Cairns Dive Adventures

Duration: 4 days: 2 Cairns / 2 Great Barrier Reef
Certification: SSI Open Water Certification
Operates: Year round | Departs: 7am | Returns: 5pm
Transfers available: Yes, free from Cairns City Hotels

The Cairns Dive Centre offers the best value learn to dive course in Cairns, including two day trips to the Great Barrier Reef.  Perfect for budget conscious travellers, this four day course includes two days of theory and pool work in Cairns, followed by two day trips and four training dives on the Great Barrier Reef, aboard the M.V Reef-Kist.  Once you have completed the required paperwork and skills tests, you will be a licensed SSI Open Water Diver, which is an internationally recognised certification, allowing you to scuba dive anywhere in the world.

SSI – Scuba Schools International – and the Cairns Dive Centre focus on providing increased training in actual conditions, making you a comfortable, confident scuba diver.  This four day SSI Open Water Diver course includes theory, the SSI student manual, practical skills in the pool (additional time is available for the nervous, provided free of charge), two day trips to the Great Barrier Reef, four training dives, lunch aboard M.V Reef-Kist and all transfers.  It does not include accommodation in Cairns. This is definitely the most affordable learn to dive the Great Barrier Reef course available in Cairns.

Highlights & Inclusions

• SSI Open Water Diver Certification
• 2 days of tuition and pool training in Cairns
• 2 day trips to the Great Barrier Reef aboard M.V Reef-Kist
• 4 Great Barrier Reef training dives
• All dive equipment, including wetsuits and computers
• Dive log book & dive tables
• Multilingual SSI Study Manuals & Exams
• Cairns city transfers
• Lunch aboard M.V Reef-Kist (2 days)

The Cairns Dive Centre is an award winning SSI training centre committed to providing excellent training, in the controlled environment of their Diver Training Centre at Cairns, before taking divers to explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.   The SSI Open Water Diver course is internationally recognised and will provide you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need, to dive anywhere in the world.  You will spend two days in Cairns, learning the core skills needed to scuba dive safely with SSI Diver Instructors.  If you are nervous in the water, make sure you let them know, as the instructors are only too happy to spend extra time with you, making you completely at ease before you head out to the open waters of the Great Barrier Reef.  The theory elements are completed in air-conditioned classrooms and include an SSI DVD presentation.  Basic scuba skills are practised in the 4m deep heated pool, providing a controlled, safe environment for nervous first time divers. Once this is completed, enjoy two day trips to the Great Barrier Reef aboard the M.V Reef-Kist, where you will complete four training dives, under the watchful supervision of your SSI Diver Instructor.  When you are not in the water, relax on board and enjoy the sumptuous tropical lunch and morning and afternoon tea.

Medical Notes

• An Australian Dive Medical must be completed in prior to, or conjunction with, this course. This is an additional cost ($50) and can be undertaken locally at several Cairns doctors / medical clinics.
• Please note: International Dive Medicals and Diver Fitness Certificates will not be accepted, unless they are compliant with Australian Standards AS4005.1.
• Some medical conditions will prevent you from learning to dive.  These include: asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and heart or lung conditions.
• The minimum age of participants is 12 years of age.

Cairns Dive Centre: Sample 4 Day Learn to Dive (Budget Course) Itinerary
Day 1 (Cairns): Your SSI Open Water Cairns Dive Centre learn to dive course commences with a complimentary coach pick-up from Cairns city hotels.  The morning is spent in air-conditioned classrooms with SSI Dive Instructors learning scuba diving theory, before you break for lunch and medical examinations (if not already obtained) at 11.30am.  Note: lunch is not included in the course cost.  At 1pm it’s into the 4m pool for some practical scuba diving lessons in a controlled environment.  The day ends around 4.30pm, with complimentary transfers back to your Cairns accommodation.

Day 2 (Cairns): An earlier start today, with the coach collecting you at 7.45am.  It’s straight into the heated Cairns Dive Centre training pool on arrival, where you will spend the morning practising the basic scuba skills you learnt yesterday, including getting comfortable breathing underwater and flooding and clearing your mask.  There is an hour lunch break at 11.30am (meals not included), before you return to the classroom to complete your theory.  The day wraps up at 4.30pm with transfers back to your accommodation.  Study up tonight, as tomorrow you take your written tests.

Day 3 (Great Barrier Reef): The exciting part of your SSI Open Water Diver Course starts today, with your first trip and training scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.  The Cairns Dive Centre coach will collect you from your accommodation in the early morning.  You must participate in and pass the theory written test this morning, before you can dive the Great Barrier Reef.  Papers and instructions will be provided.  Your Cairns dive vessel, M.V. Reef-Kist, departs at 7am for the Great Barrier Reef.  Two training dives are completed today, under the watchful eye of your SSI Diver Instructor and lunch, morning and afternoon tea are all included.

Day 4 (Great Barrier Reef): Back to the Great Barrier Reef today, aboard M.V Reef-Kist, to complete the final two training dives needed to complete your SSI Open Water Diver course.  Cairns Dive Centre is licensed to visit seven different reef sites and locations are chosen to maximise your dive experience on the day, taking currents and visibility into consideration.  Some of the reefs you may visit include Milln, Thetford with swim throughs and coral bombies, Briggs, Moore, Elford, Sudbury and Channel.   At the end of today, you will be a certified SSI Open Water diver!  M.V Reef-Kist will get you back into Cairns around 5.00pm, with coach transfers back to your accommodation.

Passenger notes:

• Minimum age for guests: 12 years old
• What is not included in the ticket price? Dive medical ($50); accommodation during the four day course; all meals in Cairns; $50 fee, which includes Government Environmental Management Charge, Port Departure Tax and administration costs, fuel levy and passport photos for your SSI Open Water Diver License.