Febrina | Papua New Guinea

Boat

Febrina is a steel monohull motor vessel with steel/aluminium superstructure, 22 meters in length with a 6 meters beam and twin propellors. It was built in 1972 in Western Australia and was purchased by her current owners - Max Benjamin and Alan Raabe, in 1991. Prior to delivering the boat from Australia to Papua New Guinea, the boat was totally refurbished to cater especially for divers and underwater photographers, with many further upgrades since then.

Febrina is a traditional, old style dive liveaboard, a very stable and extremely seaworthy motor boat, well set out and catering for serious divers and photographers who want a total PNG dive experience.

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.

Cabin

Febrina has 7 air-conditioned cabins that offers accommodation for 10 guests per trip.

All cabins are located on the lower deck, and equppied with individual A/C unites, ensuite bathroom, closet, hair dryer, outlet (220V).

1 Deluxe Double Cabin (No.7):
Located in the bow of the boat on the lower deck, this is the largest cabin onboard, comes with one double bed, separate bathroom and toilet, portholes.

2 Large Single Cabins (No.5 & 6):
Located in the front of the lower deck, each cabin comes with a large single lower bed and a single upper bunk, portholes.

2 Small Single Cabins (No.1 & 2):
Located in the aft section of the boat on the lower deck, each cabin comes with a large single bed and portholes. Note, these cabins have minimum floor space. Clothing storage is shelving and hooks.

2 Twin/Double Cabins (No.3 & 4):
Located in the aft section of the boat on the lower deck, each cabin comes with one double bed and one single bed in "L" bunk shape, portholes.

Diving

• 4 to 5 dives per day, include sunset / night dives.

• No dive provided on the day of arrival or departure.

• Only 2 dives will be provided on the day before departure.

• All diving will provide expericed guide to lead the dive.

• Nitrox：Available with additional cost
• 15L Tanks：limited tanks available with additional cost
• REBREATHER Dive：Available with additional cost
• Dive Equipment Rental：Available, rate on request, must book in advance
• Dive insurance：Divers travelling aboard must have valid dive insurance
• Wi-Fi Internet ：Not available at the moment
• Laundry Service：Available, light laundry free of charge
• Massage Service：Not available at the moment
• Payment on board：By cash (USD/PGK) ONLY
• Crew Number：unknown, include 2 dive guides

FeBrina Itineraries

MV FeBrina dives the areas of Kimbe Bay, the surrounding waters along the northern coast of New Britain such as Witu Islands to the north west and Fathers Reefs to the east, the Rabaul area and the Southern Coastline of New Britain. For selected departures, MV FeBrina also travels to other dive areas in Papua New Guinea.

The areas MV FeBrina dives are home to prolific and diverse marine creatures and corals. Each area has it's speciality and as most of our cruises cover at least two and often more destinations, we can offer many different types of diving in the one voyage.

Signature Itinerary

FeBrina's Signature Itinerary covers three areas of diving on the Northern Coast of New Britain Island. Working out of Walindi Resort in April, May, June, September, October and November, 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.

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, seamounts, reef walls, arches and overhanging ledges, to muck diving in rubbly black sand bays. Experience shark life up close with a shark attraction dive, watch from the water as dolphins play in the FeBrina bow wave or interact with the ever curious turtles at Fathers.

Mid Year Itinerary

FeBrina operates several 8 and 9 night Mid Year Itineraries during the year. During July and August, FeBrina operates itineraries from Walindi Resort to Rabaul and then from Rabaul to Walindi. These trips include diving at the Fathers Reefs area, in Kimbe Bay, around the Bainings area and in Rabaul Harbour.

Rabaul is well known for it's wreck dives, however FeBrina doesn't do the wrecks as they are specialty dives best covered by the local Rabaul dive operators. If you are particularly interested in exploring these wrecks, we recommend you stay a few days in Rabaul before or after your FeBrina trip and the dive operators at Rabaul-Kokopo Dive will be able to give you the full wreck experience.

Rabaul Mask Festival is held in July each year. FeBrina endeavours to operate two trips to coincide with this festival. One trip departs Walindi and finishes 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. As we schedule our trips many years in advance, sometimes the trip dates work and sometimes they don't. Contact our reservations staff for more information on whether our July trips will work for the festival in any given year.

South Coast New Britain

During March every year, MV FeBrina relocates to Rabaul and dives the Southern coastline of New Britain and New Ireland. FeBrina travels as far as Lindenhaven and Gasmata along the South Coast of New Britain.

South Coast New Britain diving is a wonderland of rare and unusual critters and this itinerary will suit those divers who really enjoy macro diving, although there are some spectacular wide angle dives as well. Most of the diving is on fringing reefs and channels coming into lagoons. This is quite different diving to the seamounts and deep drop-offs of Kimbe Bay and our North Coast itineraries.

This itinerary includes a day of critter diving around the Rabaul Harbour jetties. Rabaul is also well known for its wreck dives, however, FeBrina doesn't do the wrecks as they are speciality dives best covered by the local Rabaul dive operators. If you are particularly interested in exploring these wrecks, we recommend you stay a few days in Rabaul before or after your FeBrina trip and the dive operators at Rabaul-Kokopo Dive will be able to give you the full wreck experience.