Product Name:
Mike Ball – Spoilsport: Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition – 5 Night
FROM: $3,111.00
Discover the underwater wonders of Osprey Reef, the Ribbon Reefs, and the legendary Cod Hole in Australia. Dive into a world of vibrant coral gardens, encounter friendly potato cod, and experience thrilling drift dives. Don't miss out on this extraordinary diving adventure! Departs Every Thursday!
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Call: + 61 7 4041 1638
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$3,111.00
All Prices in Australian Dollars.
Camera Special
*FREE UNDERWATER CAMERA HIRE
Book this trip with us, you must spend over $550.00 AUD to receive our 1 x Free Cairns Underwater Camera Hire. Only when you book online thru our website. You must come into our Cairns Esplanade Shop to pick up the camera the day before departure day before 5:30 pm. You also need to supply your own SD Card. Reserve your camera today!
*Not valid for any tours visiting the islands. Fine white sand damages the seals on the cameras and makes them leak!
Please Remember there is no other way to collect our cameras! All passengers must come into our shop the day before departure day before 5:30 pm.
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Can't decide? We have personally been on every Cairns reef and diving trip. We can help you choose the best tour, to suit your experience and budget.
Product Name:
Mike Ball – Spoilsport: Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition – 5 Night
Tour Type: 4 Day / 5 Night Trips | Operates: Weekly | Departs: Thursday 6pm | Returns: Tuesdays 8am | Transfers: No
HIGHLIGHTS:
Discover the underwater wonders of Osprey Reef, the Ribbon Reefs, and the legendary Cod Hole in Australia. Dive into a world of vibrant coral gardens, encounter friendly potato cod, and experience thrilling drift dives. Don't miss out on this extraordinary diving adventure! Departs Every Thursday!
| AVAILABLE ON THIS TOUR: | |
|---|---|
| Certified Scuba Diving: Yes, Advanced Dive Certification Required | All Snorkel Gear Yes, Snorkel, Fins, Mask and Life Jackets |
| Meals: Yes, Hot & Cold Breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner! | Guided Dives: No, But there will be instructors in the water on every dive. The crew give fantastic dive briefings! |
| Hot Showers and Toilets: All Cabins Have Private Bathrooms Except Budget Cabins | Full Dive Gear: Yes, Extra Cost See Price List |
| Underwater Photographer Friendly: Yes, Camera Bucket and Camera Area Available | Outer Reef: Yes Ribbon Reefs & Osprey Reef Shark Dive |
Enjoy 5-Nights / 18 x Dives
Scuba Diving the Coral Sea in Australia is a shark lovers paradise! This remote area dive destination (Osprey Reef) offers 1,000m wall drop-offs, amazing visibility often 30+ meters, outstanding marine life and more reef sharks than you can poke a stick at! In fact, the ‘North Horn Dive Site’ located at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea is considered in the world’s top 10 shark feed dive sites.
Expedition Highlights
5 Night Coral Sea Ribbon Reefs featuring:
- Coral Sea: The azure and fathomless water of the Coral Sea is the playground for sharks and big fish action in exceptional visibility. Huge soft coral trees and sea fans will impress.
Coral Sea Dive Sites - Ribbon Reefs: The potato cod grouper at the Cod Hole are a highlight, however it is the rich biodiversity of fish species and coral that make this section of the Great Barrier Reef so incredible. Ribbon Reef Dive Sites
Get Spoilt
Spoilsport is Australia’s most awarded liveaboard.
Enjoy sumptuous cuisine and a superb combination of diver conveniences, space & stability.
Weather
The most reliable Coral Sea access is September to January. Spoilsport’s favourite dive locations will be selected should weather force an itinerary change.
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has been running liveaboard dive expeditions since 1969 and provides trips from Cairns to the Coral Sea, with weekly departures (Departing Cairns every Thursday). Please note that the Coral Sea is 230km East of the Queensland coastline and 350km north-east of Cairns: this is remote scuba diving. Safe diving is paramount and this trip is recommended for scuba divers with an advanced diver certification level or higher. In fact, if you only have your Open Water Dive license then it is recommended you upgrade your dive license to Advanced certification before embarking on this expedition.
Mike Balls dive boat “Spoilsport” offers regular air and nitrox diving for couples and groups of people who just want to fun dive and enjoy some of Australias very best diving. Mike Ball is also the only dive boat running trips to the Coral Sea and Osprey Reef that offers solo scuba diving and rebreather services. Full or part dive gear can be hired at an extra charge (See price table below).
Spoilsport, Mike Ball’s 30m twin-hull boat, is Australia’s most awarded liveaboard dive boat. It takes a maximum of 28 guests and 12 crew, spread across its three levels of air-conditioned interior. Its 14 guest cabins are serviced daily and configured to suit a range of budget/itinerary options.
Budget cabins have twin bunk beds (shared bathroom); club cabins have twin bunk beds with private ensuite bathroom; standard cabins have twin beds with ocean views and private ensuite bathroom; premium cabins have a queen bed, ocean views and private ensuite bathroom.
The top deck is all about passenger comfort, with its spacious lounge and saloon opening out to the exterior sun deck, while the middle deck houses all passenger accommodation and the dive deck. There is an onboard chef preparing all your meals and snacks.
Premium Rooms:
Have a 1 x Queen Bed or 1 x Double Bed with private bathroom and Premium Ocean Views.
Standard Rooms:
Have low-level Twin Beds (2 x Single Beds) with private bathroom and Ocean Views.
Club Rooms:
Twin Bunk Beds, (2 x Single Beds) 1 bed on top and 1 bed below with private bathroom.
Budget Rooms:
Have Bunks Beds, (2 x Single Beds) 1 bed on top and 1 bed below with a shared bathroom outside the room in the hall.
Click here to Download the Mike Ball Room Layout and Vessel Specification Guide.
All prices in Australian Dollars:
| CHOOSE OPTION | PRICE | TOTAL DIVES |
|---|---|---|
| ROOM TYPE: | ||
| Adult Premium Cabin | $4,550.00 | 18 dives |
| Adult Standard Cabin | $4,179.00 | 18 dives |
| Adult Club Cabin | $3,651.00 | 18 dives |
| Adult Budget | $3,111.00 | 18 dives |
| - | - | - |
| PADI DIVE COURSES: | ||
| PADI Advanced Course | $280.00 | - |
| PADI Nitrox Course | $310.00 | - |
| EXTRAS: | ||
| Full Dive Gear Hire | $44 per day | - |
| Nitrox Tank Fills | $25 per day | - |
| - | - | |
Itinerary:
Itinerary
Sample itinerary, subject to change based on conditions.
Thursday:
- Check in at our office (3 Abbott St, Cairns) between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm.
- From 4.30 pm: Make your own way to meet your fellow passengers. The meeting point for boarding is at 5:30pm, further details will be given at check-in. Please note that dinner is not provided on the first evening so you may wish to eat before boarding.
- 5.50 pm: Our crew will lead you to board Spoilsport. Enjoy a glass of champagne and light snacks while your Trip Director provides a full briefing.
- 6:00 pm: Spoilsport departs Cairns.
- Time to organise any rental equipment and put your dive gear together on the dive deck.
Friday: (4 dives + night dive) This is a sample of a ‘typical day’, however exact times may vary to optimise the prevailing weather conditions on the day.
- 6:30 am: Wake up call, light breakfast available in dining room
- 7:00 am: Full cooked Breakfast
- 8:00 am: Dive brief
- 9:00 am: Diving commences
- 10:30 am: Dive brief & diving. “Open decks” accommodate 1-2 dives either am or pm
- 2:00 pm: Lunch
- 3:30 pm: Dive brief & diving
- 4:30 pm: Afternoon Tea
- 6:30 pm: Night dive brief & dive
- 8:00 pm: Dinner
Saturday: (4 dives + night dive)
- As per above.
Sunday: (3 dives + night dive)
- As per above.
Monday: (4 dives)
- As per above, however all diving is finished by 5pm.
- As the sun sets we pour the champagne, lay out the nibbles and get ready for an Aussie BBQ party night. Don’t forget to wear your loudest tropical shirt or dress and sing along to music played by our talented crew.
- Overnight cruise to Cairns
Tuesday:
- 7:00 am: Light breakfast
- 8:00 am: Disembark and courtesy transfer to Cairns inner city hotels, the airport or our office where we can store your luggage until 5pm if you have a later flight.
Important:
- We recommend that you allow 24 hours between your last dive and your onward flight (all diving is finished by 5pm Monday).
Diving:
This trip is recommended to advanced certified divers: open water certification is a minimum requirement, but please note that some of the Coral Sea reef sites do not even start until 18m beneath the surface.
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions does allow solo diving, but only for divers with a Solo Certification (you can complete one of these on board, but must have an Advanced Certification and evidence of at least 100 logged dives).
Scuba divers travelling on their own will be paired up with other divers on board, who have similar experience / skill levels. All dives are guided so this gives you the freedom to buddy up and explore the reef in your own buddy pairs.
The Coral Sea dive sites have 1,000m wall drop-offs. In regards to maximum dive depths on Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, depth guidelines are based on individual diver experience and industry standards. The maximum depth, for divers with appropriate certification and experience, is 40m. Dives in excess of 40 metres (132ft) to a maximum of 50 metres (165ft) can only be undertaken by divers with a minimum experience of 100 dives with 25 deeper than 30 metres (100ft) including one to a depth within 3 metres of dive being undertaken.
Dive safety is paramount on these trips, especially given the remote location of Osprey Reef. There is no reverse profiling. There are no set limits on dive time: although divers must return to the boat with a minimum of 50 bar of air left in their tanks.
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has an open dive deck policy, allowing you to dive as much, or as little, as you like. Most certified divers will do up to five (5) dives per day (2 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon plus a night dive). On a normal itinerary, Spoilsport will visit up to three (3) different dive sites per day.
Diving equipment is not included in the tour price. You are welcome to bring your own or hire it on the boat ($160 for 4 day full equipment rental). All divers are required to use a Nautilus Lifeline GPS (these are included). Extras include: Nitrox and the choice to participate in some dive courses (PADI Advanced or Nitrox).
Certified divers can enjoy up to 14 dives on this trip: you do not have to do all of the dives, do as many or as few as you like.
Certified divers will be required to show evidence of their certification: through current dive licenses and log books. All divers will be required to sign a Waiver Release and Indemnity Deed on board the boat. You will also be required to complete dive medical paperwork on board.
Snorkeling:
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are just that, dive trips. However, snorkelers and non-diving partners are more than welcome to join in. Please note that the Coral Sea does not really have any suitable snorkel sites, although some snorkelling may be enjoyed on the first day in the Ribbon Reefs. Discounts apply for snorkelers: contact us for more information on prices.
Customer Reviews:
CUSTOMER TOUR REVIEWS & FEEDBACK
Customer reviews are written by our customers using our 1 x FREE Digital Underwater Camera Hire Service. Remember to collect our camera you do need to come into our shop the day before departure day before 5:30 pm to pick up the camera. You also need to supply your own SD camera card.
By: Andrew Morris
Staff Service - 5 out of 5
Reef Quality - 4 out of 5
Vaue For Money - 5 out of 5
Overall Rating - 5 out of 5
Travelled on: 05/11/2020
The professional service from Clint at Cairns Dive Adventures and the Mike Ball Diving team was flawless. I would recommend both companies to everyone. They helped create an unforgettable travelling experience, which I will be repeating sooner than later.
Full Reviews:
CAIRNS DIVE ADVENTURES TRIP REVIEWS:
Here you will find our dive trip reviews. Our staff have completed over 700 dives on the Great Barrier Reef. We love our scuba diving and we love to write reviews on what you can expect to see and do on a dive trip. See our full range of Cairns Dive Adventures trip reviews.
Mike Ball Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition – 5 Night Trip Review
By Clint |
Sharks, 1000 meter walls, giant pink and red safans, massive schools of trevally! Dive the famous Steve's Bommie, North Horn Shark Dive, False Entrance Dive Sites. Enjoy 30+ Meter Underwater visibility! Some of the best diving in the World!
Mike Ball – Spoilsport – Coral Sea Review
By Clint |
Just spectacular! Some of the best diving I have ever done! The shark feed is a real eye-opener and some of my best photos and video from the trip. The crew is fantastic with wonderful chef-prepared meals.
All prices in Australian Dollars.
We accept VISA & MC with no booking fees.
Choose your options on the booking form.
Press the red book now button.
Remember to try any form of scuba diving everyone needs to be medically fit with no asthma and not be taking any prescription medication. PADI recommends allowing up to 24 hours after diving before flying in an airplane. Some tour operators have a no refund policy for any dives not completed for whatever reason. Please note the art of freediving is not permitted on any of the day boats or liveaboard dive boats from Cairns & Port Douglas. With the high instances of (shallow water blackout) companies do not allow this for safety reasons. It is highly recommended that passengers take out full comprehensive travel insurance for all tours and travel arrangements.
Do you have Medical Issues:
Please note if you have any medical issues you will need to go see your local GP where you live and get them to write you a letter on the practice letterhead signed and dated by your doctor that you are “Fit to dive” If you have one of these letters then all dive companies in Cairns will take you diving. Please note these letters are only valid for three months from their date of issue.
Rates include:
- Accommodation
- Delicious meals & snacks, wine, and soft drinks are included with the evening meal.
- Tanks, air fills, and weight belts.
- Daily cabin service.
- Reef ecology program.
- Dive computer workshop.
- Transfer to the airport or Cairns hotel after your expedition.
Dive Experience Required: You will need to have your Advanced Dive Certification, or 15 logged ocean dives including 5 dives in last 12 months.
Special
FREE UNDERWATER CAMERA HIRE*
Spend over $550.00 AUD on your Great Barrier Reef tour with us and receive the latest Digital Underwater Camera Hire. Take amazing High-Resolution images and 1080 HD Video. Only when you book online thru our website.
Not available for any tours to the Islands as fine white sand damages the seals on the cameras and makes them leak!
You need to come into our shop located on the Cairns Esplanade the day before departure to pick up the camera before 5:30 pm. You also need to supply your own SD Camera Card and drop the camera off back at our shop before 5:30pm.
Please Remember there is no other way to collect our cameras! All passengers must come into our shop the day before departure day before 5:30 pm.