This is located about halfway along Ribbon Reef Number 10, roughly level with North Direction Island and about two or three kilometres to the west of the inside of the main outer reef. The GPS Reading for the site is S14° 49' 57.8" E145° 39' 59.9" using WGS84 as datum. The site is 184 kilometres north of Port Douglas.
The site is a bommie that comes up from about 25 metres out from the bommie to about 3 metres on the top. It is about 40 metres north to south and 30 metres east to west.
There is another bommie about 10 metres off the south-west corner. This is about five metres square on the top. There is another about 20 metres off the south-eastern corner. This is a little larger, perhaps 10 metres square.
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Kelly McFadyen and one of the huge corals | A large gorgonia on the wall at Eagle Rock |
The mooring is located off the southern side of the bommie so that the boat will be hanging back nearly over the bommie. Once on the bottom, head to the west and start circling in a clockwise direction. Start out off the main reef in about 20 metres and stay at this depth. You will see lots of small coral outcrops with some nice gorgonias on a few of them. On the southern side we saw a couple of sea snakes. These were a olive green colour and over two metres long.
Turn to the east and you will cross behind the larger of the secondary bommies. This has a small overhang and a nice gorgonia nearby. Keep circling to the right and you will end up off the western side and be close to the main bommie. Come back around near the boat and come closer to the bommie's bottom where the depth is 15 metres. On the next circuit of the bommie, stay right at the bottom of the bommie. When you come to the other two bommies, do circuits of them before continuing on your way.
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A close-up of one of the sea snakes we saw at Eagle Rock | A very nice starfish on the wall at Eagle Rock |
For the end of the dive, ascend up the bommie while you circle it and end up on the top. Go over to the other bommies before ending the dive.
As this is well inside the main reef, visibility here is nowhere as good as other locations, only 15 metres or so. Water temperature is about 25C in November.
Return to Main Great Barrier Reef Index Page.
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