Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (4 Days / 3 Nights - 12 Dives)
Trip highlights: turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (including Snake Pit, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle, Goggle Gardens, Flare Point, Trolly Shoal and Steve's Bommie)
Day 1
Your journey kicks off early in the morning at the Mike Ball office, where you'll meet your fellow guests and dive team for the first time. After a short introduction, safety briefing, and completing the necessary paperwork, you'll transfer to Cairns General Aviation Airport. There, you'll board a flight, offering you stunning aerial views of Endeavour Reef and the Ribbon Reefs on your way to Lizard Island.
Upon landing, the Spoilsport liveaboard crew will be ready to welcome you. Once on board, enjoy light refreshments and soft drinks as the tour director gives a detailed orientation about the vessel, safety protocols, and the exciting itinerary ahead. Just after mid=day, you' ll gear up for your first dive a relaxed check dive designed to fine-tune your equipment and give the guides a chance to assess your diving comfort and skills. Later in the day you'll head out for your second dive, before having some time to relax, settle-in, and enjoy a first dinner.
Day 2-3
Each dive on the Great Barrier Reef promises a variety of incredible encounters - look out for bumphead parrotfish grazing on coral, large potato cods curiously approaching divers, sweetlips schooling along the reefs, and even the chance to spot white-tip reef sharks cruising nearby. At Cod Hole, you'll meet the famous, friendly giant potato cods, known for their close interactions with divers.
Moving along the Ribbon Reefs, each site offers something unique. Snake Pit is known for its olive sea snakes, while Lighthouse Bommie and Pixie Pinnacle are hotspots for pelagic fish, schooling trevally, and reef sharks, as well as clouds of colourful anthias fluttering above the corals. At Goggle Gardens and Flare Point, you'll find healthy coral formations full of life, and Trolly Shoal offers scenic drift dives over dramatic reef structures. Finally, at Steve's Bommie, one of the top dive sites in the area, expect to encounter everything from nudibranchs and lionfish to barracuda, moray eels, and occasional manta rays, or even a curious leopard shark.
Each site brings a new adventure, making this part of the Great Barrier Reef a true diver's paradise.
Day 4
Wake up back in Cairns and start your morning with a final continental breakfast on board. Afterwards, gather with your fellow divers for some group photos to capture the memories of your trip. Then it‘s time to say your goodbyes as you disembark from Spoilsport. The crew will arrange your onward transfer.
Bougainville & Osprey Reef (5 Days / 4 Nights - 14 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea: Bougainville (including Crystal Plateau, Dungeons & Dragons, MV Antonio Tarabocchia), Osprey Reef (including False Entrance and Amphitheatre).
Day 1
Join us at the Mike Ball office for check-in and introductions before transferring to the harbour to board Spoilsport. Settle in with refreshments during a comprehensive welcome briefing covering safety procedures and itinerary details. As evening falls, we'll depart on our overnight voyage to the Coral Sea's pristine dive sites.
Days 2-4
This is a mini safari of 2 of the best locations in Australia's premiere diving destination. At Bougainville Reef, you'll explore spectacular sites like Crystal Plateau, where coral gardens shimmer with pristine hard corals and colourful reef fish dart between the formations. Dungeons & Dragons offers an adventurous swim-through experience, weaving through caverns, tunnels, and dramatic drop-offs that make you feel like you're diving into a fantasy world. For a touch of history, you'll visit the wreck of the MV Antonio Tarabocchia, a sunken freighter now home to a thriving marine ecosystem, with soft corals and schooling fish swirling around its structure.
Further offshore, Osprey Reef awaits, renowned as one of the most breathtaking dive locations in the Coral Sea. Sites like the False Entrance offer thrilling big fish action here - you might see grey reef sharks, barracuda, and trevally cruising in the blue, while vibrant soft corals line the walls. At the Amphitheatre, a natural underwater arena, you'll descend into a bowl-shaped formation where large predatory fish often gather. The dramatic topography and clear waters make for unforgettable dives at every turn. Each site delivers a unique and exciting experience, perfect for divers seeking both beauty and adventure.
Day 5
After a final light breakfast and farewells, you'll be transferred to Lizard Island for a spectacular 250 km low-altitude flight over the Great Barrier Reef, returning to Cairns where you'll be taken to your hotel or the airport.
Coral Sea Exploration (8 Days / 7 Nights - 26 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, whales, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea wall dives, shark action; Continental Shelf; Holmes Reef, Bougainville (Crystal Plateau, Dungeons & Dragons, MV Antonio Tarabocchia), Osprey Reef (False Entrance and Amphitheatre); Great Barrier Reef: Ribbon Reefs: Cod Hole, Dynamite Pass, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Coral Kingdom, Flare Point, Blue Lagoon, Gotham City, Vertical Gardens, Steve’s Bommie; minke whales and Lizard Island
Day 1
Gather in the late afternoon at the Mike Ball office to meet your fellow travellers and complete some necessary paperwork. Afterwards, the dive crew will guide you to the harbour where you'll board the liveaboard Spoilsport and begin familiarising yourself with the vessel. Enjoy light refreshments and soft drinks on board as the tour director introduces the crew, goes over the boat's features, reviews safety procedures, and outlines the upcoming safari itinerary. Meanwhile, the liveaboard will start its engines and set off on an overnight journey toward the Coral Sea.
Days 2-7
The safari is an exploratory diving adventure of the Coral Sea. Diving the outer Continental Shelf means plunging into the deep blue where the reef drops dramatically into the abyss. This zone attracts pelagic giants like sharks (hammerheads, silvertips), tuna, and mackerel, while the steep walls are adorned with gorgonian fans and black coral. Strong currents make it ideal for drift diving, offering thrilling encounters with eagles rays and schooling barracuda.
A submerged atoll with crystal visibility (40m+), Holmes Reef is famed for its sheer walls, swim-throughs, and shark action. Grey reef sharks patrol the passes, while Napoleon wrasse and giant trevally hover near the plateau. The coral cover is exceptional, with hard coral gardens and overhangs sheltering lobsters and morays.
Remote and rarely dived, Bougainville’s isolated pinnacles swarm with dogtooth tuna, reef sharks, and bumphead parrotfish. The reef’s bluewater drop-offs are visited by occasional silky sharks, while the shallows glitter with staghorn coral and anemonefish. A true adventure for those seeking raw, untouched reefs.
A legendary shark hotspot, Osprey’s North Horn delivers heart-pounding dives with silvertip and hammerhead sharks circling the abyss. The wall descends beyond 1,000m, attracting manta rays and thermocline-loving species. Don’t miss the eerie Shark Plateau, where dozens of reef sharks gather in the current.
The Ribbon Reefs offer some of the most spectacular diving in the world. Stretching nearly 100 km along the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, these pristine reefs are famous for excellent visibility and rich biodiversity, vibrant coral gardens, and thrilling encounters with reef sharks, schooling fish, and manta rays. The area is particularly renowned for Cod Hole, where giant, friendly potato cod interact with divers.
There will also be dedicated time to find and swim with minke whales (June and July). And you can enjoy an hour or two exploring beautiful Lizard Island, with its white sand beaches and a short hike to Chinaman’s Ridge.
Day 8
Awake back in Cairns and enjoy a final continental breakfast. Then it is time for group photos and final goodbyes, before you disembark the Spoilsport.
Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs & Minke Whales (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: whales, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, onboard experts on minke whales
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (including Pixie Pinnacle, Steve's Bommie and Temple of Doom). This trip features snorkelling opportunities with Minke whales.
Day 1
In the late afternoon, meet at the Mike Ball office for check-in and a brief welcome with fellow guests. The dive crew will then escort you to Spoilsport, where light refreshments are served. After settling in, the tour director will introduce the crew, review safety procedures, and outline the itinerary. As the briefing concludes, the liveaboard departs for an overnight cruise to the Ribbon Reefs.
Days 2-7
This exclusive expedition is designed to immerse you in the world’s only known dwarf minke whale aggregation - an extraordinary opportunity to encounter these graceful, 8-metre giants in their natural habitat. The itinerary focuses on prime sites along the Ribbon Reefs, where the inquisitive whales often approach divers, gliding past with quiet curiousity. These intelligent creatures may even circle back for multiple interactions, making each encounter uniquely magical.
Diving the Ribbon Reefs, a spectacular stretch of the Great Barrier Reef, offers an unforgettable underwater adventure teeming with marine biodiversity. These remote reefs are renowned for their pristine coral walls, dramatic drop-offs, and crystal-clear visibility, attracting everything from tiny technicolor reef fish to apex predators. Schools of barracuda, trevally, and batfish swirl along the reef edges, while white-tip reef sharks patrol the depths and manta rays glide gracefully through the channels. Soft corals bloom in vibrant hues, and intricate hard coral formations shelter critters like leaf scorpionfish, nudibranchs, and turtles.
2 standout sites define the Ribbon Reefs experience: Cod Hole and Steve’s Bommie. At Cod Hole, divers encounter the legendary potato cod - massive, curious groupers that can reach over 2m in length. These gentle giants often approach divers, making for incredible close encounters and photo opportunities. Nearby, Steve’s Bommie is a pinnacle bursting with life, from swirling schools of sweetlips and fusiliers to elusive pygmy seahorses hiding in the coral. The bommie’s overhangs and crevices host moray eels, lionfish, and even the occasional reef shark.
Day 8
Awaken on your final morning in Cairns and enjoy a continental breakfast on board. Following this, there will be an opportunity for group photographs and farewells. Guests will then disembark from Spoilsport and proceed with transfers to their respective city hotels or the airport.
Cod Hole, Bougainville, Ribbon & Osprey Reefs (6 Days / 5 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea: Bougainville: Crystal Plateau, Dungeons & Dragons; Osprey Reef: Admiralty Anchor, North Horn, False Entrance; Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (including Pixie Pinnacle, Coral Kingdom, Steve’s Bommie
Day 1
Join an afternoon check-in at the Mike Ball office where you'll meet your fellow divers. After completing paperwork, the crew will escort you to board the liveaboard Spoilsport. Settle in with welcome drinks as we introduce the team, review safety procedures, and outline your upcoming adventure. As the sun sets, we'll depart Cairns for our overnight cruise to the spectacular Ribbon Reefs.
Days 2-5
The mini-safari is an diving adventure of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. Each day brings new underwater wonders:
Holmes Reef: Experience breathtaking 40m+ visibility as you explore dramatic walls patrolled by grey reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and giant trevally. Discover vibrant coral gardens sheltering lobsters and moray eels.
Bougainville Reef: Dive rarely-visited pinnacles teeming with dogtooth tuna and reef sharks, where silky sharks sometimes appear in the blue.
Osprey Reef: Feel the adrenaline at North Horn, where hammerheads and silvertips circle the 1,000m drop-off. Visit Shark Plateau to witness dozens of reef sharks gathering in the current.
Ribbon Reefs: Enjoy world-famous sites like Cod Hole, where friendly potato cod interact with divers amid spectacular coral formations.
Minke Whales (June-July only): Experience the magic of swimming with these curious 8-meter giants during their annual migration.
Lizard Island: Relax on pristine beaches or take a short hike to Chinaman's Ridge for panoramic views.
Day 6
After a final breakfast aboard, we'll say our goodbyes before disembarking in Cairns. Transfers will be provided to your hotel or the airport, concluding your unforgettable Coral Sea adventure.
Coral Sea Turtle Spectacular (8 Days / 7 Nights - 27 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Far North Great Barrier Reef: Raine Island, Pandora Wreck, Great Detached Reef, RMS Quetta, Small Detached Reefs, Tijou and Cat Reefs; Cod Hole. Stanley Island Rock Art.
Day 1
Guests are requested to assemble in the afternoon at the Mike Ball office on North Horn Island, marking the official start of the adventure. This is an opportunity to meet your fellow travellers as well as the dive masters who will accompany you on this diving expedition of the Great Barrier Reef. Upon boarding, light refreshments and soft drinks will be provided for your enjoyment. Shortly after, the tour director will present a detailed briefing covering the vessel, safety procedures, and the planned itinerary for your safari. Meanwhile Spoilsport starts its engine and get ready for an overnight trip to the Coral Sea.
Day 2-7
This liveaboard safari offers a truly rare chance to explore some of the most remote and untouched areas of the far northern Great Barrier Reef. It's a diving adventure designed for those who want to experience something beyond the usual routes.
At Raine Island, you'll witness one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles hundreds of green turtles congregating during nesting season. This incredible gathering naturally attracts tiger sharks, providing an extraordinary opportunity to see large marine life interactions in their natural environment.
Dive into history at the Pandora Wreck, the final resting place of the British ship sent after the HMS Bounty mutineers. Sunk in 1791, the site is now an artificial reef, alive with marine life and wrapped in the mystery of its storied past.
The Detached Reefs, both Great and Small, are breathtaking with their sheer walls covered in soft corals and sea fans. Reef sharks patrol these walls, while large potato cod often make appearances, creating an impressive backdrop for your dives.
At Tijou and Cat Reefs, you'll glide along coral-covered walls where pelagic fish cruise the deep blue. These less-visited sites are rich in colour and life, offering fantastic opportunities for wide-angle photography and close encounters with marine life.
Cod Hole is famous for its resident giant potato cod, who are known for their curious nature and close interactions with divers. It's a signature site of the region, not to be missed.
To round out the experience, you'll visit Stanley Island, where ancient Indigenous rock art adorns cave walls. This unique land excursion offers a glimpse into the cultural heritage of Australia's First Nations, adding a sense of connection to the land and sea.
Day 8
Greet the morning as you return to Cairns and enjoy a light continental breakfast to start the day. Afterwards, share a few final moments with your fellow guests during group photos, capturing the spirit of the trip. Then it's time to say goodbye to the crew and step ashore, where transfers will be waiting for you, marking the close of your liveaboard adventure.
Note: this itinerary operates both northbound and southbound legs. Ensure you are aware of the start and end ports for your trip.
Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs & Minke Whales (4 Days / 3 Nights - 10 Dives)
Trip highlights: whales, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, onboard experts on minke whales
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (Snake Pit, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle, Goggle Gardens, Flare Point, Trolly Shoal and Steve's Bommie). This trip features snorkelling opportunities with Minke whales
Day 1
Gather at the Mike Ball office to meet your fellow guests and crew before transferring to Cairns airport. Enjoy scenic views of Endeavour Reef and the Ribbon Reefs during your flight to Lizard Island, where Spoilsport awaits. After boarding with light refreshments, the tour director will introduce the crew, review safety protocols, and outline your itinerary as the liveaboard sets sail.
Day 2-3
This short Great Barrier Reef liveaboard diving safari experience centres around the world's only known dwarf minke whale aggregation, offering unparalleled opportunities to interact with these gentle 8-metre giants in their natural habitat along the Ribbon Reefs. You'll witness their curious nature firsthand as they gracefully approach divers, often returning for multiple magical encounters that create lifelong memories.
When not swimming with whales, you'll explore the Ribbon Reefs' spectacular underwater landscapes featuring pristine coral walls with exceptional visibility. These nutrient-rich waters attract an incredible diversity of marine life, from massive schools of barracuda and trevally swirling along drop-offs to majestic manta rays gliding through the blue. White-tip reef sharks patrol the depths while vibrant soft corals and intricate hard coral formations shelter fascinating macro life including colourful nudibranchs, well-camouflaged stonefish, and crustaceans.
The expedition may highlight 2 signature dive sites that showcase the reef's diversity: Pixie Pinnacle, a thriving coral spire teeming with anthias and home to rare pygmy seahorses, and Gotham City, an atmospheric dive site where dramatic rock formations create swim-throughs frequented by hunting reef sharks.
Day 4
Enjoy a farewell breakfast aboard as we return to Cairns. After group photos and goodbyes, disembark with transfers provided to hotels or the airport.
Cod Hole, Bougainville, Ribbon & Osprey Reefs (8 Days / 7 Nights - 26 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea: Bougainville (including Crystal Plateau, Dungeons & Dragons, MV Antonio Tarabocchia), Osprey Reef (including False Entrance and Amphitheatre); Great Barrier Reef: Ribbon Reefs, Code Hole
Day 1
In the late afternoon, gather at the Mike Ball office for a meet-and-greet with your fellow guests and to complete a few formalities. Once that's done, the dive crew will accompany you to the harbour, where you'll board the Spoilsport liveaboard and begin your adventure. On board, enjoy light refreshments and soft drinks as the tour director introduces the crew, provides a detailed briefing about the vessel, covers important safety guidelines, and outlines the upcoming itinerary. As the briefing wraps up, Spoilsport sets sail for an overnight journey out to the Coral Sea.
Days 2-7
The remote Bougainville Reef presents a dazzling underwater realm where sites like Crystal Plateau dazzle with gardens of staghorn corals and clouds of anthias dancing between the branches. The legendary Dungeons & Dragons invites you through a labyrinth of swim-throughs where eagle rays soar overhead and curious grouper peer from shadowy overhangs. Don't miss the Antonio Tarabocchia wreck, now blanketed in sea fans and home to hunting lionfish that dart between its rusting beams.
Venture further to Osprey Reef, where False Entrance delivers heart-pounding action with patrolling silvertip sharks and massive dogtooth tuna slicing through the current. The Amphitheatre lives up to its name with swirling schools of bigeye trevally performing their underwater ballet above coral-covered terraces. Every dive here reveals new wonders, from delicate feather stars unfurling on outcrops to the hammerhead sharks materialising from the blue.
The Ribbon Reefs showcases diving on the Great Barrier Reef in full glory, where coral bommies attract spotted eagle rays and hunting packs of Spanish mackerel. Drift along walls adorned with gorgonian fans as Maori wrasse and giant sweetlips cruise past. In the shallows, kaleidoscopic parrotfish crunch on coral while delicate seahorses cling to the seagrass. Each site offers its own underwater theatre, whether it's the graceful arc of an oceanic manta's wings or the sudden flash of a reef shark disappearing into the blue.
Day 8
Awake back in Cairns and enjoy a continental breakfast. Then it is time for group photos and final goodbyes. Disembark from Spoilsport and transfer back to your city hotel or airport.
Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs & Minke Whales (5 Days / 4 Nights - 12 Dives)
Trip highlights: whales, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, onboard experts on minke whales
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (Snake Pit, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle, Goggle Gardens, Flare Point, Trolly Shoal and Steve's Bommie). This trip features snorkelling opportunities with Minke whales
Day 1
Meet at the Mike Ball office for afternoon check-in before boarding Spoilsport. Enjoy welcome refreshments while the tour director introduces the crew, review safety protocols, and preview the adventure ahead. As evening falls, the liveaboard set sail toward the Ribbon Reefs.
Days 2-4
This special mini-expedition of the Great Barrier Reef offers the unparalleled opportunity to experience the world's only known dwarf minke whale aggregation, where you can encounter these magnificent 8-meter creatures in their natural environment along the Ribbon Reefs. The whales frequently approach scuba divers with quiet curiosity, often circling back for repeated interactions that create truly magical moments.
Between these extraordinary encounters, you'll explore the spectacular Ribbon Reefs, renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and pristine underwater landscapes. The reefs feature dramatic coral walls with crystal-clear visibility that attract everything from colourful reef fish to impressive predators. Large schools of barracuda, trevally and batfish swirl along the drop-offs, while white-tip reef sharks patrol below and manta rays glide effortlessly through the blue. Vibrant soft corals and intricate hard coral formations provide shelter for fascinating macro life including leaf scorpionfish, nudibranchs and ribbon eels.
Some particularly remarkable sites highlight the Ribbon Reefs experience - Cod Hole, where massive 2-metre potato cod curiously approach divers, and Lighthouse Bommie, a thriving coral pinnacle teeming with marine life including reef sharks, sting rays, turtles, and olive sea snakes.
Day 5
Following a relaxed breakfast and goodbyes, you'll be escorted to Lizard Island for an unforgettable 250 km scenic flight. Soaring above the reef, you'll enjoy breathtaking views of the Great Barrier Reef's colours and patterns during your return journey to Cairns. Upon landing, transfers will be provided to conclude your adventure.
Far North Coral Sea Exploration (8 Days / 7 Nights - 26 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Far Northern Great Barrier Reefs: TMO (Three Mile Opening), Creech Reef, Aladdin’s Cave & Pirate’s Cove; Ribbon Reefs: Cod Hole, Gotham City, the Clam Beds, Lighthouse, Pixie Pinnacle, Steve’s Bommie; Coral Sea: Bougainville, Osprey Reef. Stanley Island Rock art.
Day 1
Begin your adventure with an afternoon gathering at the Mike Ball office in Cairns, where you'll meet your fellow divers and expedition crew. After completing check-in formalities, you'll be escorted to board Spoilsport, where a welcome champagne toast and light refreshments await. During this time the Trip Director will conduct a comprehensive briefing about your upcoming liveaboard safari. You can assemble your dive gear or arrange any equipment rentals as the crew prepares the vessel for departure. As the sun sets, Spoilsport will set sail on its overnight journey to the spectacular Coral Sea dive sites.
Days 2-7
This 650 mile expedition is an exploratory diving adventure of the Far North Coral Sea. At TMO in the Far Northern Reefs, drift through coral canyons where schools of barracuda swirl and reef sharks patrol the depths. Creech Reef dazzles with its pristine coral gardens frequented by friendly Maori wrasse and graceful green sea turtles. Discover the hidden wonders of Aladdin’s Cave, a swim-through adorned with colourful sea fans and patrolled by curious batfish. Pirate’s Cove offers sheltered diving where octopuses camouflage among coral rubble and nudibranchs dot the reef.
At Bougainville you'll explore remote pinnacles where dogtooth tuna hunt and silvertip sharks circle in the blue. Osprey Reef delivers adrenaline-fuelled dives at North Horn, where hammerhead sharks may materialise from the depths, and giant trevally school in the current.
The legendary Cod Hole at Ribbon Reefs allows intimate encounters with massive potato cod that approach divers with gentle curiosity. At Gotham City, navigate through dramatic overhangs where reef sharks patrol and barracuda form silver tornadoes. Marvel at the Clam Beds, where giant clams display vibrant mantles amidst thriving coral gardens. Lighthouse Bommie attracts manta rays that glide effortlessly past the coral-covered pinnacle. Discover Pixie Pinnacle, a macro paradise where pygmy seahorses cling to gorgonians and ghost pipefish hover motionless. Don’t miss Steve’s Bommie, where thousands of fusiliers create living whirlpools and predatory jacks dart through the action.
After diving, visit Stanley Island to enjoy an hour or two viewing ancient Aboriginal rock art depicting dugongs and turtles, connecting you to the reef’s cultural heritage.
Day 8
Awake back in Cairns and enjoy a final continental breakfast. Then it is time for group photos and final goodbyes. Disembark from Spoilsport for your awaiting transfer.
Coral Sea and Yongala (8 Days / 7 Nights - 29 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Wheeler Reef, MOUA (Museum of Underwater Art), SS Yongala, SS Gothenburg, Old Reef, Flinders Reef: Cod Wall, Geronimo’s, Watanabe, Rock Arch, Fan Fair, Trigger Happy; Holmes Reef: Nonki Bommie, Amazing, Abyss, Cathedral. This is a special exploration trip. Advanced Diver certification or a minimum 15 ocean dives, 5 in the last 12 months, is required.
Day 1
This is a rare opportunity to explore the offshore Coral Sea reefs and Australia’s largest and most famous shipwreck, the SS Yongala. Check-in early evening at Breakwater Marina, Townsville, then depart soon after for Wheeler Reef. The tour director will introduce the crew and give a full briefing about the boat, its safety rules and the itinerary of your safari. Now it’s time to organise rental equipment and put your dive gear together on the dive deck, before a good night's rest in readiness to start diving tomorrow.
Days 2-7
Explore one of the world's most iconic wreck dives at the SS Yongala, a 109m steamship that sank in 1911 and now hosts incredible marine life. Descend to this historic wreck at a depth of 14-28m, encrusted with colourful corals and home to giant Queensland groupers, schools of trevally, and shovel-nose rays. The wreck's intact structure creates an artificial reef where sea snakes weave through the debris and eagle rays glide overhead. With visibility often exceeding 30m and strong currents attracting pelagic action, this dive offers both dramatic history and thrilling biodiversity. Best suited for advanced divers.
Wheeler Reef dazzles scuba divers with its spectacular coral gardens. Schools of batfish and trevally swirl around bommies, while white-tip reef sharks rest on the sea bed. At the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) - Australia’s only underwater museum - experience a unique blend of art and marine conservation. This innovative installation features striking sculptures that double as artificial reefs, attracting colourful reef fish, curious turtles, and delicate coral growth.
Nearby, the SS Gothenburg wreck offers a haunting yet fascinating dive, its skeletal remains encrusted with corals and home to giant groupers and schools of barracuda. Old Reef impresses with its coral formations and frequent manta ray sightings, while the deep vertical walls of Flinders Reef host huge gorgonain fans and deliver exciting shark encounters, tuna and barracuda at its famous "Shark Alley." Further out in the Coral Sea, Holmes Reef stuns with its sheer walls covered in bright soft corals and vast canyons where grey reef sharks patrol and Napoleon wrasse hover near the reef's edge.
Day 8
Wake up in Cairns (or occasionally Townsville - please confirm your arrival / departure ports) to enjoy a farewell breakfast aboard. After sharing final memories and group photos with your fellow divers, you'll disembark Spoilsport.
Note: sometimes this cruise ends in Townsville so check exact port details above.
Ashmore Reef Exploration (8 Days / 7 Nights - 29 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Far North Great Barrier Reef: Great Detached Reef, Raine Island, Pandora Wreck, Cocoon, Ashmore Reef , Quetta Wreck, Cape York Tip
Day 1
Meet at the Mike Ball office at North Horn Island for your first chance to be introduced to the other guests and dive masters that will share this unusual Great Barrier Reef diving cruise with you. A light refreshment and soft drinks are available upon boarding. Help yourself while the tour director introduces the cruise and crew and explains in detail about the boat, its safety rules and the itinerary of your safari.
Days 2-7
This safari is a rare opportunity to visit the remote and pristine reefs of Ashmore Reef. Dive with hundreds of turtles at Raine Island & descend on the historic wrecks of the Quetta, and the Pandora Wreck of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ fame. Be part of a genuine voyage of discovery, and help unlock the secrets of this final frontier.
Plunge into the unknown at Ashmore Reef, a mysterious, isolated, and rarely visited coral system. Between 40,000-100,000 green turtles visit Raine Island each year to lay their eggs in the warm sands. The island is not accessible to the public, but the reefs surrounding it are excellent for diving. The coral here is some of the most pristine seen anywhere.
Great Detached Reef is 46 km of fringing reef that offer some great sites to choose from. See fields of hard coral down to 30m at Turmoil, plus beautiful soft corals, fans and whips at Twin Peaks, Oh My Bommie, Cracker and Big Woody. This reef is home to masses of marine life, both large and small.
Day 8
Awake back at Horn Island and enjoy a final continental breakfast. Then it is time for group photos and final goodbyes. Disembark from Spoilsport and transfer back to your hotel or airport.
Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs (6 Days / 5 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Ribbon Reefs: Cod Hole, Snake Pit, Dynamite Pass, Lighthouse Bommie, Gotham City, Pixie Wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Goggle Gardens, Coral Kingdom, Flare Point, Cracker Jack, Summer Bay, Trolly Shoal, Blue Lagoon and Steve's Bommie; Continental Shelf, Lizard Island
Day 1
Check-in at the Mike Ball office then, at Hemingway’s Brewery, Trinity Wharf during the afternoon, meet your fellow passengers that will share this Great Barrier Reef safari with you. After boarding, you can enjoy a glass of champagne and light snacks while the tour director introduces the crew and gives a full briefing about the boat, its safety rules and the itinerary of your safari. Now it’s time to organise rental equipment and put your dive gear together on the dive deck as the catamaran departs from Cairns.
Day 2-5
The Ribbon Reefs is where the world-class diving is on the Great Barrier Reef. They are characterised by colourful reefs with sandy channels. They are home to wobbegongs, thriving populations of reef fish, minke whales in season (June and July), and are relatively shallow sites less than 100 km from the mainland. You will also meet the giant potato cod at the world famous Cod Hole.
At Lizard Island you can choose to dive, snorkel, kayak, or set foot on these beautiful and rarely visited remote islands. Kayak to deserted beaches or snorkel above the shallow coral gardens. Step back in time at the ruins of Mrs Watson's Cottage; stroll along the Pandanis palms boardwalk up to Chinaman’s Ridge for magnificent views of the island and reefs below.
The diving day starts early with a continental breakfast at 6:30 am followed by a dive briefing. Then jump in the water at 7:30 am for the 1st dive of the day. Enjoy the different marine life that awaits for you underwater including bumphead parrotfish, sweetlips and whitetip reef sharks on some dives. You will have time to discuss your underwater encounters with your dive buddies while having the second breakfast of the day: bacon, eggs, baked beans and toast, all served with hot coffee and tea. 10:30 hrs and you will enjoy the view of healthy soft corals surrounded by glassfish as you make the 2nd dive. A short surface interval is then followed by the 3rd dive which delays lunch a little: it is served at 2 pm and it varies daily, from Mexican burritos and tacos to fresh vegetables with rice and fish. Relax in the lounge or on the sundeck, before getting ready for the 4th dive of the day, before afternoon tea. Did you miss some of the action? Don't worry as you still have the 5th dive (night dive) to get the best out of your diving safari! Finally it's time for dinner at 8 pm, then off to sleep to refresh for the next day ahead.
During the evening of the penultimate day of the tour, the crew pours the champagne, lays out the nibbles, and you 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 the talented crew band!
Day 6
Awake back in Cairns and enjoy a continental breakfast. Then it is time for group photos and final goodbyes. Disembark from Spoilsport and transfer back to your Cairns city hotel or airport.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
All meals are served in Spoilsport's air-conditioned dining salon, though you may also dine al fresco on the rear sundeck if preferred. The culinary schedule aligns with the dive rhythm:
* a continental breakfast (e.g., pastries, fruit, yogurt) is available at 6:30 am preceding the first dive briefing.
* After the initial dive, a full cooked breakfast (featuring items like bacon, eggs, and toast) is served.
* Lunch at 2 pm offers varied daily selections such as Mexican-inspired dishes or fresh seafood with seasonal sides.
* Dinner is a multi-course evening meal served after sunset, with examples including grilled reef fish or premium beef cuts,
A highlight is the beach BBQ served during the Ribbon Reefs liveaboard exploration.
Creative vegetarian offerings such as oven roasted eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin and capsicum served with warm couscous and wild rice on a well thought-out menu.
Other special diets are catered with advance notice.
* Light snacks and fresh fruit are available throughout the day at no extra cost.
* Beverages include complimentary 24-hour coffee, tea, soft drinks, and filtered water, while the licensed bar offers cocktails, wine, and beer for purchase.
