Dive Review of Mike Ball Dive Expeditions/SpoilSport in
Australia

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Mike Ball Dive Expeditions/SpoilSport: "Great Barrier Reef is great", Feb, 2017, by Duane Kromm, CA, US ( Reviewer 5 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 10051 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Good: Safety. Best dive briefings ever. Every day a detailed description of he reef, conditions and expected critters. Divers were self grouped, with gentle guidance by staff. Freedom. Experienced divers could choose guide or not. Time lines were generous. Many afternoons were open diving on your own schedule, just sign out, and bak in. Conditions. We skipped Coral Sea initially due to weather, instead on GBR. First passage was a bit rough, but nobody suffered terribly. All dive sites were in excellent shape, the big bommies were particularly fabulous. We would drop to 80' or so then gradually ascend by spiraling our way around the bommies. Dive staff would position themselves near hard to spot unique critters. Gear. Everyone had a permanent spot on the dive deck. Tanks were promptly filled after every dive with no need to take anything apart. Nitrox sniffers were abundant. Staff was always there to help if needed. Staff. Everybody on board is a diver, from captain to chef. Everyone one of them was always looking to help. Staff had a lot of camaraderie which kept everyone's spirits up. Critters. Wobegone shark, banded sea snake, lots of sharks, particularly shark feeding dive, cod hole has lots of big ones, leafy scorpion-fish, big rays, stone fish, pipe fish, lots of good stuff every dive. Fair. Rooms and food. It is a dive boat, small rooms, everything gets a bit musty after a bit. Rooms are made up everyday. Food is OK, always very edible but nothing really stands out. Service was great. Logistics. We flew into Cairns from Tasmania. Spent one night at a forgettable hotel, looked around Cairns which is fine for a day or so. Flights in AU are easy, decent prices, good schedules and the best airport experience possible; the Aussie easy going attitude. Mike Ball offers three and six day trips, with a transfer at Lizard Island for folks on the three day trips. We did all six. Most just did three. Spent three days in Port Arthur, North of Cairns, at the Peppertree. Highly recommended location and lodging. Port Arthur is low key and right next to the Daintree Rain Forest. Well worth a few days exploring. Easy to rent a car in Cairns for the lovely drive. Go bird watching with a guide. Value. Would we go again, yes. Mike Ball and his staff deliver a great experience.
Websites	Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Bonaire, Belize, Cozumel, Grand Turk, Key Largo, Bahamas, Sea of Cortez, Philippines, Galapagos, Cuba, Great Barrier Reef
Closest Airport	Cairns, AU	Getting There	Easy within Australia
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	80-°F / 27-°C	Wetsuit Thickness	1
Water Visibility	40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters	N/A	Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Good bench, use of computer in lounge. Rinse tanks, tips from on board pro. Regular relaxed competition of favorite photos.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Mike Ball Dive Expeditions/SpoilSport in Australia

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions/SpoilSport: "Great Barrier Reef is great", Feb, 2017,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Mike Ball Dive Expeditions/SpoilSport in
Australia