The Trip
Lord Howe Island off the east coast of Australia; just a 2 hour flight from Sydney or Brisbane, is one of the worlds most beautiful World Heritage listed islands surrounded by a stunning NSW Marine Park. Warm tropical waters and cooler temperate currents have created a diverse range of marine life, a unique mix of both tropical and temperate water fish. In short, a diving and photography paradise!
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, 600 kilometres (370 mi) directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about 900 kilometres (560 mi) from Norfolk Island. It is about 10 km long and between 2.0 km and 0.3 km wide with an area of 14.55 km2, of which only approximately 398 hectares is in the lowland settled area. Along the west coast there is a sandy semi-enclosed sheltered coral reef lagoon. Most of the population lives in the north, while the south is dominated by forested hills rising to the highest point on the island, Mount Gower (875 m or 2,871 ft). The Lord Howe Island Group comprises 28 islands, islets and rocks. Apart from Lord Howe Island itself the most notable of these is the volcanic and uninhabited Ball’s Pyramid about 23 kilometres (14 mi) to the south-east of Howe. To the north there is the Admiralty Group, a cluster of seven small uninhabited islands.
The Lord Howe Island Group is recorded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of global natural significance. Most of the island is virtually untouched forest with many of the plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Other natural attractions include the diversity of its landscapes, the variety of upper mantle and oceanic basalts, the world’s southernmost barrier coral reef, nesting seabirds, and its rich historical and cultural heritage. The Lord Howe Island Act of 1981 established a “Permanent Park Preserve” (covering about 70 per cent of the island). The surrounding waters are a protected region designated the Lord Howe Island Marine Park
Dive Information
Ideally suited for Advanced Open Water divers but also suitable for Open Water Divers (certified to 18 metres)
Wreck certification is not a requirement to dive this trip
Depth ranges from 6 – 40 metres
Diving by yourself? We will buddy you up with another diver with similar experience
Trip Date
12 to 18 February 2017 TWO SPOTS LEFT
Price
From $3,695 per person- price on application due to flight schedule
What’s Included
15 dives- Balls Pyramid, Admiralty Islands, night’s dives and so much more!
6 nights twin share accommodation at the Leanda Lei Apartments
Return flights from Brisbane to Lord Howe Island
Tanks and weights
Professional Dive Services guide
14 kg checked baggage & 7 kg carry on
Dive gear rental
What’s Excluded
Travel Insurance
Personal spending monies
Excess luggage surcharges
All meals
Baggage Allocation & Gear Hire
Due to the light aircraft that the group will be travelling on to and from Lord Howe Island, each passenger is very restricted to the 14 kg checked baggage and 7 kg carry on restrictions. We have investigated extensively a way around this and unfortunately, we have not been able to get a larger allocation of luggage. Additional luggage may be added, IF there is room on the plane. At this stage, the plane is looking to be full and additional luggage is unlikely. Therefore we have included gear hire for the week on this trip.
Itinerary
We have tailored our dive itinerary towards Advanced Open Water divers so we can aim to dive the deeper dives at Balls Pyramid, as well as particular Admiralty Island dives (North Rock, 10th June deep, Gowers Pinnacle) etc. In saying that, if there are any OW certified divers, you will be able to attend the majority of the dive sites which are between 12M – 20M. There is of course the opportunity to maximise your dive holiday and complete your Advanced Open Water qualification so you are not restricted.
Specialities Suitable for this trip
Advanced Open Water (perfect for this trip)
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Underwater Photographer
Underwater Videographer
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Underwater Navigation
Project AWARE Fish ID
Shark Awareness
Underwater Naturalist
HOW TO BOOK
Please contact John or Lisa Gransbury directly on 07 3204 5857 or 0457 007 040 to book. Prices and availabity are now subject to availabilty of flights, accomodation and the dive operator.