THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM
In December 2002 the Spirit of Freedom became Cairns’ first luxury live-aboard dive cruise vessel operating to Australia’s Coral Sea. She offers a level of comfort to satisfy the most discerning dive traveller with electronic stabilisers to ensure the smoothest cruising, three spacious passenger entertainment areas, including sun deck, lounge /bar, and dining saloon and a range of cabins with private bathrooms for up to 28 passenger.

At 37 metres Spirit is one of Australia’s largest liveaboard dive vessels and with her classic lines, white exterior, and polished timber & chrome, she appears more private motor yacht than liveaboard dive vessel.

MIKE BALL EXPEDITIONS - LIVEABOARDS

Mike Ball’s operates some of Australia’s most prestigious and comfortable live aboard dive vessels. On offer is sensational Coral Sea diving 150 miles offshore, with 45 metre underwater visibility, an awesome shark dive from the world’s largest shark cage plus the incredible Yongala wreck.

UNDERSEA EXPLORER
Great diving on the Great Barrier Reef is not necessarily intuitive. The visiting diver needs a good guide and there is none better than the Undersea Explorer.  Not only do they consistently achieve the best and most varied diving in Queensland, but their educational programs turn a diving holiday into a learning experience.  Beautiful warm water, big creatures, experienced staff and great food makes the Undersea Explorer the best dive vacation in the world. Travelling to far away reefs and exotic islands are just some of the experiences that are offered.  Night dives with biologists, bringing up ancient animals from the deep, and movie marathons in the evenings make this boat more than just a vacation.

TAKA DIVE AUSTRALIA - ‘TAKA II’
The ‘Taka II’ is a 22 metre vessel with a cruising speed of 11 knots. She can accommodate 28 passengers in air-conditioned cabins. There are 7 two berth and 3 four berth cabins. The vessel has E6 photo processing on board and underwater photography courses are available for those wishing to learn about taking underwater shots.

THE YONGALA
This world famous wreck went down during a cyclone in 1911 taking everyone on board with her. Protected by the Historic Shipwrecks Act, she is now home to amazing arrays of marine life. Prepare to do some whale watching, as Humpback Whales are spotted regularly between the months of July - September

NIMROD EXPLORER
Our small, 18-passenger liveaboard dive vessel Nimrod Explorer offers dive travelers the opportunity to explore Australia's magical Great Barrier Reef, without the crowds accommodated on the larger liveaboard dive vessels in the area.

The Nimrod Explorer offers trips from 4 to 8 days along the Ribbon Reefs, the Cod Hole and even farther north, to the rarely visited northern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef approaching Papua New Guinea. Trips depart every Tuesday and Saturday, and offer the chance to experience the large pelagics and awesome visibility of the Coral Sea's Osprey Reef; at certain times of the year, manta rays, rare dwarf minke whales and other large pelagics offer a variety of experiences befitting the world's largest barrier reef system.

Staffed by a crew of six, the Nimrod Explorer is ideally sized and equipped both for shorter trips for travelers passing through Cairns, to longer expeditions to the far reaches of the Great Barrier Reef. A twin-engine power catamaran, the vessel is spacious and very stable, and offers amenities normally seen on much larger boats. Guests are accommodated in 3 large double and 3 spacious quadruple cabins, each of which has ensuite facilities and plenty of storage. For longer trips, two of the three quadruple staterooms can be converted to spacious double staterooms.

The nicely-appointed main salon offers dining and relaxation areas, as well as a well-equipped entertainment center and bar area. The large shaded top deck offers an open-air respite from the sun, while the expansive bow serves as a welcome warm-up between dives.

Four to five dives are conducted daily directly from the expansive aft dive deck, with entries made directly off of the twin dive platforms into the water. The vessel is well-stocked with quality diving gear for each guest for those passing through the area as part of a longer trip; nonetheless, the crew's experience and qualifications are well suited for those traveling specifically to experience one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. PADI courses from open water certification through advanced and specialty courses, as well as solo diving courses, are also offered.