrier Reef you will complete the 4 training dives required for certification.
We visit a large variety of our 16 exclusive sites which are spread over 4 different reefs over the trip duration. These sites have been selected for their extravagance of marine life and excellent visibility, thus ensuring you see the best the outer Great Barrier Reef has to offer. Unlimited snorkelling is also available and all cabins are TWIN share.
Please also bring your travel voucher or course fees, PADI referral papers, dive medical as 4005-1, swim wear and towel.

06:10 Complimentary Hotel Transfer.
06:15 Check-In at Dive Shop
07:00 Depart Cairns for 3days 2 nights of fantastic diving on the Great Barrier Reef
10:30 Your first Training Dive in the ocean before lunch and second dive after lunch. You will also have a lot of time for snorkelling
14:30 Second training dive and loads of snorkelling time

April 30 DAY 2 - More Great Diving       BLD
06:30 Third Training Dive before Breakfast. This will be the deepest training dive for your certification
10:30 The last Training Dive for your PADI Open Water Certification Course. Now You are a Certified Diver!!!
14:30 Your first pleasure dive as a certified diver
19:00 A guided night dive after dinner. Another great experience!

May 01 DAY 3 - More diving and Return to Cairns     BL
06:00 Three more pleasure dives before lunch
15:30 Return to Cairns
16:30 Complimentary Hotel Transfer service available
19:30 Meet again for an optional farewell dinner
Inclusions
· Comprehensive dive insurance
· PADI Gold Open Water Certificate
· Accommodation transfers (city and northern beaches)
· "Reef Teach" Marine Biology presentation
· 2 nights accommodation on board vessel (all twin cabins)
· All meals while on board
· Bed linen - (no towel included)
· All dive equipment (including Dive Computer and Long leg wetsuit)
· Use of prescription mask if necessary
· Reef Tax

Extras
· An AS4005.1 Dive Medical is required. Some medical conditions may preclude you from diving. Asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and pregnancy are the most common ones encountered. Children must be accompanied by parent or guardian during the medical assessment. A Dive Medical can be arranged by Pro Dive prior to departure - a fee of A$49.50 (inc GST) payable direct to the doctor. Australian Medical Standards are different to those overseas. A medical obtained in another country will most likely not be valid in Australia.
· Underwater cameras are available for hire, cost is A$35.00 which includes film and strobe
· Non PADI referrals - If you have completed your pool and school training with another training agency (not PADI) you will need to have to do a 'crossover'. This involves a day in the pool and class, will take 1 day and costs A$100.
Requirements
· Ability to swim
· Current PADI Open Water referral documentation
· Minimum age is 12 years. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by parent or adult over the age of 18 years.
You will be transferred to your hotel.

Optional Dinner get together.
On your return to Cairns passengers and crew get together at a local restaurant to celebrate the conclusion of your Great Barrier Reef experience.

Accommodation: Cairns Tropical Queenslander – studio room (3 nights)

May 02 Cairns Free day       B
Optional day tours from Cairns:
White Water Rafting
Experience the thrill of White Water Rafting, with day tours suitable for the first timer through to experts.
Sea & River Kayaking
Visit beaches only accessible by kayak and explore Fitzroy islands hidden delights, or get 5 hours of White Water action.
Ballooning
Experience the early morning beauty of the Atherton Tablelands in the world's largest balloon.
Animal Parks
Choose from a great range of experiences from Wild World and Cairns Night Zoo

May 03  Free morning       B
Afternoon Tjapukai Cultural Centre
Visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and you'll enter a magical, mystical world. For the first time an entire park has been dedicated to preserving and presenting authentic Aboriginal culture with the aid of the most modern technology. Five theatres, a museum, an art gallery and a traditional Aboriginal camp combine to give visitors a complete and meaningful glimpse of our rich and ancient culture.

May 04 Coach to Shute Harbour, Launch to Long Island  BD
On arrival you will take the Launch from Shute Harbour to Long Island.
Club Crocodile Long Island is located in the enchanting Whitsundays and is a tropical island getaway surrounded by National Parks and sparkling blue waters.
Accommodation: Long Island Club Crocodile Resort (1 night)
Full board

May 05  Long Island free morning     B
If you’re more adventurous, you’ll have a hard time choosing which activity you’ll do first! Your island adventure includes FREE unlimited use of all non-motorised watersports.
· Beach volleyball
·  Beach cricket
· Two swimming pools
·  Bushwalking
·  Catamaran sailing
·  Gym equipment
·  Snorkelling
·   Nightly Entertainment
·  Night Club
·  Paddle Ski Races
·  Basketball
· Spa and Sauna
· Swimming
· Hiking - 22kms of walking track
Afternoon journey to Capricorn Caves
Afternoon tour of Caves
Here you can explore spectacular caves in a limestone ridge and spot little insectivorous bats in certain seasons. Geologically the caves are unique; they originated in an ancient seabed 390 million years ago. Five species of insectivorous bats are dependent on the caves and the surrounding dry rainforest. This rich bio-diversity of fauna and flora provides the opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat.
Accommodation: Capricorn Caves Lodges (1 night)
Includes full breakfast

May 06 Capricorn Caves to Hervey Bay and Fraser Island  BD
A unique natural wonder, Fraser Island lies a the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Among its natural attractions are 120km of continuous ocean beach, cliff faces of spectacular colored sands, lush rainforests, freshwater streams, perched dune lakes, massive sandblows and abundant wildlife.
Accommodation: Wilderness Lodge (2 nights) Share facilities
There is a minimum age requirement of 18 years.

May 07  Fraser Island 4 Wheel Drive tour with Ranger   BLD
2 Days of ranger-guided 4WD touring including Picnic Lunch.
Stark sandblows, high dunes and coloured sand cliffs , sculpted over time by wind and perfect for tobogganing down. Water and waves … sparkling freshwater lakes for swimming … forests of towering rainforest giants … extensive woodlands … richly varied wildlife … wildflower-filled wallum heaths and swamps … fern-fringed creeks … beaches sweeping into the distant haze … this is Fraser Island.

May 08 Hervey Bay to Gold Coast      B
Enroute visit the Australia Zoo.
This extraordinary private zoo is run by Steve and Terri Irwin who made their name in the television series Crocodile Hunter. Saltwater Crocodiles, Australia's largest and most dangerous predators, are the stars of the zoo. Most were captured by the Irwins and removed from areas where they threatened humans. The crocodiles are fed daily from October to March (they do not eat in the cooler months). The zoo has many foreign species including Harriet, who is claimed to be the world's oldest Galapagos land tortoise, anacondas and American alligators. But its main attraction for overseas visitors is a good representative collection of Australian animals, birds and snakes.

The Gold Coast is a 70 km stretch of coastline with patrolled surf beaches. A glittering coastal strip with a wide choice of shopping, dining and live entertainment, cradled by rainforests, mountains, and fertile valleys
Accommodation: Islander Resort  Hotel ( 2 nights)

May 09 Gold Coast sightseeing day      B

May 10 Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour     B
Travelling North from Sydney along the coast there are many Seaside and lakeside areas. Coffs Harbour is a banana growing territory, featuring azure beaches.
Accommodation: Flag Choice Coffs Harbour ( 1 night)

May 11 Coffs Harbour to Sydney      B
This sparkling city lives on a magnificent harbour.  Few cities in the world are fortunate enough to be situated in such beautiful surroundings.  Sydneysiders, as the locals are called, make full use of their harbour for cruising, sailing, and swimming in its clear waters.  Sydney was founded in 1788 by the British Colonists and today the area along the harbour called 'The Rocks', is the spot where the colonists first landed.  The Rocks is now a major tourist attraction - shops and restaurants abound.

Accommodation: Y on the Park- Sydney (2 nights)  Room with share facilities
Light breakfast daily

May 12  Sydney free day        B
May 13th  Depart Sydney        B