THE CORAL SEA & GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

Year:2006

Take a dive Downunder

Season: Year-round diving

Visibility: 10-30 metres

Water temperature: 27-29°C from November-April, 23-26°C at other times

Australia: land of the aborigine, Crocodile Dundee, Ayers Rock, Sydney Opera House, Dreamtime, didgeridoos, kangaroos, Koala Bears, Rolf Harris and the Great Barrier Reef. Not only does Australia possess a fascinating mixture of ancient and modern on land but also an underwater paradise of immense size and natural beauty. The 'island continent' has superb diving in some of the most remote and unexplored areas of the world.

To find the best of Australian diving it is necessary to look beyond the easily accessible parts of the Great Barrier Reef, which have often disappointed visiting divers from Europe and North America, to the remote areas of the Coral Sea, the Ribbon Reefs and the Remote Far Northern Reefs where the truly great dives of tropical Australia are to be found. The rewards here are great and the cost, relative to liveaboard diving in some parts of the Pacific, may be a pleasant surprise!

We have carefully selected Undersea Explorer and the famous Mike Ball Dive Expeditions boat Spoilsport as our chosen liveaboard vessels in Northeast Australia. Undersea Explorer is pioneering an innovative concept combining adventure diving with support for reef research and ecological education. Their aim is to offer exciting and stimulating adventure diving expeditions while at the same time supporting quality research projects, promoting field work opportunities for university students and offering high quality coral reef education. Each cruise has an onboard marine biologist and visiting researchers. A digital video camera and microscope are linked to television and computer to help open up the wonders of the marine world to the divers on board. The Undersea Explorer scientists collect and have responsibility for the research data, but passengers are invited to become involved if they wish.

All expeditions are conducted at a time that best suits the marine highlights which are the focus of the current research. In general, January-March is the wet season with amazing feeding and marine life action following the breeding season. April-September is the Australian winter when great visibility and beautiful weather can be accompanied by strong winds, but this time of year is great for shark research opportunities and the season for Minke Whale migration to the area. October-December often has wonderful weather and there is a lot happening under the water as most coral reef species breed during this period.

THE RIBBON REEFS

The Ribbon Reefs comprise a 130 kilometre stretch of reefs and passageways that guard the Great Barrier Reef's northern edge. Within the Ribbon Reefs are some of the dive sites that have made Australia famous: Cod Hole , Pixie Pinnacle and Steve's Bommie .

Years ago Cod Hole , named after the huge and friendly Potato Cod that live here, was a fishermen's haven from wind and waves. Whilst cleaning their catch, the fishermen would throw the debris from their fish-cleaning over the sides of their boats. Large groupers fed on these fishermen's off-cuts and became accustomed to being fed. The profusion of food attracted more and more groupers, along with Green Moray Eels and Napoleon Wrasse. Cod Hole is a reef area less than 200 metres long with ledges and patch reefs at depths of 10-35 metres. A channel passes between the reefs and it is here that you will come face to face with enormous fish. No one would pretend that this would be an exceptional dive site if it was not for the incredible congregation of big fish, but this 'marine zoo' has become one of those dive sites, like Belize's Blue Hole and Grand Cayman's Stingray City, that should definitely be high on every diver's wish list.

South of Cod Hole lies Pixie Pinnacle , a coral bommie which rises vertically from 30 metres. Although a diver might circumnavigate the pinnacle in a few minutes, if he does, he's missed the point! Pixie is one of those dives where the closer you look the more you see. The constant abundance of plankton here can lead to low visibility, but also leads to a rare richness in marine life. Corals, crinoids, nudibranchs, anemones and their anemonefish companions cover the pinnacle. Groupers, lionfish and huge schools of basslets and fusiliers swarm in the water. The water around the pinnacle can be so full of fish that divers have described this as one of the most profuse dive sites in the world.

Other dive sites in the Ribbon Reefs (and many have no official name) are selected by the crew of Undersea Explorer and Spoilsport depending on local conditions. The wide variety of plate, branching and massive corals, giant clams and fish life are, at certain times of the year, the breeding grounds of the dwarf form of the Minke Whale.

On special Minke Whale trips in June/July (the period when 80% of all sightings are made) some scheduled dives are replaced by whale watching and snorkeling with the Minke Whales. Depending on the number of whales and the quality of the interactions, diving on these cruises can be reduced, with snorkeling with the whales replacing the diving by popular demand! It is an overwhelming experience to snorkel with these beautifully-patterned whales that are the smallest of the baleen whales, and yet are still up to 8 metres in length and weigh up to 6 tons. Research experiences on Minke Whale expeditions include documentation of whale encounters (often with multiple whales for many hours!), recording whale vocalizations, creating and updating photo and video identification, and researching whale and human interactions.

THE CORAL SEA

Bounded to the west and south by the mainland of Australia and to the north by the island of New Guinea, the Coral Sea is a seriously remote area. An overnight cruise is required to reach Osprey Reef. While the open ocean ride can be rough or bumpy, the very remoteness which necessitates the long journey protects the reef from over-diving and over-fishing. The visibility here is usually about 30 metres, but can be even more. For underwater photographers in particular this means sensational colour and vibrancy can be captured on film. Osprey Reef is a ten-mile atoll with dive sites along its western side. Shallow hard coral gardens are home to sweetlips, Moorish Idols and a variety of anemonefish , but it is the sheer walls (some with a 1,000 metre drop!) which are the main attraction. Grey Reef Sharks, White-tip Reef Sharks, Silvertip Sharks and, in season, Scalloped Hammerheads make this the most reliable shark diving in Australia. Many Dog Tooth Tuna, cod (groupers), and barracuda also occur here. If it is larger creatures you want to see then keep a constant lookout! Sperm Whales, Manta Rays, turtles and other large pelagics all pass by from time to time in the shadowy depths.

Two large bodies of water, those moving along the eastern and the western rims of the atoll, meet at North Horn . Schools of barracudas hang silently, and tuna, Manta Rays and even Whale Sharks have been seen at this sharply pointed structure at a depth of 20-30 metres.

All Undersea Explorer's Coral Sea trips include shark research cruises (shark tagging and population studies) as well as nautilus studies. Cephalopod research is aimed at studying the deep sea nautilus, cuttlefish and octopus. Almost 400 nautilus have been trapped, tagged and released, with a remarkable 6% recapture rate!

Special trips focus even more on shark research, while other trips study the camouflage and unique lifestyles of the amazing cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus). Search for new species, discover octopus lairs and witness cuttlefish mating and egg laying! Guests are encouraged to participate in these studies if they wish, but you are always welcome to do your own thing.

THE FAR NORTHERN REEFS

Simply by virtue of its remoteness, the reef system bordering the long Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Straits is rarely dived. For those that venture to the Remote Far Northern Reefs, situated 400 nautical miles north of Port Douglas, the effort is well-rewarded: these reefs are the richest and most diverse of all the Australian reefs. These warm and rarely-fished waters harbour a wonderful variety of both hard and soft corals, giant anemones, gorgonians and sea whips as well as pelagic species such as tuna, mackerel, jobfish, turrum, barracuda and trevally, but it is probably the sharks that provide the most amazing aspect of diving in these waters. Wobbegongs, those weirdly-tasselled bottom-dwellers, Leopard, Grey Reef, White-tip Reef, Silvertip and Tiger Sharks, Great Hammerheads and Whale Sharks all occur in these waters, although some species are only occasionally encountered.

Dominated by drift dives, the Remote Far Northern Reefs expeditions yield superb diving and marine wildlife encounters. On visits to the protected national park of Raine Island large numbers of nesting Green Turtles (up to 1,000 egg-laying turtles have been recorded in one night) and seabirds can be seen. Tiger Sharks feed on the weaker turtles and even patrol the shoreline to snatch turtles re-entering the water after their egg laying.

Due to the constant sweeping of currents at Bligh Reef the walls are covered in an amazing collection of soft corals and, in the deeper waters, sea whips coil invitingly. Both reef fish and pelagics are found here in great numbers and divers might expect to see Maori Wrasse, batfish, surgeonfish, hawkfish, trevally and barracudas.

Northeast of the Great Detached Reef , lies Shark City . The area has good soft coral and gorgonian populations, along with a wide variety of reef fish, but it is the shark population that is the greatest spectacle here. White-tip Reef, Silvertip and Grey Reef Sharks patrol the area and pass close to divers  a great photographic opportunity!

As you spend some time exploring these wilderness reefs you may experience the thrill of encounters with Bryde's Whales, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. Take time to enjoy the company of massive populations of breeding reef animals that congregate here and form the food chain that attracts the larger pelagics to the area.

These 9 night cruises either depart from Port Douglas and end at Lockhart River, a small community within an 'Aboriginal Land' designated area, or vice versa. The one-way air ticket between Lockhart River and Cairns is included in the trip cost and is a trip highlight in its own right! Flights to Lockhart River depart from Cairns at 1400 and arrive at Lockhart River for boarding Undersea Explorer at 1600. For cruises returning to Lockhart River, flights depart Lockhart River at 1645 arriving in Cairns at 1845. The small 6-seater planes usually carry only 4 or 5 passengers on the very scenic flights.

Kindly note that, for those cruises that end at Lockhart River, divers can enjoy snorkeling on the last day of the cruise, but due to the afternoon flight, no diving is arranged that day.

UNDERSEA EXPLORER

Undersea Explorer is a comfortable liveaboard boat offering space for up to 19 guests in 11 cabins. Five queen cabins have a queen-sized lower and single upper bed, while the six twin cabins have two twin beds, one above the other. All cabins have ducted air-conditioning and plenty of storage space. One of the queen cabins and two of the twin berth cabins are situated on the upper deck and four queen cabins and four twin cabins are on the lower deck. Toilets and showers are on the upper deck, as are the galley and saloon area. The top deck is partially shaded, allowing for relaxation between dives, either in or out of the sun. There are video (both PAL and NTSC) and television facilities. A lecture room, fully equipped with a microscope linked to a television and a marine library with computer CD Rom connections, is available for passengers' use. The boat has two rigid hull inflatable boats. The captains of Undersea Explorer all have 20 years experience and its dedicated crew include a marine biologist, a qualified chef, a divemaster and an instructor.

Divers who have not dived during the last 6 months before the expedition, or inexperienced divers, are recommended to undertake a refresher course. Refresher courses are available onboard Undersea Explorer (currently at a charge of AUS $50.00 per person). All divers are expected to dive on computer. Computers are available for hire on board.

Undersea Explorer offers a range of cruises to different destinations through out the year, most of which depart from and return to Princes Wharf in Port Douglas (about one hour by road from Cairns). Guests join the boat at 1700 on the first day of the cruise and leave the boat in the afternoon (usually about 1630) on the last day. Diving is scheduled for the last morning of the cruise, so this must be taken into consideration when planning flight itineraries.

Remote Far Northern Reefs cruises include a one way charter flight either to or from Lockhart River. Those Remote Far Northern Reefs cruises that end at Lockhart River schedule snorkeling on the last morning so that participants are safe to fly in the afternoon. The flights, by GAM, operate out of the Old Sky West Terminal at the Great Aviation Airport, Cairns. The normal baggage limit is 20 Kgs per person. Anyone contemplating taking significantly more than this (i.e. over 25 Kgs) should notify us before booking so that we can check with Undersea Explorer .

2006 Cruise Schedule: Osprey Reef Shark Encounters (3 days at Osprey Reef, weather permitting, and 3 days Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole): 7-13 January, 14-20 January, 21-27 January, 4-10 March, 11-17 March, 18-24 March, 1-7 April, 8-14 April, 15-21 April, 29 April-5 May, 6-12 May, 13-19 May, 27 May-2 June, 15-21 July, 22-28 July, 29 July-4 August, 5-11 August, 12-18 August, 19-25 August, 2-8 September, 9-15 September, 16-22 September, 23-29 September, 30 September-6 October, 7-13 October, 4-10 November, 11-17 November, 30 December-5 January. Research topics: sharks and deep sea nautilus. Coral Spawning Encounters: 18-24 November (Ribbon Reefs), 16-22 December (3 days Osprey Reef and 3 days Ribbon Reefs). Minke Whale Expeditions (Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole): 3-9 June, 10-16 June, 17-23 June, 24-30 June, 1-7 July, 8-14 July. Research topics Dwarf Minke Whales. Far Northern Reefs Expeditions (Port Douglas to Lockhart River or vice versa): 15-24 October, 24 October-2 November. Research topics: wilderness survey for turtles, sharks and megafauna.

Osprey Reef Shark Encounters or Coral Spawning Encounters (6 nights)

£809 for cruises departing between 21 January-18 March

£894 for cruises departing between 1 April-27 May, 5 August-23 September

£1043 for cruises departing between 7-14 January

£1106 for cruises departing between 3 June-29 July, 30 September-7 October, 4-18 November, 16-30 December

Minke Whale Expeditions (6 nights)

£1106

Far Northern Expeditions (9 nights)

£1830

Includes:

" 6 or 9 nights cruise on Undersea Explorer on a twin/share basis with full board including soft drinks (excluding dinner on first night in Port Douglas).

" 5 or 8 days diving (usually 3 or 4 dives per day, but only 2 on the last day, and only snorkeling on the last day for Remote Far Northern Reef cruises ending at Lockhart River), cylinders and weights. Minke Whale expeditions have 14 dives plus whale snorkeling.

" One way charter flight between Cairns and Lockhart River or vice versa for Remote Far Northern Reefs cruises.

Please note: Transfers between Cairns and Port Douglas are not included. A coach service (operated by Coral Coaches) from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas costs approximately AUS$25 per person one-way and can be pre-booked, alternatively a taxi costs about AUS$120 one-way. An Australian Marine Park Fee, currently AUS$12 per person, is payable on board Undersea Explorer .

Non-divers: A 5% discount applies.

Additional Cruise: A 10% discount applies.

Single Occupancy Supplement: If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger of the same sex you can avoid paying any supplement. If you prefer to have a cabin to yourself an 80% supplement applies.

Deposit: £250 (6 nights cruise); £400 (9 nights cruise).

SPOILSPORT

Spoilsport is part of the Mike Ball Dive Expeditions fleet of vessels. She can carry up to 29 passengers in 15 cabins. The vessel is a twin-hulled catamaran, which offers stability and minimizes problems with sea-sickness. Four levels of cabin are offered. Budget cabins have twin bunks and share a separate shower and toilet with other budget cabins. One budget cabin, with its own bathroom, is on the lower deck and is reached by ladder. Economy cabins have twin bunk beds and share a bathroom and toilet with one other Economy Cabin. Standard cabins have two single beds and a private bathroom. Premium cabins have either a double bed or a double bed and a single bed, plus a private bathroom. All cabins have air-conditioning. A large dining room is where meals are served. There is plenty of space for relaxing either in the lounge or on the sundeck.

Spoilsport offers a full range of PADI courses, including Nitrox training. Nitrox is available as are digital camera rental and video/photo services. All Mike Ball Dive Expedition boats feature their unique 'Safe Solo' Programme offering suitably qualified and experienced divers the opportunity to dive as individuals rather than as buddy pairs. Diving is undertaken from the back deck of the boat and 2 RIBs constantly patrol the dive sites to pick up any divers who surface away from the boat.

Important: Mike Ball Dive Expedition boats are unusual in not guaranteeing same-sex cabin mates. Please be aware of this if travelling alone.

Spoilsport offers 3 , 4 and 7 nights trips exploring the Coral Sea, the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole. Three nights trips fly from Cairns to Lizard Island and return to Cairns, diving en route. Four nights trips sail from Cairns to Lizard Island, diving en route, and include a low level flight back from Lizard Island to Cairns. Seven Nights trips are a combination of the four nights trip and the three nights trip and do not involve any flights.

Three Nights Fly-Dive Cod Hole Expeditions include 3 days of diving (12 dives, including 2 night dives) and explore the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole. Trips commence on Mondays throughout the year with a check-in at 0700 at the Cairns Colonial Club followed by a transfer to Cairns Airport and a spectacular low-level flight to Lizard Island, boarding Spoilsport before lunch. Diving begins in the early afternoon at Cod Hole and Cod Wall. During the following 2 days Spoilsport cruises through the Ribbon Reefs, making her way towards Cairns and stopping en route for some fabulous diving, arriving in Cairns on Thursday mornings. The cruises finish after breakfast.

Four Nights Fly-Dive Coral Sea Expeditions include 3 days of diving (14 dives, including 2 night dives) and explore the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. Trips commence on Thursdays throughout the year with a 1600 check-in at the Mike Ball Dive Expeditions office in Cairns, boarding Spoilsport at 1900 at Marlin Jetty, Cairns. The vessel cruises overnight to Cod Hole. During the following 3 days Spoilsport cruises to Osprey Reef in the remote Coral Sea, stopping en route for some fabulous diving, arriving at Lizard Island on Monday morning. After breakfast on board, transfer to Lizard Island for a spectacular low-level flight to Cairns Airport, arriving at 1100.

Seven Nights Coral Sea Safaris include 6 days of diving (26 dives. including 4 night dives) and is a combination of the two trips outlined above, commencing with the four nights trip. Trips begin on Thursdays with a 1600 check-in at the Mike Ball Dive Expeditions office in Cairns and boarding Spoilsport at 1900 at Marlin Jetty, Cairns. The vessel cruises overnight to the Ribbon Reefs. The following day is spent diving the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole. The next two days are spent cruising to Osprey Reef, stopping en route for some fabulous diving. By Monday Spoilsport will reach Lizard Island where landfall is made in the morning. There is an opportunity to dive Cod Hole once more in the afternoon. On Tuesday and Wednesday Spoilsport cruises through the Ribbon Reefs, making her way towards Cairns and stopping en route for some more fabulous diving, arriving in Cairns on Thursday mornings. The cruise finishes after breakfast.

Three and four nights Minke Whale Expeditions are offered in June and are the same price as the Fly-Dive Expeditions . They number of dives is reduced as the trips include snorkeling opportunities with the whales.

Three Nights Fly-Dive Expeditions departing January-May

£478 in a Budget Cabin

£574 in an Economy Cabin

£648 in a Standard Cabin

£712 in a Premium Cabin

Three Nights Fly-Dive Expeditions departing June-December

£504 in a Budget Cabin

£606 in an Economy Cabin

£690 in a Standard Cabin

£760 in a Premium Cabin

Four Nights Fly-Dive Expeditions departing January-May

£517 in a Budget Cabin

£606 in an Economy Cabin

£680 in a Standard Cabin

£755 in a Premium Cabin

Four Nights Fly-Dive Expeditions departing June-December

£551 in a Budget Cabin

£660 in an Economy Cabin

£751 in a Standard Cabin

£817 in a Premium Cabin

Seven Nights Coral Sea Safaris departing January-May

£946 in a Budget Cabin

£1138 in an Economy Cabin

£1287 in a Standard Cabin

£1426 in a Premium Cabin

Seven Nights Coral Sea Safaris departing June-December

£978 in a Budget Cabin

£1276 in an Economy Cabin

£1394 in a Standard Cabin

£1543 in a Premium Cabin

Includes:

" 3, 4 or 7 nights cruise on Spoilsport on a twin/share basis with full board including tea, coffee, water, soft drinks and wine with dinner.

" 12, 14 or 26 dives (including 2 or 4 night dives), cylinders and weights. (Note: Minke Whale Expeditions offer a reduced number of dives but include snorkeling opportunities with the whales).

Non-divers: A 10% reduction applies.

Single Occupancy Supplement : If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger you can avoid paying any supplement. If you prefer to have a cabin/hotel room to yourself a 70% supplement applies.

Deposit: £250 (cruises up to £900); £500 (cruises over £900)

FLIGHTS

The airfares shown here were typical economy fares available at the time of going to press. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class availability, at the time of booking. Our quote, which will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge, may be higher or lower than the airfares indicated here. The usual airfare deposit is £250.

QANTAS & AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES

Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning departures from London (Heathrow) bound for Singapore, arriving the following evening and connecting with an onward flight to Cairns, arriving the next morning. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoon return flights to Singapore arriving in the evening and connecting with an onward flight to London (Heathrow), arriving the following morning.

Concessionary rates are available for connecting flights between Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. Please contact our office for details.

£848 for departures 16 April-30 June

£917 for departures 16 January-15 April

£1009 for departures 15 August-9 December, 24-31 December

£1014 for departures 1-15 January

£1158 for departures 1 July-14 August

£1313 for departures 10-23 December

Includes:

" Scheduled flights London (Heathrow)/Singapore/Cairns/Singapore/London (Heathrow) by Qantas & Australian Airlines.

Overnights in Cairns: £30 per night room-only at the comfortable Cairns Colonial Club Resort on a twin/share basis. A single occupancy supplement of £30 per night applies. Please note: Airport/hotel transfers are not included: taxis are freely available and not expensive.

LINKING AUSTRALIA WITH PAPUA NEW GUINEA, THE SOLOMONS, FIJI OR FRENCH POLYNESIA

It is easy to link some diving in Australia's Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef with the amazing diving found in the islands of the Southwestern Pacific. Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea is served by flights from Cairns as well as other Australian cities, but Honiara in the Solomons, Nadi in Fiji and Tahiti in French Polynesia are only served from Brisbane or Sydney. Contact us for details of flight costs and possible itineraries.