GBR & Ribbon Reefs Expedition - 5 Night

Expedition Highlights

5 Night Great Barrier Reef & Ribbon Reefs featuring:

• Continental Shelf – Dive 100 miles north of Cairns on the edge of the shelf where nutrient rich waters attract rich marine life.
• Ribbon Reefs – a prized region of the Great Barrier Reef, with excellent fish & coral biodiversity.
• Cod Hole – Swim with diver size potato cod.
• Iconic Dive Sites – Lighthouse Bommie, Gotham City, Pixie Pinnacle,
  Coral Kingdom, Cracker Jack, Flare Point,  Summer Bay.
• Steve’s Bommie – a highlight with incredible marine biodiversity, both large and small
• Lizard Island – Choose to dive, snorkel, kayak or set foot on these beautiful and rarely visited remote islands.  These fringing reefs offer a different diving experience to the ribbon reefs with fabulous biodiversity of soft and hard corals, critters and schooling fish. Kayak to deserted beaches or snorkel above the shallow coral gardens. Step back in time at the ruins of Mrs Watsons Cottage; stroll along the Pandanis palms boardwalk up to Chinaman’s Ridge for magnificent views of the island and reefs below.

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.

Ribbon Reefs

Between Lizard Island and Cooktown the reef sits right on the edge of the Continental Shelf, bringing in an upwelling of nutrient rich water attracting large fish populations and diverse corals.  Around 1,500 fish and 400 coral species live here from small critters to large pelagics.

The Cod Hole

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 magnificent characters or 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. A good place to spot minke whales in season (June to August)

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.

Coral Kingdom

A fantastic coral dive with vast beds of staghorn and other varieties, and dotted with colourful giant clams.  Bump headed parrotfish and inquisitive barracuda cruise the site along with schools of other reef fish.

Steve’s Bommie

Steve’s Bommie is a photographers dream with an incredible quantity of diverse marine life. Hunt out such creatures as stonefish, scorpionfish, octopus, clown anemone fish and turtles, not to mention the many schools of fish that call this place home.

Lizard Island

Explore these remote islands by diving, snorkelling, kayaking or walking; stunning vistas looking out from Chinaman’s Ridge on Lizard Island to Watsons bay below. Experience the solitude visiting the beautiful beaches and fringing shallow coral gardens of North Direction Island.

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.

All itinerary details are subject to change, specific marine life cannot be guaranteed.

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 $8.00 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: (3 dives + night dive) Exact times may vary to optimise the prevailing weather conditions on the day.

• 7:30 am: Wake up and breakfast served in dining room
• 8:00 am: Dive & activity briefs
• 9:00 am: Dive & Island activities commence
• 12:00 am: Dive & Island activities continue
• 2:00 pm: Lunch & move to outer reef
• 3:30 pm: Dive brief & diving
• 5:00 pm: Afternoon Tea
• 6:30 pm: Night dive brief & dive
• 8:00 pm: Dinner

Saturday: (4 dives + night dive) Exact times may vary to optimise the prevailing weather conditions on the day.

• 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
• 5:00 pm: Afternoon Tea
• 6:30 pm: Night dive brief & dive
• 8:00 pm: Dinner

Sunday: (4 dives)

• As per above, however all diving is finished by 5pm.
• As the sun sets we pour the champagne, lay out the nibbles and get ready for an Aussie BBQ party night. Don’t forget to wear your loudest tropical shirt or dress and sing along to music played by our talented crew.
• Overnight cruise to Cairns

Monday: (4 dives)

• As per above, however all diving is finished by 5pm.
• As the sun sets we pour the champagne, lay out the nibbles and get ready for an Aussie BBQ party night. Don’t forget to wear your loudest tropical shirt or dress and sing along to music played by our talented crew.
• Overnight cruise to Cairns

Tuesday:

• 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 5pm 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 5pm Monday).