Far North Coral Sea Exploratory - Bougainville, Osprey; Far Northern & the Ribbon Reefs
2024 Departure dates: 26 December
2025 Departure dates: 14 August | 25 September | 23 October | 23 December
7 Nights – 26 Dives. This 650 mile expedition explores three unique regions: remote Coral Sea; the Far Northern Reefs & the superb Ribbon Reefs.
7 Night Far North Coral Sea Exploratory featuring:
- Bougainville – Spectacular big fish action at Crystal Plateau.
Explore the Dungeons & Dragons labyrinth of caves & caverns.
Dive the scattered remains of MV Antonio Tarabocchia.
Coral Sea Dive Sites - Osprey – 2-3 shark attraction dives, see 100’s of sharks.
Includes Passive Attraction, Shark Feed & Private Shark Shoot.
Spectacular topography, visibility & pelagics at False Entrance - Stanley Island (Yindayin) – Incredible indigenous rock art.
- Far Northern Reefs – Aladdin’s Cave & Pirate’s Cove.
The upwelling currents attract schooling pelagics including:
trevally, barracuda, mackerel, patrolling tuna & sharks.
Mantas, mobula & eagle rays cruise the Continental Shelf.
Photograph huge yellow & red soft corals on the deep walls.
Far Northern Reef Dive Sites - Ribbon Reefs – Explore the Ribbons best fish & coral sites.
Buddy up with diver size fish at the Cod Hole.
Night dive with moray eels, giant trevally & sharks at Gotham City.
Find the Great Barrier Reef’s largest clam at the Clam Beds.
Diverse critters & pelagics at Lighthouse, Pixie Pinnacle & Steve’s Bommie.
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
Spoilsport’s favourite dive locations will be selected should weather force an itinerary change.
MV Antonio Tarabocchia - 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.
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.
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. Keen photographers will have the opportunity to do a private shark shoot dive with limited numbers of divers, ensuring fantastic, clean and up close photos.
Stanley Island
Incredible indigenous rock art featuring turtles, eagle rays and crocodiles as well as ancient tall ships from the 16th Century. The world’s longest art movement has spanned for thousands of years and you have the opportunity to see this pristine, rarely visited piece of important indigenous history.
Cod Hole - Ribbon Reefs - GBR
The Cod Hole is famous for its diver-sized potato cod. These fish are incredibly inquisitive and don’t mind getting very chummy with divers. A great opportunity to capture photographs of these characters or a simply hang out and enjoy their company.
Lighthouse Bommie
An excellent site with one large pinnacle attracting tonnes of marine life including sharks, rays, turtles and reef fish, olive sea snakes, stonefish and other critters.
Gotham City
Named after the batfish that live here, this site also attracts decent numbers of sharks and giant trevally. A particularly exciting night dive with congregations of hunting fish. This site also has one of the biggest beds of Pavona clavas coral stretching for approx thirty metres.
Pixie Pinnacle
An exciting pinnacle dive, draped in soft corals and absolutely heaving with fish life. Spiral your way up the pinnacle and search for interesting critters such as the flame file clam, or ‘disco clam’, named for the flashing light that appears to pulse along its mantle.
Dive Site Guarantee!
Spoilsport’s outstanding stability minimizes disruption to your itinerary and your scuba diving experience. If weather forces an itinerary change we divert to the best, ‘safe, accessible sites’ to ensure you get the best scuba diving available. The Coral Sea may not be accessible in strong winds.
All itinerary details are subject to change, specific marine life cannot be guaranteed.
Expedition prices, per person in Australian dollars.
| Far North Coral Sea Exploratory | April 2024 – March 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Cabin | Price |
| Premium | $6416 |
| Standard | $5897 |
| Club | $5158 |
| Budget | $4402 |
Environmental Management Fee $8.00/day
| Far North Coral Sea Exploratory | April 2025 – March 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Cabin | Prices |
| Premium | $6736 |
| Standard | $6192 |
| Club | $5415 |
| Budget | $4622 |
Environmental Management Fee $8.00/day
Rates include:
- Accommodation in twin/double cabins
- Delicious meals & snacks, wine and soft drink are included with the evening meal
- Tanks, air fills and weight belt
- Daily cabin service
- Reef ecology programme
- Dive computer workshop
- Transfer to the airport or Cairns hotel after your expedition
Please note that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority requires us to collect an Environmental Management Charge of $8 per day spent on the Great Barrier Reef. This amount will be added to your bar bill at the end of your expedition.
Click on the links here for extras such as dive courses, photo services and gear hire, plus discounts available.
Premium – queen or double bed, private bathroom, ocean views.
Standard – twin beds, private bathroom, ocean views.
Club – twin bunk beds, private bathroom, no ocean view.
Budget – twin bunk beds, share bathroom, no ocean view.
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, Remote Coral Sea
Where: Bougainville: Dungeons & Dragons; Crystal Plateau; MV Antonio Tarabocchia.
Below is a “typical day” however exact times may vary.
- 6.30 am: Wake up call, light breakfast available in dining room
- 7:00 am: Dive brief & diving commences
- 9.00 am: Full cooked Breakfast
- 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, Remote Coral Sea
Where: Osprey: Admiralty; False Entrance; North Horn.
Sunday: 4 dives + night dive, Far Northern Reefs
Where: TMO (Three Mile Opening); Creech Reef.
Monday: 3 dives + night dive, plus Stanley Island indigenous artwork excursion. Far Northern Reefs
Where: Stanley Island, Aladins Cave; Pirates Cove.
Tuesday: 4 dives + night dive, Ribbon Reefs
Where: Cod Hole; Pixie Pinnacle; Gotham City.
Wednesday: 4 dives, Ribbon Reefs
Where: Cracker Jack; Clam Beds; Steve’s Bommie.
- As the sun sets we pour the champagne, lay out the nibbles and get ready for a final farewell party!
- Overnight cruise to Cairns
Thursday:
- 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 4pm 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 4pm Wednesday).
