Coral Sea Odyssey - 10 Nights
2027 Departure dates: 12 March Friday Departures
2028 Departure dates: 10 March Friday Departures
10 Nights – Up to 43 Dives
Dive the historic SS Yongala wreck, explore remote Coral Sea walls, and encounter the vibrant biodiversity of the Ribbon Reefs. The Coral Sea Odyssey captures the essence of Mike Ball’s original explorations — adventure, discovery, and world-class diving across Australia’s most iconic reef systems.
- Wheeler Reef – Explore this pristine platform reef with white sands and spectacular coral gardens, schooling fish, sharks, turtles and rays.
- MOUA (Museum of Underwater Art) – Dive Australia’s only underwater museum.
- SS Yongala – Australia’s largest, most intact historic shipwreck which sank in 1911, resting 14-28m below the surface. Claimed to be one of the worlds ‘top ten’ wrecks, the Yongala is renowned for its incredible diversity and abundance of marine life. Giant Queensland groupers, sea snakes, shovel-nosed rays and huge schools of fish abound at the Yongala.
- Flinders Reef – Spectacular walls with vertical drops in excess of 300m (1000ft) and 40m (120ft +) visibility. Bommies and reefs are smothered with both soft and hard corals at dive sites ‘Trigger Happy and ‘ Fan Fair’. Huge soft coral trees, fans and sea whips decorate ‘Cod Wall’ where the ancient Gigantus Gorgonia fan spans over 5 meters. Sharks tuna and barracuda patrol the reef slopes drop offs, and fish school around the edges of the reefs where the currents diverge.
- Plummeting Coral Sea wall dives in gin clear water Coral Sea Dive Sites
- Holmes Reef – Explore the vast caves canyons and swim throughs connecting the abyssal drop off to the reef top at ‘Amazing’. Equally amazing, is to circumnavigate ‘Nonki Bommie’ adorned with huge brightly coloured soft corals, sea fans, critters and schooling fish.
- Bougainville Reef – Dungeons & Dragons labyrinth of caves & caverns, giant potato cod at Crystal Plateau
- Osprey Reef – Adventure builds to a climax with a spectacular shark dive at North Horn
- Continental Shelf – Dive 100 miles north of Cairns on the edge of the shelf, exposed to currents
- Cod Hole – Swim with diver-sized potato cod
- Ribbon Reefs – Great fish and coral diversity Ribbon Reef Dive Sites
- Dynamite Pass, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Coral Kingdom, Flare Point, Blue Lagoon, Gotham City, Vertical Gardens
- Steve’s Bommie – A highlight with an incredible array of weird and wonderful creatures
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.
Wheeler Reef
A popular dive site located about 100km from Townsville. With an average visibility of 30m plus and dive site depths ranging from 2m to 30m, perfect dive profiles and long bottom times are easily achievable. Wheeler is rated as one of the best night dives on the reef, so enjoy.
Yongala Wreck
This world class shipwreck is one of the key subjects in Sir David Attenborough’s documentary on the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Recognised as one of world’s best historic wreck dive sites, this 111m wreck lies on its starboard side in 30m of water. Sunk in a cyclone on 23 March 1911, she is now home to a spectacular concentration of marine life.
Flinders Reef/Flinders Cay
Scan spectacular walls that drop 300m (1000ft) with visibility averaging 40m+ (120ft). Descend to gorgonian fans up to 5m wide (the Gigantus Gorgonus) and huge soft coral trees. Mingle with patrolling sharks, tuna and barracuda.
Holmes Reef
Soft coral and sea fan enthusiasts will love this dive. Nonki Bommie rises to the surface from 35 metres and it is split with a huge crack down the middle filled with giant yellow and orange sea fans. Sharks and other fish are attracted to the site, making for an exciting dive
Bougainville Reef
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.
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.
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. Read more.
The Cod Hole - 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 magnificent characters or simply hang out and enjoy their company.
The Ribbon Reefs
The most prized dive region of Great Barrier Reef, this stretch of reef from Lizard Island to Cooktown. Nutrient rich waters from the Continental Shelf attract abundant fish and coral species. Ribbon Reef Dive Sites
Gotham City - Ribbon Reefs
A sloping reef, rich with hard and soft corals and reef fish. This site makes a very exciting night dive with congregations of hunting fish such as sharks and trevally.
Steve’s Bommie - Ribbon Reefs
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.
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.
| Coral Sea Odyssey – 10 Night 2027 | |
|---|---|
| Cabin | Price |
| Premium | $10731 |
| Standard | $9877 |
| Club | $8656 |
| Budget | $7409 |
Environmental Management Fee $8 per day (subject to change)
| Coral Sea Odyssey – 10 Night 2028 | |
|---|---|
| Cabin | Prices |
| Premium | $11268 |
| Standard | $10371 |
| Club | $9089 |
| Budget | $7779 |
Environmental Management Fee $8 per day (subject to change)
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.
Itinerary (Coral Sea Odyssey – 10 Nights / Up to 43 dives)
Please note: Expedition boarding in Townsville & disembarking in Cairns, (commercial flight to Townsville not included and to be arranged by yourself).
Friday – Embark Townsville (Day 1):
Check-in 5:30 pm, 6 pm Departure on Spoilsport at Breakwater Marina, Townsville.
Please note that dinner is not provided on the first evening so you may wish to eat before boarding.
Enjoy a glass of champagne and light snacks while your Trip Director provides a full briefing.
Time to organise any rental equipment and put your dive gear together on the dive deck.
Saturday – Wheeler Reef & SS Yongala Wreck (Day 2): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Start your adventure with pristine coral gardens and schooling fish at Wheeler Reef before diving into history at the world-famous SS Yongala Wreck — one of the top ten wreck dives in the world. Encounter giant groupers, turtles, and rays.
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
Sunday – Flinders Reef (Day 3): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
As above.
Explore Cod Wall, Geronimo’s, Watanabe, Rock Arch, Fan Fair, and Trigger Happy.
Dramatic vertical walls, soft corals, and large sea fans decorate the drop-offs where pelagics patrol.
Monday – Holmes Reef, Coral Sea (Day 4): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Cross the Continental Shelf into the Coral Sea.
Dive Nonki Bommie and Amazing with vast walls, caves, and coral-encrusted swim-throughs.
Night dive with schooling fish, reef sharks, and nocturnal creatures.
Tuesday – Bougainville Reef (Day 5): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Explore Crystal Plateau and Dungeons & Dragons — a maze of caverns, coral terraces, and canyons.
Enjoy vibrant coral gardens, patrolling sharks, and schooling fish.
Spoilsport cruises overnight to Osprey Reef.
Wednesday & Thursday – Osprey Reef (Days 6 & 7): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Experience the best of the Coral Sea at Osprey Reef. Dive North Horn, Fairy Grotto, and False Entrance.
Enjoy the famous shark dive and breathtaking coral walls adorned with gorgonian fans.
Relax on deck and share stories under the stars.
Friday – Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs (Day 8): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Arrive at the Great Barrier Reef’s Ribbon Reefs. Dive Cod Hole, Steve’s Bommie, and Lighthouse Bommie.
See giant potato cod, turtles, and schooling fish in crystal-clear water.
Saturday – Ribbon Reefs (Day 9): (Up to 4 dives + night dive)
Continue exploring the Ribbon Reefs with dives at Pixie Pinnacle, Coral Kingdom, and Flare Point.
Enjoy colourful coral gardens, reef fish, and turtles gliding through the currents.
Sunday – Ribbon Reefs & Coral Sea BBQ Night (Day 10): (Up to 3 dives)
Enjoy relaxed final dives at Coral Kingdom or Flare Point before Spoilsport begins her cruise back to Cairns.
As the sun sets, we pour the champagne as we 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.
Monday – Arrive Cairns:
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 Sunday afternoon).
