Cairns Dive Adventures

Tour Length: 7 nights & 6 days | Operates: Year round
Destination: Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs & Coral Sea
Departs: Thursday 6pm | Returns: Thursday 8am
Transfers available: Yes, free from all Cairns City Hotels

This tour is the latest addition to the Mike Ball Dive Expeditions portfolio of dive trips.  A 450 mile Coral Sea Safari, this trip lasts seven nights, with six days of unlimited scuba diving on the best dive sites of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea.  Dive alongside man-sized Potato Cod at the world famous Cod Hole, explore spectacular, shallow water coral gardens, teeming with large schools of bait fish, be amazed at the diversity of reef and open water sharks, see green and loggerhead sea turtles and at the right time of year (June and July) dive with Minkie Whales on the Ribbon Reefs offshore from Cooktown.

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has been operating since 1969, its 30m vessel, Spoilsport, is Australia’s most award liveaboard dive boat and is guaranteed to maximise passenger comfort and smooth journey conditions.  This tour is fully inclusive of transfers, accommodation, chef prepared meals, soft drinks and Australian wine served with dinner. Tailored specifically for those with a passion for underwater photographer, you will find the facilities and onboard expertise, second to none.

Highlights & Inclusions

• 7 nights and 6 days, liveaboard dive trip
• Up to 28 dives
• 11 person crew: Max 28 Passengers
• Chef prepared gourmet meals
• Complimentary soft drinks and Australian wines (with dinner)
• Club Accommodation: twin share, bunks with private bathroom
• Daily cabin service
• Visit to Lizard Island

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are one of the most highly esteemed dive operators in the industry.  With more than 40 years experience, they are dedicated to ensuring divers of all experience levels maximise their enjoyment and dive time on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea.  This trip is recommended for experienced divers and Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are the only operator to provide solo diving on the Great Barrier Reef with rebreather supervisors on board.  There is also the option of increasing your dive qualifications during the trip, with a number of PADI and SDI dive courses available (at extra cost).  To maximise your education and enjoyment of the trip, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions provide complimentary Reef Ecology presentations on board, providing information on the World Heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef its fish and diverse marine life.

Passenger comfort is top of mind on this liveaboard scuba diving trip, which is perfect for those who may suffer from sea-sickness.  Spoilsport, a 30m vessel has a twin-hull design to provide superior stability in all weather conditions.  Its spacious air-conditioned interior provides plenty of space to relax when you are not in the water, or you can choose to spend time on the sundeck with optional shade sail.  Cabin service is provided daily by the 11 person crew, who are on hand at all times to provide any assistance and advice you may require.  Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has Advanced Ecotourism Accreditation from Ecotourism Australia and Spoilsport has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Rodale Reader Choice awards for Best Liveaboard and Most Environmentally Sensitive liveaboard dive boat.

Dive Notes

• Recommended dive experience level: Advanced
• Adventure level: mid to high, pending weather conditions, winds, swells and currents
• You will need to bring your dive certification with you
• Standard is three (3) dive sites per day
• Photographer ‘friendly’ with three (3) large camera tables
• Low key photo comp on every expedition
• Underwater photographer and video services available
• Nitrox fills are available, at an extra cost
• PADI and SDI dive courses are available on board, including Nitrox, at an extra cost
• Solo diving as per Mike Ball Safe Solo System
• Two (2) large inflatables for personalised dive services
• Night dives included

Mike Ball: Sample Coral Sea Liveaboard Dive Safari Itinerary
Thursday: It’s the first day of your Cairns Dive Safari Adventure!  To ensure the boat gets away on time, it is requested that you please check your luggage in at 143 Lake Street, prior to 4pm.  You have the day to enjoy Cairns city and all of its attractions, including shopping, dining, art galleries and cinemas.  The meeting point for transfer to your vessel is at Cairns Corporate Tower on Lake St, where you will be met by the friendly crew at 6pm.  Enjoy a welcome platter of cheese and fruit on arrival, and settle into your Spoilsport accommodation as the vessel prepares for departure.  Dinner is served as Spoilsport makes its way from Cairns and heads up the coastline to the pristine Ribbon Reefs, which is where your dive adventure begins tomorrow morning.

Friday: Everyone likes to start the day with coffee and on Spoilsport, this is delivered to your cabin on day 1.  Ease your way into the day with a hot cooked breakfast, because you will need all your energy for the adventure that it about to begin.  The Cod Hole is like no dive site anywhere on earth.  Home to giant Potato Cod, who are friendly enough for some amazing dive photographs, this experience will stay with you forever.  Other encounters of day 1 may include Maori Wrasse (another giant Great Barrier Reef fish), moray eels, spotted rays, green sea turtles (so graceful!) and reef sharks.  All of these critters live amongst simply amazing coral gardens, in crystal clear water.  There is the option of a night dive tonight, before you depart the Ribbon Reef and make your way to the open waters of the Coral Sea.

Saturday & Sunday: Wake up on the Coral Sea, at Osprey Reef. Overnight you have travelled 100 miles north-east and today’s diving will be on a whole new world.  Enjoy amazing viability, up to 40, and sheer walls that drop more than 1,000m.  Osprey Reef is home to giant soft coral trees, massive gorgonian coral fans and simply too many sharks to mention.  Mike Ball Dive Expeditions generally visits three different dive sites per day, so you will enjoy multiple dives on numerous sites, exploring the wonders of this amazing underwater world.  Your energy will be kept up with a wonderful selection of chef prepared meals including seafood luncheons with fresh prawns and baked barramundi, roast dinners with seasonal vegetables and even an Aussie BBQ featuring steak, chicken, kangaroo and more.  On Sunday night, as you sleep, Spoilsport makes its way back to the Ribbon Reefs.

Monday: After a light breakfast, tender transfer over to Lizard Island to enjoy some time on land.  Captain James Cook once climbed the summit of this island, to try and navigate a way through the reef systems, and you too can enjoy sweeping views over the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef.  There is plenty of time to explore the island and features include a stroll around Watson’s Bay, visit to Mrs Watson’s cottage and Chinaman’s Ridge and explore the Pandanus Swamp.  At noon, return to Spoilsport for a delicious lunch of freshly-prepared pizzas before an afternoon of diving at the Cod Wall and Cod Hole (once is never enough!).  Night dives are on offer tonight and should you choose to participate, then you can explore the wonders of Challenger Bay and might even see some barracuda.

Tuesday: You are back on the Ribbon Reef’s for more amazing diving today, starting with Lighthouse Bommie, which is home to large schools of trevally, barracuda and fusiliers.  Rising 30m and ending five metres below the surface, the bommie is a great place to see Minkie Whales in June and July.  Another Tuesday dive site is the Acropolis Plateau which is bursting with corals, baitfish and predatory fish.   Other dive sites include Andy’s Postcard and the Clam Beds.

Wednesday: The final day of diving offers more wonderful locations on the Ribbon Reefs, including Flare Point, Joani’s Joy, Steve’s Bommie.  Reef critters you may encounter include, but are not limited to: eagle rays, turtles, moray eels, unicorn fish, cuttlefish, octopus, flame file shells and reef sharks.  Tonight there is an international BBQ (remember to pack your “loud” shirt) served with all the trimmings and salads, as Spoilsport begins its return to Cairns.

Thursday: Spoilsport arrives back into Cairns early in the morning.  A light breakfast served, before you end your Great Barrier Reef, Cold Hole and Coral Sea dive adventure at 8am, with courtesy coach transfers to your accommodation.

Passenger Notes

• Scuba diving is not suitable for children under 8 years of age.
• Non-diving children, 8-15 years, receive a 25% discount on tour price.
• What is not included in the ticket price? Marine Park Levy ($18), Gear Hire, Nitrox Fills, any dive courses taken on board, drinks outside of evening meal time.