Mike Ball Dive Expeditions – FAQ

All expeditions include accommodation aboard Spoilsport, chef‑prepared meals, tanks and weights, a scenic flight where applicable and up to five dives per day. Extras such as gear hire, nitrox fills and bar purchases are available for an additional fee.

The shorter Ribbon Reef trips (like the 3‑night Cod Hole) are suitable for Open Water certified divers. Coral Sea itineraries are best enjoyed with an Advanced Open Water certification due to deeper walls and blue‑water drifts. Minke whale expeditions welcome all certified divers and snorkellers.

On Fly Dive trips you’ll fly one way between Cairns and Lizard Island, giving you spectacular aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef. The other leg is by sea, allowing more dive time and less travel time.

MV Spoilsport features 14 air‑conditioned cabins (from premium doubles to budget bunks) with daily service. Between dives, relax in the spacious lounge or on the sun deck. Meals are freshly prepared by the onboard chef with dietary requirements happily catered for. The dive deck offers individual stations, camera rinse tanks and fresh‑water showers; nitrox and rebreather support is available.

Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs: expect diver‑sized potato cod and vibrant coral gardens teeming with tropical fish. Coral Sea: encounters may include reef sharks, manta rays, barracuda and pelagic fish amid dramatic drop‑offs and clear blue water. Minke whale expeditions: seasonal (June–July) trips offer chances to swim with inquisitive dwarf minke whales.

Yes. Enriched Air Nitrox is offered to certified divers for a small surcharge, and Spoilsport is rebreather friendly with dedicated support facilities.

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions pioneered the open dive deck concept, allowing you to plan your own dives within safe limits. Thorough briefings precede each dive and regular safety drills ensure that the crew are prepared for any emergency. The crew‑to‑guest ratio is high, providing assistance while preserving diver independence.

With over 40 years of experience, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions offers award‑winning liveaboard adventures on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Their custom‑built vessel provides unmatched comfort and stability, and their long‑standing commitment to safety, diver freedom and marine conservation sets them apart.

This trip begins with a spectacular low‑altitude flight from Cairns to Lizard Island and includes three nights with up to twelve dives exploring Ribbon Reef sites and the famous Cod Hole, where you can swim with friendly potato cod and enjoy vibrant coral gardens.

No. The Cod Hole itinerary is suitable for all experience levels and welcomes Open Water certified divers.

Yes. The Cod Hole is renowned for inquisitive, diver‑sized potato cod and, during June and July, dwarf minke whales often migrate through the Ribbon Reefs.

Four nights and up to fourteen dives take you to remote Coral Sea sites such as Osprey and Bougainville Reefs, featuring sheer walls, colourful soft corals, pelagics and up to forty‑metre visibility.

Yes. This expedition is best suited to divers with an Advanced Open Water certification because of the depth, strong currents and open‑ocean conditions.

Osprey Reef is a Shark Sanctuary, and the itinerary includes two or three shark attraction dives where you may witness 10–40 reef sharks in a controlled setting.

This seven‑night expedition, with up to twenty‑six dives, combines the Fly Dive Cod Hole and Fly Dive Coral Sea routes so you experience both the Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea in a single trip.

Expect azure Coral Sea waters with sharks and soft corals, Ribbon Reefs packed with potato cod and biodiversity, and a mid‑voyage stop at Lizard Island for a beach walk or island tour.

Advanced divers will appreciate the deeper Coral Sea walls, while experienced Open Water divers can still enjoy the Ribbon Reefs. A comfort with currents and blue‑water drift dives is recommended.

Dwarf minke whales migrate through the Great Barrier Reef each winter, with most sightings occurring during June and July when the special minke expeditions take place.

Both snorkellers and scuba divers are welcome. Many close whale encounters occur at the surface while snorkelling, but divers can also enjoy the reef sites below.

Mike Ball has reported a success rate of around 98 percent in finding dwarf minke whales. Itineraries are available in three‑, four‑ and seven‑night options, offering approximately ten, twelve or twenty‑two dives respectively.