Bougainville Reef, Osprey Reef and Holmes Reef (Coral Sea Exploratory Only)

This collection of small coral atolls in the Coral Sea is approximately 100 nautical miles east of the GBR and between 60 and 100 nautical miles from one another. Each atoll is well worth spending a full day at, and when the weather allows, all three can be visited in three days on a Coral Sea expedition.

Far from land and unaffected by land runoff, the waters here commonly boast visibility of 130 to 230 feet. Large caverns and swim-throughs have been formed from many years of big ocean swells and water rushing in and out of the lagoons. Big schools of barracuda, trevally and sharks patrol the area. And the soft corals have the rich reds and yellows that every underwater photographer craves.