Why the Great Barrier Reef Liveaboards Are in a Class of their Own

The Great Barrier Reef is the top location on many diver's dive destination bucket list. The Great Barrier Reef is also where the modern dive liveaboard as we know it today matured. Innovations implemented by the Cairn's based Scuba Diving Hall of Famer Mike Ball changed the liveaboard industry, with his strategies being adopted and adapted worldwide. Even now, the dive industry sees new liveaboard concepts coming from the Cairns based liveaboards.

The Split Itinerary Liveaboard

The industry standard is the one week liveaboard. The liveaboard departs the same day each week for a 6 or 7 night journey. A few destinations such as those going to Galapagos islands or Coco Islands may be longer, but most are the week long. Mike Ball implemented a number of years ago the fly-dive program where it was possible to split the seven day cruise into segments of three and four days. Mike Ball's Spoilsport's seven day cruise departs from Cairn and travels north. Depending on the season and weather they will head to the off shore reefs of Holmes, Bougainville & Osprey. These sites have unlimited visibility ( okay maybe not unlimited but 40 meters does come close) and great pelagic variety. If the season is not right, the trip north visits the Ribbon Reefs and still includes Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.

On the fourth day the Spoilsport is at Lizard Island. This remote site is a National Park and has a exclusive resort, a research station and an air strip. Sorry, I can not call it an airport as others do. Divers not taking the entire seven day cruise will embark or disembark at Lizard Island. The no fly rule does not apply for the flights between Cairns and Lizard Island. The planes is not pressurized and flies below 1,000 feet, most the time below 500 feet. Not only does this low altitude allows you to fly, it gives great views of the reefs as you pass over.

From Lizard Island the Spoilsport heads south back along the Ribbon Reefs, including Cod Hole. This route is also shared by Spirit of Freedom which does the route in reverse order.

The Short Itinerary Liveaboard

If three and four days is too long, or if your traveling with a non-diver, there are a few other short options. Scubapro has three identical liveaboards that depart for a 3 day/2 night dive adventure. This means you can depart on any day. These trips are possibly the best value in the diving industry offering two nights accommodations, meals and up to 11 dives for about the same that the day boats charge for six dives. Non-divers will find that they can enjoy themselves as well, the liveaboards are comfortable offering a yacht like experience and offering a sun deck for enjoying the view that is much better than a resorts swimming pool. Snorkeling is available.

Another option is vessels such as the Reef Encounter and Ocean Quest. These luxury liveaboards stay out on the reef for extended periods. Each of these yachts are owned by companies that also have daily dive boats. Arriving and departing guest to the liveaboards are transferred using the daily boats. This means you can stay just one night if you wish or as many as you wish.

These are just a few of the Liveaboard options that you can enjoy on the Great Barrier Reef, you can find out more details of these and other liveaboards on this Great Barrier Reef Information page