Mike Ball Diving Expeditions

4 Day Cod hole Expedition - 11 Dives (code: #2)

• Live-aboard Supersport - The most awarded "liveaboard" dive vessel in far northern Australia.
• Spectacular flight to Lizard Island to decrease travel time and increase dive time
  Free Reef Ecology Certificate Course
• Free Discover Diving Course for non divers
• Includes superb Mike Ball service all meals & snacks, twin or double accommodation, tanks and weight belts

Departs:
Cairns, Mondays and Fridays check in  at 7:00am Cairns Rhiga Colonial Club
Returns:
Cairns, Monday departure returns Thursday at 10:00am. Friday departure returns Monday at 11am.

You may choose for this expedition a northbound or southbound itinerary. 

North Bound, 4 Days, 3 Dive Days & 11 Dives/2 night dives

Check-In Every Friday 7:00am, Righa Cairns Colonial Club. Transfer to Supersport.

Friday: Escape and Ribbon Reef #3

• Soon after boarding Supersport you begin your 150 mile sea safari to the Cod Hole.
• Commence diving approximately 12:30pm
• Experience the incredible biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef at Wide Escape.
• Night dive at Flare Point where green turtle sightings are common Anticipate spectacular colours & close encounters with marine life in their nocturnal havens.

Saturday: Ribbon Reefs #3 Harrier Reef and Ribbon Reef #9, & #10

• Descend through yellow stripe snapper, trevally & barracuda at Steve's bommie.
• Find rich & diverse marine life ranging from the intricate lacy scorpion fish to the majestic minke whale (Jun-Aug).
• See increased pelagic action nearby at the Fish Market.
• Blend with the batfish and experience the wrong end of a feeding frenzy as "silver torpedoes" zoom by.
• Admire magnificent plate coral formations at Table Tops. A maze of bommies, fans and red whip corals add to the splendor of this site. Lion fish and goat fish are abundant while pelagics cruise nearby.
• Explore pristine coral gardens at Challenger Bay
• Night dive at Challenger BayNote:
  
  Note:See separate page for day 2 during Minke Whale expeditions, June 8 - July 16, 2001

Sunday: Ribbon Reef #10, Dynamite Pass and Lizard Island

• Circumnavigate Pixie Pinnacle while engulfed in schools of fusiliers.
  Fluorescent purple and orange anthias attract predatory fish to this photogenic site.
• Enjoy a profusion of sponges & golden gorgorian sea fans at Pixie Wall.
  Search the caves & crevices while watching for passing manta rays, sharks or turtles.
• Swim, play with, and photograph a family of 12 giant potato cod at the Cod Hole.
  Enjoy close encounters with huge maori wrasse. Here, diver size fish dive with you!
• 5:00pm, exit last dive and cruise to Lizard Island.

Monday Spectacular low level reef flight back to Cairns

• Breakfast on board and transfer to Lizard Island.
• Fly back to Cairns over the magnificent Great Barrier Reef.
  Return at approximately 11.00 am

Note: Flying After Diving - the surface interval between the last dive completed at 5pm and flying at 9.30am is 16.5 hours, this exceeds the DAN minimum requirement of 12 hours. In addition Skytrans endeavour to fly at 700ft, weather and flight conditions permitting.
(Details subject to change.)

South Bound, 4 Days, 3 Dive Days & 11 Dives
Spectacular Barrier Reef flight, visit Lizard Island and cruise the turquoise chain of Ribbon Reefs while experiencing Supersports internationally acclaimed service

Check- In Every Monday 7:00 am , Righa Cairns Colonial Club. Transfer to Cairns airport

Monday: 8AM - Reef flight to Lizard Island, Cod Hole and Ribbon Reef #10

• Spectacular low level (700ft) 150 mile reef flight to Lizard Island and Supersport
• Commence diving approximately 12:30pm
• Swim, play with, and photograph a family of 12 giant potato cod at the Cod Hole.
  Enjoy close encounters with huge maori wrasse. Here, diver size fish dive with you!
• Explore pristine coral gardens at Challenger Bay.
  
• Night dive at Challenger Bay

Tuesday: Ribbon Reefs #10 and #9, and Harrier Reef

• Enjoy a profusion of sponges & golden gorgorian sea fans at Pixie Wall.
  Search the caves and crevices while watching for any passing manta rays, sharks or turtles.
• Circumnavigate Pixie Pinnacle while engulfed in schools of fusiliers.
  Fluorescent purple and orange anthas attract predatory fish to this photogenic site.
• Admire magnificent plate coral formations at Table Tops. A maze of bommies, fans and red whip corals add to the splendour of this site. Lion fish and goat fish are abundant while pelagics cruise nearby.
• Night dive at Flare Point where green turtle sightings are common.
  Anticipate spectacular colours & close encounters with marine life in their nocturnal havens.
  
  Note: See separate page for day 2 during Minke Whale Expeditions, June 8 - July 16, 2001

Wednesday: Ribbon Reef #3 and Escape Reef

• Descend through yellow stripe snapper, trevally & barracuda at Steve's bommie.
  Find rich & diverse marine life ranging from the intricate lacy scorpion fish to the majestic minke whale (Jun-Aug).
• See increased pelagic action nearby at the Fish Market.
  Blend with the batfish & experience the wrong end of a feeding frenzy as "silver torpedoes" zoom by.

Thursday: Dock at "Yorkeys Knob" and Return to Cairns

• Early morning docking at Yorkeys Knob
• Breakfast on Supersport and board coach at 9:30 am courtesy transfer back to Cairns

(Itinerary subject to change).

* During the period of June 8th till July 16th, 2001 you may extend this expedition with the Minke Whale Special Expedition (4 days/3 dive days). Minke Whales are commonly seen along the Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns between June & September. June and July provide the peak of the Ribbon Reef Minke Whale season. 

During the peak, the second day of our Cod Hole expeditions is devoted almost entirely to seek out, observe, dive and snorkel with Minke Whales. We have 11 years of experience in the area and so have been able to locate the most successful locations on where to find the whales. In this time we have been able to evolve a diving and snorkelling protocol that has minimal impact on the whales and allows them to approach our divers within their own comfort zone. This protocol combined with their natural curiosity provides you with some very close encounters making spectacular opportunities for close up videos and photography. A wide angle lens is highly recommended.

In the past 4 years we have run 18 specialized Minke Trips with 100% success rate. The lowest number of whales found was 2 on one trip, and the most was several pods of up to 22 whales with encounters lasting up to 10 hours. Adults are generally up to 8 metres in length, and are occasionally accompanied by calves of 3 - 4 months. Minkes are not just renowned for their curiosity and approachability, they also have behaviour similar to humpbacks, such as breaching, tail slapping and spy hopping, though not to the same extend as their larger cousins. It has also been very recently discovered that they make quite a large range of sounds. James Cook University has an ongoing research project studying the whales and all our passengers on this trip are encouraged to participate and assist by recording their observations on forms provided by the University.

Everyday has a high probability of Minke encounters. Day 2 is dedicated to locating and observing Minkes at close range under water.

In the unlikely event that we are not able to immediately locate whales our reliable sites up to two hours at a time would be spent attempting to find whales. If none are sighted, then we would attempt to provide as many of the dives on a standard itinerary as circumstances would allow. In any event a minimum of 9 scuba dives on the Ribbon Reefs will be provided and the most spectacular sites, such as Cod Hole, Challenger Bay and Pixie Pinnacle.

Guest Accommodation

• Winner of three Rodale's Reader's Choirce Awards including "Livaboard with Best Food in the South Pacific."
• Twin hull design for more space and comfort with less 'rock n' roll"
• Daily serviced twin or double air conditioned accommodation
• Superb meals plus fresh between meal snacks
• Large dining rom, alfresco deck and sundeck (half shaded)
• Less traveling time than competitors

WHY DIVE THE COD HOLE ON SUPERSPORT?

• Spectacular low level reef flight. This 150 mile reef flight to Lizard Island saves 15 hours sailing time
• Minke Whale encounters (June - August) Special trips June - July
• Non divers welcome. Free resort course for non divers
• Warm towels after every dive
• Uncrowded dive sites - choose between main vessel or tender dives
• Complimentary Reef Ecology Certificate course
• Complimentary Discover Diving Course for non divers
• Mike Ball's Safe Scuba System ensures both experienced and novice divers are catered for.
  See Dive Procedures
• Solo Diving as per Mike Ball's Safe Solo Program. See Dive Procedures
• Photo & video pro on board.
• PADI speciality courses available. See Instruction & Rental