Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

Iconic liveaboard operator since 1969 running Coral Sea expeditions to Osprey Reef, Cod Hole, and remote outer reef systems aboard the luxury vessel Spoilsport.

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions is a legendary Australian liveaboard operator that has been pioneering expedition diving in the Coral Sea and on the Great Barrier Reef since 1969, making it one of the longest-running dive operations in the country. Based in Cairns, the company operates the luxury vessel Spoilsport, a purpose-built 28-metre catamaran designed specifically for extended dive expeditions to remote reef systems that day boats simply cannot reach.

The flagship Coral Sea expedition visits iconic sites including Osprey Reef, where the famous North Horn shark feed attracts grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks, and occasionally hammerheads in crystal-clear water with visibility regularly exceeding forty metres. Bougainville Reef and Holmes Reef offer pristine coral walls, pelagic action, and the chance to encounter minke whales during the winter season from June to August. The Cod Hole on Ribbon Reef Number Ten remains one of the most celebrated dive sites in the world, where giant potato cod approach divers for close encounters.

Spoilsport accommodates up to 28 guests in air-conditioned cabins and provides up to five dives per day including night dives. The vessel features a dedicated camera room with individual stations for underwater photographers, nitrox on tap, and a spacious dive deck. Expeditions typically run from three to seven nights, covering vast distances across some of the most remote and biodiverse marine environments in the Indo-Pacific. Mike Ball's experienced crew includes marine biologists who provide detailed briefings on each site's ecology and marine life.