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Destinations
/ Australia
/ Queensland / GBR
/ Northern Coral Sea
The Northern
Coral Sea is one of the best areas for the adventurous diver. Clear,
deep water and lots of sharks are the striking features. The reefs
rise from a depth of more than 1,000 metres to just below the water
surface.
Anchorage at night is usually in calm and protected lagoons and
sometimes you can experience strong currents here. The experienced
diver will get excellent "value for money" diving in the
Coral Sea, but it is also possible for not so experienced divers
to dive safely here.
We love and recommend the Coral Sea, but please be aware that
due to the open ocean crossing, it can be quite rough to get there,
especially on smaller vessels. Consequently, most vessels that visit
the Coral Sea are very stable and built for that purpose. Still,
if someone is seriously prone to seasickness this might be challenging.
Should the weather conditions be too rough to make a safe crossing
over to the Coral Sea, most boats will change their itinerary as
safety and comfort is the main priority. In such cases, diving will
take place along the more protected Ribbon Reefs instead. Best time
of the year for Coral Sea trips is September to January. Rougher
sea conditions can usually be expected during the April to August
period.
Location
The Coral Sea reefs are located 12 to 18 hours East from the coast
of mainland Australia - beyond the reach of any day boats. We have
divided the Coral Sea into the southern
and the northern sectors. The Northern Coral Sea is accessed from
Cairns and Port Douglas. Reefs: Osprey Reef, Holmes Reef and Bougainville
Reef.
Logistics For Northern Coral Sea Dive Excursions
The only way to dive here is with one of the liveaboard dive vessels.
Some vessels combine a visit to the Ribbon Reefs with a steam out
into the Coral Sea which makes for a perfect combination! You should
plan 4 to 7 days for your Coral Sea trips.
Best time of the year for diving: In principle all year round,
however February to August the crossing can get quite rough. The
best time is usually September to January.
What To See
The reefs of the northern (and southern) Coral Sea are different
from the ones on the Barrier Reef. They are like "waterholes" in
the "desert" and wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean. Here the reefs
are exposed to the never-ending energy of the open ocean and the
clarity of water is awesome. Such exposed "service stations" in
the middle of the Pacific attract all sorts and sizes of fish in
gigantic schools or as single hunters. The reefs of the Coral Sea
are famous for their incredibly huge giant gorgonians and pelagic
action. A huge variety of reef sharks can be seen here such as silvertips,
hammerheads and grey reef sharks. Also the chances to see Manta
Rays and Eagle Rays are pretty good.
Coral Sea visibility is as good as it gets - average is 30-40
metres (100-130 ft) and more. The reefs climb to the surface from
surrounding depths exceeding 1000 metres (3300 ft). These reefs
were originally ancient mountains which in the course of time have
turned into reefs covered by the sea.
Types Of Diving
Drift dives along sheer walls are the most popular way of diving
on many of the Coral Sea reefs, and of course wall dives too! There
are many fantastic moorings where you can explore the reef right
next to the boat. The area also has many caverns, little caves and
swim-throughs, especially in the shallower parts of the reefs.
Dive Sites
Osprey, Holmes and Bougainville Reefs are parts of the Northern
Coral Sea. Each of them has individual characteristics which we
would like to explain:
Osprey Reef: This reef is certainly one of the best in
the Coral Sea, it is our favourite reef in the area. Osprey is the
most northerly Coral Sea reef, being 350 km away from Cairns. There
is a deep-water lagoon in the middle of Osprey Reef, which is great
for safe anchorage. There are vertical walls that rise up from more
than 1000 metres (3300 feet) to just below the surface! The pelagic
action at Osprey is mind blowing. It is a meeting point for the
"big guys". The diving here is a real thrill !
North Horn: A dive site at the northern tip of Osprey where
two ocean currents converge, this place is famous for its most amazing
shark dives. You might see hammerheads, silvertips, grey reefs,
grey whalers and white tips, sometimes even ocean going sharks like
oceanic whitetip reef sharks, great hammerheads and tigersharks
come in for a look! Sometimes operators run controlled shark feeds
to counteract the natural reaction of sharks to avoid divers and
the results are spectacular! Apart from sharks you also see barracuda,
dog tooth tuna, mackerel, various cod species, rainbow runners and
some of the most beautiful soft coral, sea whips and huge gorgonians
around.
South Horn: Also at Osprey, it has its fair share of sharks
as well! If you move along the wall slowly, you find a number of
caverns and ledges, covered in pretty soft corals, to explore. Watch
out for more reef fish, hiding crabs, colourful nudibranchs and
more. During night dives you will see heaps of flashlight fish.
Holmes Reef: Holmes Reef is 240 km away from Cairns. The
diving here is typical Coral Sea. Reef sharks and other big fish
such as trevally and mackerel come in close to the sheer endless
walls. The Abyss is one of the popular dive sites; it is a wall
dropping over 1000 meters. The wall is decorated with beautiful
soft coral. Another fantastic spot is called Amazing, here you find
lots of caves with resident lobsters and other interesting marine
life. Most of the caves and swim throughs are located at 10 to 20
meters. Holmes has a very large selection of possible dive sites.
Well known for its shark action is a dive site called "predators
playground", where sharks get fed regularly.
Bougainville Reef: Dive along beautiful walls rising up
from the deep. Huge gorgonians and large soft coral species are
to be seen here and, of course, lots of sharks too! Bougainville
Reef is very different to Holmes. It evolved from a volcano that
rises up from several thousand metres almost to the surface. It
offers some fantastic labyrinths with caves, tunnels, canyons, overhangs
and some spectacular drop offs. Bougainville Reef is much smaller,
than Holmes reef. Trips to Bougainville Reef are very weather dependent.
Most of the anchorage sites are not very well sheltered, so it is
unprotected and it can be quite rough out here. For this reason,
there are only a few trips during the year operating out to Bougainville
Reef.
Seasonal Events
November - Coral Spawning: Coral Spawning is often called
"Sex on the reef" - That's what it is! Every year it is happening
again. All corals release their eggs and sperm at the same time.
You can really see it! It usually happens 4 nights after the first
full moon in November. It is an impressive event and night dives
are spectacular. A lot of critters are active, as this is a feast!
The Coral Spawning initiates a food chain, which brings about large
amounts of zooplankton. When these little animals are in the water
in big numbers, chances are very good that whale sharks, giant manta
rays and Brydes whales will come close to the reefs to feed.
Dive Operators
Accommodation And Tours
Accommodation and tour options, and general destination information,
are also available for the adjacent Cairns-Port
Douglas and Daintree-Cape
York mainland regions.
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