Recomendations for diving in Auatralia, Fiji and Hawaii

[Limpet]

We are going on a round the world trip next year in March/April and would like a few recomendations:

1) Can anyone suggest a good liveaboard for three/four days to the Great Barrier Reef

2) Is a liveaboard or land based diving better in Fiji, any recommendations or places to avoid?

3) Has any one tried the only liveaboard in Hawaii, from the agressor fleet. What's it like? Any one have any comparisons to shore based diving in Hawaii?

Any info much apreciated

Thanks
Carron

[Mike Halligan]

We are going on a round the world trip next year in March/April and would like a few recomendations:

I know nothing of any of these areas, save that I suggest you check the probability of tropical storms around Fiji, possibly also Hawaii, at that time of year.

Regards,

Mike

[Dave]

We are going on a round the world trip next year in March/April and would like a few recomendations:

1) Can anyone suggest a good liveaboard for three/four days to the Great Barrier Reef

The best operator , I would say, is Mike Ball; very nice boats indeed. They are pricier than the others though. For a 3 day / 4 night trip, the Cod Hole would be a pretty good one to do.

They allow max dives depths of 50m (if qualified) and ,i f you have a redundant air source, they even permit solo diving

<a href="http://www.mikeball.com/Cod_Hole_Liveaboard_Dive_expedition_2_itinerary.ht m" >http://www.mikeball.com/Cod_Hole_Liveaboard_Dive_expedition_2_itinerary.ht m</a>

Dave

[FionaB]

I haven't been on Mike Ball but I know people who have, I went to GBR last year and we went with Undersea Explorer, we went for 7 day trip, I don't know if any are shorter, however we prefered this boat as it combines research and diving, the guests get the advantage of having a Marine Biologist onboard and we sent on one of the trips which did shark and nautilus research which was great, never having seen a nautilus! We went along way out - Osprey reef to do some shark counting which involved a shark attract, they don't feed sharks only bring them in with a bate box. We also did cod hole again no fish feeding, they don't have to the cods come in just with the divers being there. Although I have to say there were bigger Cods at Osprey reef. Undersea explorer was also cheaper than Mike Ball, it's horses for courses, depends on if you want waiting on hand and foot or a real diving experience you will never forget. I never will.
We are going on a round the world trip next year in March/April and would like a few recomendations:

1) Can anyone suggest a good liveaboard for three/four days to the Great Barrier Reef

2) Is a liveaboard or land based diving better in Fiji, any recommendations or places to avoid?

3) Has any one tried the only liveaboard in Hawaii, from the agressor fleet. What's it like? Any one have any comparisons to shore based diving in Hawaii?

Any info much apreciated

Thanks
Carron

[centurysup]

I've dived in Fiji when we stopped for a few days (in January) as part of a RTW trip. Can't comment at all on whether shore or liveaboard is best but what I can say is:

1. We stayed at the Shangri-La resort which has a dive shop on site. The hotel, dive shop and the dives were all excellent.

2. One of the Cousteau clan has a hotel on one of the islands. The diving there is supposed to be fantastic, but it's pricey. We probably would have gone there but didn't have the time.

3. Overall, Fiji's an ace place with really friendly people. Enjoy.


We are going on a round the world trip next year in March/April and would like a few recomendations:

1) Can anyone suggest a good liveaboard for three/four days to the Great Barrier Reef

2) Is a liveaboard or land based diving better in Fiji, any recommendations or places to avoid?

3) Has any one tried the only liveaboard in Hawaii, from the agressor fleet. What's it like? Any one have any comparisons to shore based diving in Hawaii?

Any info much apreciated

Thanks
Carron

[sharkbait]

My favourite dive in Oz is not on the barrier reef.
For something different go to South west rocks near Kempsey just inside the NSW border as you head south to Sydney has a superb grey nurse site. and an unforgetable 100m+ sea cave. (traditionally done on a single 12l without a line, with the skippers son. If your lucky you'll get a torch each. As for ponies and DSMB's......)Two bubble caves below sea level and generally a sleepy wobbeygong shark in the middle of it. Check out South west rocks on a search engine.
You will probably need to prove you are open water qualified with at least 15 dives ;-)
If the winds up from the east expect a 2-3m swell and a day on shore though.
- welcome to Oz.
Lots more great diving in NSW <a href="http://members.ozemail.com.au/~diving/index.html" >http://members.ozemail.com.au/~diving/index.html</a> has a great home page.
Also check out Vanuatu. The President Coolidge is rated as the best wreck in The Southern Hemisphere. Not exactly a tourist resort though, but better for it IMHO.

Have fun
I'm jealous.

[alison boler]

WAAHH! Just for a minute there I thought you meant the cave was AT 100m+. That would have been impressive on a single 12l ;O

Looks good.
Allie