Scuba Diving News | Reef Barrier Diving Great Australia

Liveaboard Scuba Diving on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea

Scuba Diving News

The latest news and happenings from the desk of Mike Ball.

Review by DiveBuzz

Coral Sea Trip Review - DiveBuzz 

April on the Great Barrier Reef

River Runs Deep? By Captain Trevor Jackson

March on the Great Barrier Reef (2012)

Once in a Lifetime? By Captain Trevor Jackson

February on the Great Barrier Reef

Perfect By Captain Trevor Jackson

January on the Great Barrier Reef

Safe Diving By Captain Trevor Jackson

It Will Save Lives!

Nautilus Lifeline: Personal GPS-VHF Radio for Scuba Divers We are quite excited that Spoilsport is now stocking personal GPS locator devices onboard Spoilsport.&nbs

DECEMBER ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Going Places By Captain Trevor Jackson

Sport Diving 'Mike Ball Minke Magic' Article

Dive Log / Sport Diving editor Barry Andrewartha joined Mike Ball on a special 7 night  Minke Whale Expedition in July this year.

NOVEMBER ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Parliment House By Captain Trevor Jackson

October On The Great Barrier Reef

Tick Each BoxBy Captain Trevor Jackson

September on the Great Barrier Reef

Out of the BagBy Captain Trevor Jackson

August on the Great Barrier Reef

Rules in Life? By Captain Trevor Jackson

Festival Cairns - Showcasing Jewels of the Coral Sea

This year's Cairns Festival runs from 19th August to 14th September. As part of the Festival, there will be six free film nights playing on a specially set-up outdoor cinema.

July on the Great Barrier Reef

Want to Fly? By Captain Trevor Jackson

June on the Great Barrier Reef

A Little Different By Captain Trevor Jackson
Minke Whale

Photo of the Year (2010-2011) Winner Announced

Congratulations to Matt Curnock who is the overall winner of this years onboard photography competition.

Cairns Underwater Film Festival's 2011 Photo Competition

Young Photographers Get Free Entry, Allocated Seating, One Month to Go for Photo Competition Entries and Freshwater Images Are Allowed!

May on The Great Barrier Reef

Let it All Hang OutBy Captain Trevor Jackson

Swimming with Dwarf Minke Whales on the Great Barrier Reef

 On Tuesday 24th May at Two Towers dive site, the crew and passengers of Spoilsport had their first minke whale encounter of the season.
Grant and David, post dive at Osprey Reef

The Wildlife Man - David Ireland

The Wildlife ManDavid Ireland is arguably one of the worlds most experienced wildlife film presenters, producers and cameramen.

Mike's Travels

On Monday May 2nd, Mike flew into Adelaide for a short road trip.  Whilst there he completed three slide show presentations.
Chris Hamilton - Best in show

Call for entries in the 2011 Cairns Underwater Film Festival's Photo Competition

Call for entries in the 2011 Cairns Underwater Film Festival's Photo CompetitionOver $30,000 in prizes to be won thanks to incredible sponsors!

April on the Great Barrier Reef

Oztek 2011By Captain Trevor Jackson

March on the Great Barrier Reef

Shark Heaven  By Captain Trevor Jackson

2011 Minke Season Approaching

The 2011 Minke season is fast approaching.

Business as usual - post TC Yasi

Business as Usual By Captain Trevor Jackson  

Tropical Cyclone Yasi Update

Cairns has been spared major damage by Tropical Cyclone Yasi. There are distruptions to power and airlines but the Mike Ball Office is fully operational and Spoilsport is being inspected today.
2011 Winner Sam Edmonds (above water category)

2011 AIMA Shipwreck Photography Competition

In 2011 the Australian Institute for Maritime Archaelogy will be running its second Shipwreck Photography Competition. Photographers are invited to send in their best photos of any shipwrecks

MBDE Upgrades Rebreather Service

In response to increased demand, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has upgraded the rebreather service offered onboard Spoilsport.  Travelling any distance with a full rebreathe

New Extraordinary Expedition - Photo Workshop February 2011

Join the 'Shark Shooter' Damien Siviero February 17 - 24 2011Aboard Spoilsport travel 75 miles beyond the Great Barrier Reef to Osprey Reef.

Layang Layang Underwater Photoshoot - Win a 7 Night Coral Sea Safari Expedition

Win a 7 night Coral Sea Safari ExpeditionJoin some of the world’s leading underwater photographers for a 6 day digital shootout in the Coral Tri

Spoilsport Hosts JCU School of Tourism Class

On Thursday 30th September, Spoilsport played host for the afternoon to renowned Minke Whale Researchers Dr Alastair Birtles and Matt Curnock and the James Cook University "Managing Touri

Underwater Australasia Video Competition

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions would like to congratulate Stewart Whitfield for winning 1st place in the first annual Underwater Australasian Video Competition 2009-2010.  Stewart has wo

Berths now available Yongala Expedition 18-25 Nov 2010

This week long extraordinary expedition departs from Townsville on Thursday 18th November 2010 and disembarks in Cairns on Thursday 25th November.  Start an amazing week with two day
Vilimone Baleilevuka, Bob Halstead, Mike Ball

Cairns 2010 Underwater Film Festival Results

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions were proud to be a major sponsor of the Cairns Underwater Film Festival's inaugural photo competition.  Over the weekend of the 7th and 8th August approximately 700
Mike and Guests

Coral Sea Expedition with Mike Ball, Ty Sawyer and Dr Alistair Birtles

15th July 2010 and excited passengers boarded Spoilsport in Cairns, along with a few s
Minke Whale

Australian Geographic Expedition Round-up

Minke whales are incredible, being able to join them in their own environment, and on their terms is sensational.  Now imagine seven days on a dedicated Mike Ball Dive Minke Whale expedition w
Papalagi Diving School Group

Japan's Largest Dive School Visits Great Barrier Reef

 Papalagi Diving School dive with Dive 7 Seas and Mike Ball Dive Expeditions 
Pygmy Seahorse - Aaron Smith

Critter Feature

The Great Barrier Reef is famous for its diversity and at Mike Ball Dive Expeditions our liveaboard Spoilsport is lucky enough to visit one of the most prized regions of this reef system: the Ribbo
Minke whale on the Great Barrier Reef

Minke Whale Competition Finalists

The winner has been decided!  During 2009-2010 Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Dive Log Magazine have been running a joint competition.  The lucky winner of this competition wins a spot on a weeklong Mike Ball Dive Expedition...

 

Silvertip Reef Shark

Photo of the Year Winner Announced

Congratulations to Troy Mayne who is the overall winner of this year’s onboard photography competition.
Minke Whales

First Minke Whale of the Year Sighted

On Thursday 14th April at 8.50am, the first minke whale of the season was spotted.

Spoilsport crew recorded the sighting at Steve’s Bommie on the Ribbon Reef section of the Great Barrier Reef and researchers from James Cook University’s Minke Whale Project were informed. While it is regarded as an early sighting, researchers’ earliest recorded spotting occurred on April 9, 2003.

Minke Whale coming to surface for air

Australian Geographic 7 Night Minke Whale Expeditions

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY - Minke Whale Expedition - ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT

Join the Eye to Eye Marine Encounters Team...on an Official Australian Geographic Expedition as they get up close and personal with the world’s friendliest marine mammal, the Dwarf Minke Whale. Snorkel and dive the remote northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef between educational and awe-inspiring encounters with these inquisitive animals. Interpretive lectures on whale biology, behaviour and identification by Minke Whale Project researchers will enhance your experience and allow you to connect with nature as never before…

Frog Dive Group

Frog Dive Group Trip Report

Frog Dive group report on their Coral Sea Safari.  The expedition visited: Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea, the Cod Hole and the Ribbon Reefs.  Great fun was had by all, with everyone loving the Cod Hole and the Shark feed, and the 40meter visibility at Osprey was unbelievable. Highlights were the Mantas, Captains Petes singing and Oliver winning the photo comp. Thanks for a great trip we will definitley be back again next year.

Mike at NEC Dive 2009 Show

Underwater Channel features Mike Ball at Dive 2009

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions were featured on the Undewater Channel at the NEC in Birmingham for Dive Show 2009.  The Underwater Channel.tv were at the Dive Show to film exclusive coverage of the exciting Dive Show weekend. Check out Mike in action...

Coral Sea Shark Dive

Shark Revolution in the Coral Sea

In mid-February a team of divers walked into the Mike Ball office looking to head out to the Coral Sea. The shark population at Osprey Reef has received a lot of attention recently and the team from Shark Revolution were here to check it out. Shark Revolution is a communication project "from the shark's mouth". Through imagery and writing the team aim to educate through their website, a series of children's books and a body of photographic works.

November Shark Expedition

Renowned shark research Richard Fitzpatrick, Eye to Eye Marine Encounters and Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are once again teaming up to bring you a weeklong shark expedition.  For more information visit our Extraordinary Expeditions, contact us or view the expedition report and photos from John Rumney (Eye to Eye Marine Encounters) of last years expedition, which sold out well in advance and was a great success.

Cairns Underwater Film Festival & Photo Competition

The Cairns Underwater Festival is now in its 4th year and is growing in popularity.  This year, a new and exciting addition to the successful Festival will be the Cairns Underwater Photo Competition, which will include 'macro', 'fauna and flora', 'man and the sea' and 'young photographer' categories.  Here are the details...

 

Judy Haynie

Conneticut to the Coral Sea

I first met Mike Ball in Connecticut on a cold winter night in January 2007. Snow was piled up about three feet, around the local dive shop. About thirty of us ventured out to hear about diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. And we weren’t disappointed. His presentation to the dive club stirred the imagination, and raised the desire to make a journey to that far off land down under. There was no question about it, we were going to Australia... read on...
 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the team at Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. 

PADI Award with Drew Richardson

Mike's Travels

Mike has just returned from six weeks visiting friends and divers in Australia, UK and USA. During this time Mike also attended Dive 2009 (UK) and DEMA (USA).
Win a trip with Mike Ball and Barry Andrewartha

Win A Minke Whale Expedition

Win an Exotic Critter and Big Animal Expedition valued at $3462. Aboard Spoilsport with Barry Andrewartha and Mike Ball.
Underwater Australasia

Underwater Australasia Video Competition

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions have once again teamed up with Underwater Australasia to sponsor an underwater imagery competition.  This time the inaugural Video Competition.
Minke Whale coming to surface for air

Australian Geographic Society - Minke Whale Expedition

Join the Eye to Eye Marine Encounters Team...on an Official Australian Geographic Expedition as they get up close and personal with the world’s friendliest marine mammal, the Dwarf Minke Whale. Snorkel and dive the remote northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef between educational and awe-inspiring encounters with these inquisitive animals. Interpretive lectures on whale biology, behaviour and identification by Minke Whale Project researchers will enhance your experience and allow you to connect with nature as never before…

Best Australian Dive Experience Award

Winner - Australia's Best Dive Experience Award!

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions were recently awarded 'Travelling in Australia's - Best Dive Experience' award and ranked as one of Australia's '20 Best Experiences'.   Here is what Travelling
Pygmy Seahorse - Aaron Smith

And The Winner Is... Mike Ball Dive Expeditions Announces 2008/2009 Onboard Photo Competition Winner

Congratulations to Aaron Smith who won this year's onboard photo competition.  Mike deliberated on the winner for quite some time as there were many great photographs in the running to win.&nb
Eco Certified Advanced Ecotourism

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions Gains Advanced Ecotourism Certification

On the 6th November 2007 Mike Ball Dive Expeditions was awarded an Advanced Ecotourism Certification through the Nature an
Rebreather Group

Coming of Age – Trevor Jackson - Rebreather Diving on Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

It started to get a bit repetitive. People glancing at their watches to check that it wasn’t April the 1st, or waiting for a punch line. “Sorry, you fair dinkum Trev?
Ecos Magazine

Encountering Mutual Respect– Viarne Mischon

Writer, Viarne Mischon, came aboard Spoilsport for a Minke Whale Expedition in June this year. Her article featured in "Ecos" magazine, the publication of the Commonswealth Scientific and Industrial Reseach Organisation.

International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame

International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame

In 2004, at Grand Cayman Island, Mike Ball joined diving great like Jacques Yves Cousteau and Hans Hass as an inductee into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
Fodor's Choice Award 2008

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions announced as a "Fodor's Choice" Travel Experience

Fodor’s Travel, the foremost name in travel publishing, has named Mike Ball Dive Expeditions as a 2008 Fodor’s Choice selection. This distinction recognizes a remarkable achievement and the team at Mike Ball are very pleased to have their efforts recognized in this way...