411 Dive Log Australasia April 2025

Simply put: the Coral Sea must be firmly placed on every diver’s bucket list. Finishing our drinks it was a short 5 minute stroll along the wharf to be met by the happiest and most professional crew you will find anywhere in the South Pacific. Now it was all about self-introductions, the layout of Spoilsport and safety briefings. Understandably, there were several divers on board that had been out on ‘Spoily’ before and earned the “VIP” tag as a repeat customer. A testimony to the quality of diving experienced with MBDE. It is worth noting at this point that ‘Rumrunner’ conducts short excursions to Coral Sea Odyssey Text and photos by Dr Terry and Cathie Cummins

Coral Sea Odyssey – Travel Blog 5 Article & photography by Dr. Terry and Cathie Cummins With keen anticipation we were sitting in the famous Dundees restaurant on the Cairns boardwalk. After a magnificent late lunch/early dinner we were waiting to board Mike Ball Dive Expeditions (MBDE) Spoilsport for yet another excursion to the Coral Sea. For us Holmes, Bougainville and Osprey Reefs hold a magnetic attraction like no other dives sites on the planet and we are always up for another expedition.

Holmes out of Cairns for those on a tighter budget. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ also run charters to most of the destinations in the Coral Sea. We would be operating in remote areas that in many cases are up to 150 nautical miles off the Far North Queensland Coast, so safety is a number one priority. With a maximum of 28 guests – most with cameras and torches needing regular charging, it is worth noting that Spoilsport banned unattended charging of batteries in cabins several years ago due to the potential for a fire breaking out. Following the MV Conception tragedy in 2019 (California, USA), plus several incidences since, MBDE has installed on Spoilsport a sizeable charging station on the dive deck. This station is monitored via CCTV 24 /7 including by the ever vigilant night-watch crew. This is just one example of the high level of safety exhibited by ‘Dive Queensland’ operators who follow a long-established Government endorsed ‘Code of Practice’ and who incorporate additional safety procedures to suit their specific operation. MBDE require any diver with

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DIVE LOG Australasia #411- April 25

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