Cairns premier liveaboard 4 night dive trip to the Coral Sea, Dive with packs of Sharks, Scuba along with giant Potato Cod fish that are the same size as you, see the playful Maori Wrasse
This is a true bucket list live aboard dive trip for the dedicated scuba diving adventurer. Fulfill your dream of a lifetime and experience diving on the Great Barrier Reef on our Fly & Dive Coral Sea expedition that departs weekly from Cairns.
Spend 4 nights on board one of the best and most awarded liveaboard scuba diving vessels in Australia and take 14 amazing dives with the huge amount of marine life in the Coral Sea off the coastline of northern Australia.
Bring the whole family and dive together to have an amazing Great Barrier Reef dive adventure you will never forget. All certified divers are able to dive if over 12 years old and children over 8 years old are accepted onto the dive boat under adult surpervision.
You will board your liveaboard dive boat at the Cairns Marina in the late afternoon (after 4pm) where you will be greeted by the staff and shown your allocated rooms.
All cabins have ensuite bathrooms and you can choose from Queen size, to Double and Twins according to budget and preference when booking your dive trip.
Around 6pm we will leave Cairns as the sun sets behind the mountains as you cruise northwards towards the beautiful Osprey Reef and surrounding Ribbon Reefs on the Great Barrier Reef.
Our custom designed liveaboard dive boat has been built to meet divers specialised needs. For photographers there are multi-level camera tables, dedicated rinse tanks and photo stations with air guns. There is no shortage of charging sockets for equipment in the boat cabins and in the main area.
For extra safety and for longer dives our boat has nitrox (bring your certification card) or there is also a nitrox course and certification offered whilst on the trip. If you are a re-breather diver then they have equipment and support for your re-breathing diving.
We just need to be pre-notified on booking of these extra dive requirements.
If anyone in your party is a non-diver and prefers to snorkel and take it easy – there is plenty of room to relax in the large lounge area with its 2 large TV screens. Or if you prefer to soak up the tropical lifestyle outside, there is a large upper deck area with sun loungers to soak up the sun and to read a book or have a drink.
All catering on board is of the finest quality and is prepared by our experienced chefs.
Expect gin clear water, huge coral walls and our signature exciting and terrifying Shark Dives to make this dive trip one you cannot miss nor ever forget.
You will be diving in famous places on the Great Barrier Reef that you would have read such as the Cod Hole and the Snake Pit (named for good reason), before moving on to the pristine North Coral Sea dive sites for some great shark action and amazing diversity.
Your dive guides are all highly experienced and have dived these parts of the reef for many years and know the dive sites topography and depths very well.
Our Cairns based liveaboard dive company is well known for our high standard on diver safety and first class service and have achieved many awards of recognition
Depending on winds, currents and season will determine which dive sites are dived on the trip. These are a sample of some of the amazing sites you will literally have on your doorstep (or giant side step!).
Departure Dates (current as of 08/11/23):
2024 Departure dates: 4, 11, 18, 25 January | 2, 9, 16, 23 | 1 August | 12, 26 September | 3, 31 October | 12 December
2025 Departure dates: 2, 9, 16, 23 January
Shark Diving
This expedition offers two shark attraction dives: a shark observation dive with around 10 sharks; an exhilarating shark feed with up to 40 sharks.
North Horn - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea
Welcome to shark central! Watch a controlled shark feed with 10-30 grey reef, white-tip reef, silver tip sharks. Considered a highlight of the expedition.
Fairy Grotto - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea
A ‘mountain range’ of big coral bommies flanked by a steep wall dropping to over a 1000 meters. The many small caverns and swim throughs at this site give it its name, the largest of which is spacious enough to fit several divers.
Admiralty Anchor - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea
Named after an anchor lodged midway through a tunnel that makes for an exciting swim through. A maze of huge towering bommies are home to plenty of fish and a delight to explore. Below them a sheer wall attracts sharks and occasionally manta rays.
False Entrance - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea
This site never disappoints with exciting fish action alongside colourful gorgonian fans, whips and soft corals. Resident barracuda and schooling big eye trevally make for great photo opportunities, and keep an eye out for cruising hammerheads out in the blue.
Western Wall - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea
Drift along a sheer wall plummeting over 1000m, cut with overhangs and grottos lined with soft corals and fans. Surgeon fish and fusiliers flow up and down the wall like waterfalls. Search for dogtooth tuna, grey reef sharks, barracuda and other pelagics out in the blue.
MV Antonio Tarabocchia - Bougainville Reef - Coral Sea
This cargo ship struck the Reef in 1961. The scattered remains include a huge engine block and propeller which now lie on the gentle sloping terraces of the reef. The clear water, strewn wreckage and abundant fish life, including resident potato cod, make fantastic diving.
Crystal Plateau - Bougainville Reef - Coral Sea
The reef top descends to a spectacular terrace of hard corals at 20-30m before edging over into an abyss hundreds of metres deep. Sea fans and soft corals adorn the reef wall where sharks also patrol.
Dungeons & Dragons - Bougainville - Coral Sea
The reef top here is cut with an incredible maze of caves, tunnels and swim throughs – great to poke around to discover fish and other critters. Or venture beyond the shallows to a wall descending to around 1000m, where you can find sharks and barracuda.
Dungeons & Dragons - Bougainville - Coral Sea
The reef top here is cut with an incredible maze of caves, tunnels and swim throughs – great to poke around to discover fish and other critters. Or venture beyond the shallows to a wall descending to around 1000m, where you can find sharks and barracuda.
For more Great Barrier Reef liveaboard dive trips see here and more shark diving tours and swim with whale tours
Cairns
6.30pm
August - January
Thursday
2023 Departure dates: 7, 14, 28 (sold out) September | 12, 26 October | 9, 16 November | 14 December
2024 Departure dates: 4, 11, 18, 25 January | 2, 9, 16, 23 | 1 August | 12, 26 September | 3, 31 October | 12 December
2025 Departure dates: 2, 9, 16, 23 January
4 nights
Medium, Active
Scuba Diving Restrictions
Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.
Cancellation Policy:
All cancellations must be in writing.
Please note that all cancellations will incur an administration fee.
Please see our terms and conditions for details prior to booking.
Operator’s Cancellation Policy:
Insurance should be taken to cover: weather problem; expedition cancellations; airline difficulties; medical problems and lost or damaged luggage. Unforeseen weather or machinery problems may cause us to cancel or change an itinerary. No refund is offered for time lost due to the medical evacuation of a guest or reduction of dives due to weather conditions. No compensation is offered to guests to change flights or holiday plans. DiveAssure offers cover for both Australian residents & non-residents traveling to Australia.
In line with the current Australian and Queensland Government we advise that COVID vaccination will no longer be required to travel on Mike Ball Dive Expeditions effective immediately.
We will however still require all guests to do a Rapid Antigen Test (self test) within 24 hours prior to boarding – and show negative result to board. We aim to minimise the possibility of active COVID boarding the vessel. Guests who have tested positive in the 12 weeks prior – with proof of the positive test will not be required to test.
Any guest testing positive within the 24 hours prior to boarding will NOT be permitted to board, and options for Travel Insurance or Travel Credit will be advised.
Please note that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority requires us to collect an Environmental Management Charge of $7 per day spent on the Great Barrier Reef. This amount will be added to your bar bill at the end of your expedition.
Cancellations by MBDE:
1.Due to weather: 85% refund refund client.
au$2,426.00
Prices are AUD, per adult and include all levies fees and taxes.
Tour Code: 230