07/22/09

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The Great Barrier Reef & Coral Sea Expedition - January 25 to February 1, 2007

CORAL SEA SAFARI

with MIKE BALL DIVE EXPEDITIONS

7 Nights/ 6 dive days - Unlimited Dives (including night dives) approx 26 dives

This Great Barrier Reef Coral Sea Safari is ideal for all levels of divers seeking to participate in Australia's best liveaboard expedition; Spoilsport is Australia's most prestigious and comfortable liveaboard and recognized as the "most environmentally sensitive liveaboard in the pacific."

 TENTATIVE ITINERARY

 Thursday - Check-in and Departure

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Prior to 4pm, check-in luggage/dive bag at our office, 143 Lake Street, Cairns

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If unable to check-in prior to 4pm, phone us on 4031-5484 for departure details

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Board Spoilsport 8pm at the Marlin Jetty - berth 16 (no boarding before 8pm)

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Cruise overnight to the magnificent Ribbon Reefs, the first stop on your 700km dive odyssey

Friday - Ribbon Reef #3 - Flare Point, Joni's Joy, Fish Market

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Spiral majestic coral pinnacles teeming with life, huge schools of fusiliers entice predatory barracuda, mackerel & trevally

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Anticipate spectacular coral gardens, spotted rays, reef sharks and green turtle sightings

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Night dive where decorator crabs, egg cowry shells, moray eels and crayfish are just a few of the creatures you can find

Saturday - Coral Sea - Osprey Reef

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Cruise 100 miles overnight to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea

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Enjoy 130 ft visibility with spectacular steep walls disappearing to over 3000 ft

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Swim with giant potato cod, napoleon wrasse, moray eels, tuna and barracuda

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Witness the resident shark population including grey whalers, white-tip reef sharks, silver-tips and hammerheads

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Search for the commonly seen green and loggerhead turtles

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Find the caves, overhangs and spectacular walls adorned with huge soft coral trees and gorgonian fans

Sunday - Ribbon Reef #10 - Cod Hole, Snake Pit, Stepping Stones and Lizard Island

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Buddy up with diver size fish that dive with you at the Cod Hole

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Enjoy close encounters with huge Maori wrasse

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Drift with large schools of fish at the northern Ribbon Reef passes

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Climb "Cook's Look" at Lizard Island where Captain Cook searched for safe passage through the reef

Monday - Ribbon Reef #9 & #10 - Cod Wall, Cod Hole, Challenger Bay

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Explore the rarely dived Cod Wall at the outer reef edge that disappears into 200 ft

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Glide back towards the Cod Hole while enjoying the clear water and spectacular coral formations

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Choose to dive the Cod Hole again if you agree with us that one day is not enough to enjoy its diverse marine life

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Shallow but fantastic, Challenger Bay is extremely rich in biodiversity from spectacular coral gardens and unusual crittersthrough large schooling fish - great night dive location.....watch out for Baza the Barra

Tuesday - Ribbon Reef #9 - Lighthouse Reef, Pixie Pinnacle, Pixie wall & Vertical Gardens

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Circumnavigate Pixie Pinnacle and Lighthouse Bommie shrouded in fusilier baitfish, fluorescent purple and orange anthias attract predatory fish to these photogenic sites

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Sheer walls covered in whip corals and sea fans brim the natural amphitheatre of Vertical Gardens, marine life varies from the many colorful nudibranchs to large schooling bump head parrotfish

Wednesday - Ribbon Reef #3, #4, & #5 - Rouge Reef, Clam Beds, Andy's Postcard & Steve's Bommie

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Rising from 80 meters, Rouge Reef displays spectacular plate corals and is home to an array of tropical fish including sweetlip, butterfly, angel and beautifully colored trumpet fish

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See spectaculat giant clams at Clam Beds as wells as caves, canyons and coral encrusted bommies awaiting exploration

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Observe slowly moving scorpion fish, brightly colored yellow snapper and the huge schools of baitfish that nervously avoid the predatory trevally and barracuda that patrol the deep walls of Andy's Postcard and Steve's Bommie

Thursday - Dock at Marlin Jetty - Berth #16, Cairns

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Early morning docking, breakfast, 9am transfers to Cairns City hotels

(Weather & natural events may cause sites to improve or deteriorate over time and as such we reserve the right to vary this itinerary in order to provide the best quality diving)

  Don't delay, join the crew now!!  For questions or to arrange a deposit, please Email

 

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