Trip Dates:

• Trip one: 27 December 2008 to 01 January 2009
• Trip Two: 02 January 2009 to 07 January 2009

Itinerary
Passengers are required to load between 6:00 & 8:30pm on the first night at Bundaberg Port Marina. Big Cat Reality will then depart the marina at 11pm sharp! A meal is not provided for this night only a light supper. (There is a great restaurant and fish & chip takeaway located at the Marina)  

The First Night:
We all meet at the "Bundaberg Port Marina" from about 7 pm on, where everyone stows their gear and settles in onboard. Once everyone has arrived and parked their cars, the master gives the safety brief and you watch an induction DVD.  A light supper is served and we depart Burnett Heads at 11:00pm.  “Big Cat Reality” steams overnight to Lady Musgrave and arrive at the first dive site ready to dive about 6:00am.

Day One:
The first day is normally spent diving the best sites around Lady Musgrave including Manta Ray Bommie, Southern Caves, Southern Wall and the Entrance bommie. After completing 4 dives for the day we head into the lagoon for a calm anchorage and the fifth and final dive of the day, a night dive around one of the many bommies in the lagoon.

Day Two:
On the second day "Big Cat Reality" heads north to explore the sites around Boult Reef before heading north again to spend the night at Llwellyn Reef where we do the second Night dive of the trip.

Day Three:
"Big Cat Reality" again heads north to spend the day diving the sites around Fitzroy Reef. You will have the opportunity to do four day dives and a night dive here as we stay overnight behind the reef which give us a protected anchorage for the night.

Day Four:
After spending the night at around Fitzroy Reef, the fourth day give us the opportunity to move south and dive the favoured sites of the last few days. Our last dive of the day is completed at Lady Musgrave's Mantaray bommie where we spend the night in the lee of the Island.

Day Five:
On the fifth day you wake up at the famous Lady Elliott. We dive sites like the "Blow Hole", "Hero's"s Cave" and the "Lighthouse Bommie". Lunch is served and we head back to Bundy, arriving at approximately 6:00pm on the last day.

These trips are truly Great Fun and Top value. Included: up to 22 dives, all air fills, all meals, 5 nights air-conditioned accommodation aboard "Big Cat Reality", Dive Master Services, and full use of all facilities onboard.

FOOD:
There will be professionally well-presented meals for you to enjoy throughout your five day cruise through the amazing world of the Great Barrier Reef. Meals will include: Hot & cold breakfasts, hot & cold buffet lunches, roast dinners and of course the infamous Big Cat BBQs. You will also enjoy healthy fruit platters and other yummy snacks between dives.

Crew:
As usual on Big Cat Reality you will have the friendly and professional services of five "Big Cat" Crew, who are dedicated to your safety and the smooth running of the vessel's operation. On the dive deck you have another four professional dive crew dedicated just to the diving operations to ensure safe and enjoyable diving for everyone.

Dive Gear:
You are required to supply your own dive gear, or you can hire it from one of our professional dive operators. All air fills will be provided for the trip. (All Divers are required to dive with a dive computer)

Bedding:
All bed linen and 2 bath towels (for fresh water showers) will be provided for the charter. Please bring along a towel for diving purposes.

Car Parking at Bundaberg Port Marina:
There is ample car parking at the Marina and there is lockup parking available for an additional fee.

( Click here for a map of the Bundaberg Port Marina )

Thing to bring:

• A happy smiling self that's excited about their best dive trip ever!!!!!
• 2 beach towels for diving purposes. (preferably named)
• All medications. (including seasickness remedies if required)
• Toiletries and personal belongings.
• All dive gear, including dive computer, safety sausage and torches for night dives.
• Dive certification cards & log books.
• Hat and sunscreen.
• Cash to pay your reef tax and bar tab.
• Cameras.

Not Included:
Alcohol, Soft drinks and chocolates, which can be purchased at the fully licensed bar on board Big Cat Reality.  (No alcohol in to be brought onboard due to our liquor licence requirements) 

Trip Dates:

• Trip one: 27 December 2008 to 01 January 2009
  $1,299.00 (+$15.00 reef tax) per person. An additional $15.00 per day fuel levy applies ($75.00)
• Trip Two: 02 January 2009 to 07 January 2009
  $1,199.00 (+$15.00 reef tax) per person. An additional $15.00 per day fuel levy applies ($75.00)

Past Trip Reports

"Big Cat Reality" New Years Trip Report
 
The "Big Cat Reality" docked in Bundy around 1.30pm Friday. We packed, stowed and directed divers, as they arrived during the afternoon and evening. Everyone was in good spirits after Xmas festivities and looking forward to great diving and weather.

Divers from 4 dive clubs joined us for the 5days – Hugh and Chris; Alexi and Simon; Cathy and Paula; Chriss; Greg; Alan; Cartia and Nick; Rich, and Glen; Steve; Brendan and Kristian; Paul and Mary-Rose.
Dive Crew – Paul; Kelly and Trevor
"Big Cat Reality" Crew – Sabina; Donna; Darren and Peter
"Big Cat Reality" Captain – James
Uninvited guest – T.C. Zoe

The "Big Cat Reality" steamed out on time and ready for a fabulous trip. There was some swell and a little wind on the way out thanks to our uninvited guest! The plan was to steer North to Musgrave continue to Fitzroy then Lady Elliot on the last day.

We arrived at Musgrave Saturday morning 6.45 ready to dive. All divers were competent and able to handle the slight swell and chop. We dived around The Lady all day including Manta Bommie, which unfortunately didn’t produce too many Manta’s with only a few sightings, although there were numerous sightings of this amazing creature throughout the week both from the surface and underwater.

The next day we continued north diving Fairfax, Hoskyns, Llewellyn and Fitzroy. We arrived at Fitzroy after lunch on Sunday. It was divers’ paradise here, with huge coral walls down to 15 or so meters. Fantastic rocky terrain with caves and swim throughs (around 20-25meters) scattered all over the sea floor. Reef sharks, huge rays and turtles, big fish and macro everywhere. (upside down fish???). The variety of marine life was incredible.

We dived along the reef at Fitzroy for the next 7 dives including two night dives.

By the third afternoon the wind, chop and swell had dropped off to almost nothing, it was perfect diving conditions. Left Fitzroy Reef Tuesday morning after some fabulous diving. Every dive was different because you had the choice of so many locations while you dived. So much to remember!!!
The Big Cat changed course and headed south back down the "Bunker Group". Llewellyn first then Hoskyns. At Hoskyns most of the passengers decided to venture onto the Island. They were all ferried over via the tender; there was a short 20m wade before making the sand. Some of the passengers took mask and snorkel. To there delight there was a small lagoon which on closer inspection contained up to 30 turtles of varying sizes and 2 or 3 reef sharks….awesome!!! (A few divers mentioned it was their "highlight" of the trip).

Divers spent the rest of New Year’s Eve enjoying the Bunker group, while the crew busily set up the "Big Cat Reality" for the up coming party. A huge sound system, streamers, balloons, mirror balls and great food greeted the divers on their arrival for dinner. The evening went extremely well, with many group photos, a birthday and a gorilla dropped in to scare the _ _ _ t out of a few unsuspecting divers. Five divers were down on the anchor for midnight. Mother Nature didn’t disappoint either with a trillion stars out on a spectacular night. (at least 8 shooting stars were spotted)

Mother Nature picked up where she left off last night with a prefect day to greet us as we steamed to the dive sites of Lady Elliot Island. With not a hang over to speak of ALL divers were geared up and ready for our first dive at the "Blowhole". Can I tell you again that the conditions were PERFECT…as was the diving, Vis up to 25 meters. Next we dived "Hero’s Cave" and finished with the "Coral Gardens"…Absolutely Beautiful!

Sadly we had to head back to Bundy after lunch, when the conditions were "as good as you get". The trip back went fairly quickly, with plenty for the divers to do – eat, sleep, wash dive gear, watch videos & slides, fill in log books and of course talk about diving.

We arrived back in Bundy around 6pm. The week was a huge success, with most divers doing around 20 dives. One diver did every dive on offer including the New Years Eve dive, 24 in all. It was an exceptional week of diving, all on board went away with a bunch of new friends and a lot of new dive sightings and stories….