FebrinaWalindi

MV FeBrina is managed by Walindi Plantation in West New Britain and run by an extremely professional and experienced team, made up of ex-pats and locals. Together, they will find you the best dive spots for the day, so going on FeBrina is never a wrong decision. She offers mainly diving in the Bismarck Sea, but also offers Rabaul and New Hanover excursions.

Cruises are offered from 8 to 12 nights. The daily routine allows up to 5 dives a day with an early morning dive, a late morning dive, an after lunch dive, an afternoon dive and a night dive.

The 22m (72 ft) long M.V. FeBrina is fully air conditioned and accommodates guests in single and double/twin cabins. A maximum of 12 divers can be accommodated on board. FeBrina has 2 cabins which are exclusive single use cabins. An extensive refit in 2011 has made FeBrina even more comfortable with a whole new interior look. An additional deck accommodates the crew above the main deck. All guest cabins now feature ensuite bathrooms with showers.

There is no sun deck with deck chairs, but there is a comfortable, shaded sitting area on the dive deck. Also, for those who love to sit in the sun, there is space on the bow. Febrina's main feature is the fantastic dive deck, which is ideal for photographers. A new camera table has been added to the spacious back deck area allowing for convenient handling of that precious equipment. Most diving is from FeBrina's dive deck with easy access via the water level dive platform.

Diving is done mostly from the spacious dive deck of FeBrina. For some drift dives, or to get to some special reefs, FeBrina will use the dinghy to get divers to and from the dive site. The dive crew on FeBrina does have a very good eye to spot the rare and fantastic marine animals and they are very helpful if you are after something special. FeBrina is very well equipped for underwater photographers and videographers. A large table on the back deck is where all the costly gear can be serviced and prepared. Special shelves with 110V and 220V power outlets are there to accommodate all re-charging needs. NITROX fills for NITROX certified divers are available (additional charges apply).

Owner's Stateroom (#7): is on the Forward Dolphin Deck. It is a large cabin with Double Bed, Private Facilities: shower and toilet are in two separate ensuite rooms. The cabin comes with a wardrobe, mirror, hairdryer, soaps, fresh towels daily, personal laundry daily.

2 Deluxe Cabins (#5, #6): they are also on the Forward Dolphin Deck. each cabin has 1 small double bed (1.25m/4 ft wide) and a single upper bunk, the single upper bunks are the same orientation as the lower double bed. The cabins come with a wardrobe, mirror, hairdryer, soaps, fresh towels daily, personal laundry daily.

2 Large Deluxe Twin Cabins (#3, #4): These cabins are on the Aft Dolphin Deck, eqach has a 1 small double bed (1.25m/4 ft wide) and a single upper bunk, the single bunk is at right angles to the lower double. The cabins have private facilities, porthole view, a wardrobe, mirror, hairdryer, soaps, fresh towels daily and personal laundry daily.

2 Single Cabins (#1, #2): Also located at the Aft Dolphin Deck, each cabin has 1 large single bed, private facilities, porthole view, a wardrobe, mirror, hairdryer, soaps, fresh towels daily, personal laundry daily.

FeBrina offers the unique combination of Walindi's outstanding coral reef dives in Kimbe Bay with the excitement of diving in the deep clear waters of the Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs further offshore where big pelagics are the center of interest.

Characteristics of the West New Britain area include the huge range of giant soft coral species, the abundance of barrel and elephant sponges and the prolific marine life. Coral can grow to enormous sizes in Kimbe Bay, as it is so well sheltered there. Sometimes plate corals just collapse under their own heavy weight, because they grow bigger here than normally. Whale, orca and dolphin encounters are not unusual in the area.

Rabaul and the South Coast of New Britain are a critter lover's heaven. White sand beaches and uninhabited tropical islands stretch along the Southern coastline of New Britain Island, with rainforest coming right down to the waters edge. The channels between the islands invite for drift diving, however the specialty of this region is the amazing variety of rarely seen and unusual critters. For more details please refer to "Diving" in our Papua New Guinea section.

Febrina itineraries allow selecting dive sites subject to weather and sea conditions to give you the best possible dive experience at the time. Febrina operates in Bismark Sea, which is located between the Islands of West New Britain and New Ireland (Kavieng). Febrina's trips are between 7 and 12 nights long. Most trips are from/to Walindi Plantation Resort. Depending the length of the excursion, Kimbe Bay dive sites near Walindi, the Witu Islands (north-west of Kimbe Bay), and Fathers Reefs (to the north-east) are part of it. The "Tour de Force Itinerary" covers also diving in New Hannover's waters around Kavieng. There are also trips between Kimbe Bay and Rabaul (Southern coastline of New Britain Island).

Signature Itinerary
from/to Walindi. Dive areas: Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands, Fathers Reefs. Each year April-May and Sepember-November.

Tour de Force Itinerary
from/to Walindi. Dive areas: Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands, New Hanover (Kavieng) and Fathers Reefs. Each year April-May.

Mid Year Itineraries
from/to Walindi. Dive areas: Kimbe Bay & Witu Isands OR Fathers Reefs/Lolobau Island. Each year June-August.
OR:
from Kimbe Bay to Rabaul and vice versa. Each year in July.

South Coast Itinerary
In Feb/Mar each year, FeBrina offers specials excursions to the South Coast of New Britain (from/to Rabaul). Amongst the highlights of this barely explored area is Lindenhaven - an island-studded lagoon close to the mainland. It lies straight off the Solomon Trench in the Solomon Sea, which happens to be the third deepest part of the world's oceans. On previous trips, creatures such as the Purple leaf-fish, Halamina ghost pipefish, winged pipefish, flying gurnards and countless nudibranch were spotted.

New Hanover Itinerary
New Hanover waters around Kavieng offers divers a huge variety of marine life. There are fantastic pristine coral gardens, sponges, many different species of nudibranchs and tropical fish. There is spectacular pelagic activity in the channels that seperate the island groups and this offers adventure diving at its very best! Special New Hanover excursions are offered in Nov/Dec.

The experience and expertise of the dive crew and the skipper Alan Raabe are outstanding. If you are "hunting" to see that special fish, nudibranch or coral, Alan and his competent team of dive guides will go out of their way to make sure you see it - If they don't find it, it's not there! The variety of itineraries is offering a wide spectrum of diving in PNG and one Febrina trip is not enough in a diver’s life.