• Five amazing nights on a livaboard dive tour of the Great Barrier reef.  
• Diving with Giant Potato cod, see incredible reefs, Sharks, Barracuda, Manta Rays, white tip reef sharks, silver tip sharks and an abundance of amazing reef life  
• Dive over nine different locations during your 5 night Liveaboard Great Barrier Reef experience 

A new Cod Hole dive tour has been created for our 5 night liveaboard dive trips exploring the brilliant corals and marine life in this world re-known Coral Sea dive spot in Australia on the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Based in Cairns and Far North Queensland, we are the pioneers of liveaboard diving trips on the Great Barrier Reef with our expert dive crew you are guaranteed of a dive tour like no other specially created for the serious scuba divers, underwater photographers and marine explorers.

Our dive boat is Australia's most awarded liveaboard dive boat and offers all the comforts you would expect of a high level dive company. . 

 Book your cabin on our 5 night dive the Coral Sea & Cod Hole famous liveaboard dive tour that departs each Thursdays evening to explore the World Hertiage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Our Cairns liveaboard dive trips are scheduled in January February and March.

Departure Dates Currently Available (as of 01/03/25):

2025 Departure Dates Currently Available: 27/03, 03/04, 31/07, 07/08, 21/08, 28/08 & 18/12
2026 Departure Dates Currently Available: 29/01, 26/03, 30/07, 06/08, 05/11 & 31/12
2027 Departure Dates Currently Available: 04/03

Highlights of the 5 Night Coral Sea & Cod Hole Dive Expedition 

• Coral Sea: The azure and fathomless water of the Coral Sea is the playground for sharks and big fish action in exceptional visibility. Huge soft coral trees and sea fans will impress.
• Ribbon Reefs: The potato cod grouper at the Cod Hole are a highlight, however it is the rich biodiversity of fish species and coral that make this section of the Great Barrier Reef so incredible.
• The liveaboard dive boat - she has recently undergone a major re-fit and is still the only luxury dive boat servicing dive trips to the Cod Hole and the Coral Sea
• The boat has a dedicated crew of 12 persons to ensure your dive holiday is at the top end of luxury
• Our guest cabins are a combination of double and twin share and fully air-conditioned and serviced daily on our floating boatel 
• Our masterchef prepares delicious meals catering to all dietary requirements and they even bake afternoon tea fresh each day. Snacks are available all day such as biscuits and fruits. 5 star boatel cuisine
• Dive site guarantee: Our dive boats 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.

View more of our liveaboard dive trips from Cairns here and read our informative whale blogs.

Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition - 5 Night

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 Hemingway’s Brewery Cairns Wharf (200m from MBDE office) to meet your fellow passengers.  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 from Hemingway’s Brewery Cairns Wharf 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:  (4 dives + night dive) This is a sample of a ‘typical day’, however 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: Full cooked Breakfast
• 8:00 am: Dive brief
• 9:00 am: Diving commences
• 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

Saturday:  (4 dives + night dive)

• As per above.

Sunday:  (3 dives + night dive)

• As per above.

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).

Cairns Liveaboard Dive Trip Locations

Crystal Plateau - Bougainville Reef - Coral Sea

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.

Dungeons & Dragons - Bougainville Reef - Coral Sea

The reef top here is cut with an incredible maze of caves, tunnels and swim throughs – great to poke around to discover fish and other critters.  Or venture beyond the shallows to a wall descending to around 1000m, where you can find sharks and barracuda.

Admiralty Anchor - Osprey Reef - Coral Sea

Named after an anchor lodged midway through a tunnel that makes for an exciting swim through. A maze of huge towering bommies are home to plenty of fish and a delight to explore. Below them a sheer wall attracts sharks and occasionally manta rays.

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

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.

Cod Hole - Ribbon Reefs - Great Barrier Reef

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 a simply hang out and enjoy their company.

North Direction Island

Experience the solitude visiting the beautiful beach and fringing shallow coral gardens of North Direction Island. Explore this remote island by diving, snorkelling or hiking.

Pixie Pinnacle - Ribbon Reefs - Great Barrier Reef

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 - Ribbon Reefs - Great Barrier Reef

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 - Ribbon Reefs - Great Barrier Reef

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.

Accommodation

• Passenger average 22 (max 28) Crew 12
• Twin hull’s reduce seasickness & maximise stability
• 2 Large inflatables
• Daily cabin service

Dive Services

• Nitrox
• Solo diving
• Open dive deck
• Camera table
• Rebreather service
• Help for novices
• Freedom for experienced divers
• ​Digital photo shoot-out on every expedition

Guest Facilities

Air-conditioned accommodation, lounge & bar, sundeck, alfresco deck, music / DVD player, large screen TV x 2, daily cabin service

Accommodation

• 4 x Premium - 2 x queen, 2 x double with private bathroom and ocean view
• 4 x Standard - twin beds with private bathroom and ocean view
• 4 x Club - twin bunk beds, private bathroom
• 2 x Budget - bunks beds, shared bathroom

Bedding Dimensions

Premium Cabin
Cabin 9 - queen bed L 2030 x W 1530
Cabin 10 - queen bed L 2030 x W 1530
Cabin 3 - double bed L 1840 x W 1370
Cabin 4 - double bed L 1860 x W 1370

Standard Cabin
Cabin 5, 6, 7 & 8
Window - single beds L 2000 x W 890
Wall - single beds L 1960 x W 890

Club Cabin
Cabin 11, 12, 13 & 14 - bunk beds L 1900 x W 890

Budget Cabin
Cabin 1 & 2 - bunk beds L 1960 x W 890

Vessel Size
ength - 30 m (100ft) Beam - 10.5m (35ft)
Range - 1930km (1200miles) Survey - AMSA 1B survey (29 pax) commissioned - 1989

Vessel Equipment
Main engines x2, generators x 2, compressors x 2, air-conditioning system x 2

Electrical Systems
Radar global positioning, HF & VHF radios, echo sounders x 2, 240V / 110V recharge facilities, weatherfax, sonar

Crew
Master, Trip Director, Engineer, 1st Mate, Chef, Host, Photo/Video Pro, Dive Master x2,
General Hands x2

See more Cairns liveaboard dive tours and dive trips dedicated to marine life encounters and swimming with Minke whales.

 

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

• Check in Thursdays 8.30am to 4.00pm - Cairns Office
• Departs Thursdays 6.00pm - Trinity Wharf Cairns
• Disembarks 8.00am Tuesdays - Trinity Wharf Cairns

Pickup Locations

Cairns

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• Cod Hole
• Coral Sea

Months of Operation

August, November - April

Days of Operation

Thursday

2025 Departure Dates Currently Available: 27/03, 03/04, 31/07, 07/08, 21/08, 28/08 & 18/12
2026 Departure Dates Currently Available: 29/01, 26/03, 30/07, 06/08, 05/11 & 31/12
2027 Departure Dates Currently Available: 04/03

Duration

5 Nights

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Nitrox
• Gear Hire
• Photo Services
• Dive Courses
• Bar Bill - Please note that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority requires us to collect an Environmental Management Charge of $7.00 per day spent on the Great Barrier Reef. This amount will be added to your bar bill at the end of your expedition.

Fitness Level Required

Active

Additional Information

• Experience: Advanced, or 15 logged ocean dives inc. 5 in last 12 months.
• Extras available are dive courses, photo services, gear hire, and nitrox.
• Due to current social distancing regulations (subject to change)
• Twin share: Only available to guests in travel bubble (travelling together)
• Solo travellers: Mandatory sole occupancy surcharge of 20% applies (Sole occupancy normally 70%)
• If twin shared is preferred please advise at time of booking, sole occupancy will be refunded if restrictions are lifted before departure.
• We recommend that you allow 24 hours between your last dive and your onward flight
• Passengers MUST understand English
• The nearest hyperbaric chamber is based in Townsville
• All staff and crew are all trained in Emergency First Aid and Boat Safety.
• Ensure that all your equipment has been recently serviced. 

• Carry all personal gear in a soft bag for easy storage   
• Dive gear (it is possible to hire dive gear on board)
• Certification card and log book
• Excess luggage may be left at dive company office. We take care but not liability
• You should bring your own personal toiletries, hair dryer, travel adaptor and plugs, batteries, personal medication, swimming costume, rash vest, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, foot wear (sandals or tennis shoes), T-shirts, shorts, sweater and sweat pants – light weight pants and tops for the evening are a good idea.
• Also your wildest “loud” shirt/dress for the BBQ evening

Not suitable for children