FeBrina
FeBrina is a comfortable 72-foot air-conditioned liveaboard diving the prolific and diverse reefs of Kimbe Bay and beyond. The seven cabins accommodate a maximum of twelve guests. Retrofitted in March 2010, all cabins now feature private bathrooms. There is one double cabin with a double bed, Four double or twin cabins with a lower double bed and an upper single bunk, one double cabin in the bow with a large double bed and two smaller single cabins with a large single bed. All cabins have individual climate controls, sinks, portholes, and hair dryers.
The dive deck is spacious and offers plenty of space to get around comfortably. Indeed, as it’s a dive boat built on purpose, the design was made smart, in the scuba divers best interests. The underwater photography enthusiast will surely like the camera station, including charging outlets, which is right on the dive deck.
FeBrina cruises from Walindi Dive Resort, and the six to ten night itineraries vary to best suit the conditions at that particular time of year and offer up to five dives per day. April to June and September to December, FeBrina’s itinerary includes Fathers Reef and Witu Islands. FeBrina relocates to east New Britain Island very briefly during the middle of the year to coincide with the mask festival in Rabaul. From January to March, FeBrina dives Milne Bay, world famous for its critter diving and diversity of marine life. Most of the diving is from FeBrina's spacious dive deck with easy access via the water level dive platform, but an 18-foot tender is also available. FeBrina offers Nitrox.
MV FeBrina is a steel monohull motor vessel with steel/aluminium superstructure, 73 feet in length with a 20 foot beam and twin propellors. Built in 1972 in Western Australia with major refits in 1977, 2010 and 2013, MV FeBrina is a traditional, old style dive liveaboard, purpose built for divers.
Ship Layout
MV FeBrina has three decks, the lower deck houses the guest accommodation and engine room. The main deck is where you will find the saloon and galley, dive deck, dive platform and an area for relaxing in the sun on the bow. The wheelhouse, laundry and crew quarters are located on the upper deck.
Main Deck
MV FeBrina's main deck is the mid level deck on the boat. This is the social hub of the vessel, with the saloon/dining room, galley, bar area and dive deck on this level. There is also an area on the bow of the boat for relaxing in the sun between dives.
Accommodation Deck
MV FeBrina has accommodation for 12 passengers in 7 air-conditioned cabins, all of which are on the lower deck. Access is via traditional ladder type staircases from the main deck. Air conditioning units are all individual split system units, controlled from your cabin. Each cabin has a plentiful supply of towels, with used towels being collected daily for laundering. The cabins have been custom built to make maximum use of space available. Bathroom facilities all have regular flush toilets.
Signature Itinerary
from/to Walindi - Diving Kimbe Bay, Witus, Fathers - FeBrina's 'Signature Itinerary' covers three areas of diving on the Northern Coast of New Britain Island. Working out of Walindi Resort during the best weather months for the area (April, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov), FeBrina visits the "must dive" sites in Kimbe Bay, at Witu Islands and also the Fathers Reefs area. Signature Itineraries are typically 9 and 10 nights long.
With an eight to ten hour steam between all three areas, you will be truly "getting away from it all" on a 'Signature Itinerary' departure. Very rarely will you see another diver on a reef while at Witu islands or Fathers Reefs, other than your fellow FeBrina guests.
This itinerary gives a fantastic cross section of many different dive types, from coral gardens, sea mounts, reef walls, arches and overhanging ledges, to muck diving in rubbly black sand bays, watching from the water as dolphins play in the FeBrina bow wave or interacting with the ever curious turtles.
Mid Year Itinerary
from/to Walindi - Diving Kimbe Bay & Witu Islands OR Fathers/Lolobau - Jun/Jul/Aug 2017
Kimbe Bay to Rabaul or vice versa
FeBrina operates several 8 night Mid Year Itineraries during the year.
During July and August, Febrina covers two areas of diving on the Northern Coast of New Britain Island. Working out of Walindi Resort, FeBrina dives in Kimbe Bay and Fathers Reefs, including Lolobau Island.
In July, FeBrina operates two 'Mid Year' trips in conjunction with the Rabaul Mask Festival. One trip will depart Walindi and finish in Rabaul, arriving at the start of the festival. And the second trip departs from Rabaul at the end of the festival and returns to Walindi. Diving for these two departures covers Kimbe Bay and Fathers Reefs, plus a day diving around Rabaul.
The 8 night 'Mid Year' itineraries in the shoulder months, late June and late November operate out of Walindi and also cover two areas, Kimbe Bay and either Witu Islands OR Fathers Reefs, whichever has the best diving at the time.
Other Itineraries
Dive areas may be: Rabaul - Milne Bay - Tufi
During the early months of the year, MV FeBrina relocates to take advantage of best weather months in selected areas of Papua New Guinea and offer alternative itineraries for repeat clientele. Alternate itineraries differ from year to year and include South Coast New Britain (out of Rabaul) and Milne Bay (out of Alotau).
South Coast New Britain diving is a wonderland of rare and unusual critters. Most of the diving is on fringing reefs and lagoons. This is quite different diving to the sea mounts and deep drop offs of Kimbe Bay and our North Coast itineraries.
Milne Bay area will excite lovers of pelagic fish as well as the smaller reef dwellers. Manta rays are regularly sighted on one particular reef.
A stopover in the Tufi area is included on Rabaul to Milne Bay trips and diving includes a mix of critters and pelagics, along with stunning above water scenery.
Check out the trip HERE
