MIKE BALL DIVE - ABYSS SCUBA DIVING EXPEDITIONS

Coral Sea Yongala Townsville to Cairns

• Spoilsport is Australia 's most Awarded live aboard,
• Length 30m (100ft); Beam 10m (36ft); Speed 15 knots,
• Passenger average 20 (max 28) Crew 11,
• Twin hull reduce seasickness and maximises stability, space and privacy,
• Twin or double cabins, most with ocean views. Daily cabin service,
• Spacious: dining room; lounge; alfresco deck and sundeck,
• Sensational chef prepared meals and in-between meal snacks,
• Complimentary soft drinks and Australian wines (with dinner).

The 115 meter SS Yongala sank in 1911. After descending through oversize jacks and spadefish you see the Yongala shrouded in a myriad of marine life. At 15 meter's you are level with the uppermost deck. The Yongala rests at 30 meter's leaning on her starboard side. The uppermost port hull is richly adorned with multicoloured soft coral trees, whips and sponges, gently moving with the current. Enveloped in baitfish, slowly fining above this colourful parade you see all manner of fish moving amongst this colourful haven. You sense they are oblivious to your approach and realize this is something very special! This tranquility may be broken by predatory giant trevally torpedoing through the baitfish. Descending across the sloping deck you see companionways and compartments crowded fish life. Purple-banded angelfish blend with purple soft corals; hundreds of yellow perch hover in the current while super size coral trout observe you glide by. Both turtles and venomous sea snakes foraging for food are common sightings on the wreck.

Under the bow, throngs of mangrove jack and sweetlip mingle with large estuarine cod. Moving along the sand towards the stern you are likely to see 2 meter long bull rays shadowed by schools of cobia. Large inquisitive napoleon wrasse swim by while, large chinamen and scribbled puffers peer out from under the hull. From the deck broken spars lean onto the sand, each with it’s own squadron of fish tightly bunched close by. Many species of brightly coloured nudibranch can be found. Some of the most highly prized Yongala sightings include the family of shy 500-pound groupers, 2 meter shovelnose rays and large bull sharks. A school of sweetlip hovers above artifacts under the stern while photographers will be more attracted to the photogenic rudder section. One circuit of this historic shipwreck will display an awesome amount of marine life, but one dive or even one day is not enough. Nitrox is recommended to maximize your enjoyment. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the huge bull rays hanging motionless in the current during the night dive. Note: Weather conditions prevent us from diving the Yongala 1 in 14 expeditions; the success rate is 93%. If conditions are unsuitable for the wreck we go to the reef. November is the best month to dive the wreck.