Ribbon Reef Liveaboard - Great Barrier Reef

Gain an expert’s insight into diving the Ribbon Reefs, a region Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has explored for over 30 years. Spanning from Cooktown to Lizard Island, these reefs boast iconic sites like Cod Hole and Steve’s Bommie, teeming with marine life and vibrant coral. Follow the map and site descriptions for a deeper understanding of how to dive these legendary waters.

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions – Ribbon Reef Dive sites

By Julia Sumerling

Cod Hole

Location: Top of Ribbon Reef No 10

Special Features
Large charismatic potato cod can be easily approached and interact with divers

Coral Life
The coral at this site has taken the full impact from of the most intense cyclones from the past decade. Cyclone Yasi in 2011, Cyclone Ita in 2014 and Cyclone Nathan in 2015. It has taken many years, but now this site is making a tremendous recovery, with abundant small colonies Acropora corals sprouting everywhere in the shallows of all colours and varieties. Heading to the East in the shallows the ridges are encrusted with lots of beautiful healthy new growths.

Marine Life
Potato cods are the second largest species of cod found in the indo-pacific region and found in good numbers at this site. There are anywhere between 1-8 that can be seen on a dive, though rarely all together, unless a large predation event is happening. Through out the spring and summer months queensland groupers will gather in the deep, along with large aggregations of sailfin snappers and camouflage groupers. In the shallows one of the largest diagonal lined sweetlip aggregations happens for a few months of spring and will reach several thousand at it’s peak. Schools of bumphead parrot fish are known to swim through. Grey reef sharks and white tip reef sharks are frequently seen. A very large giant clam in the shallows and many pink, Great Barrier Reef and spinecheek anemone fish. Seasonal visitors can include whale sharks, manta rays, great hammerheads and loggerhead turtles. At 30m’s on several different fans, pygmy seahorse can be seen.

Photo Tips

Classic images of large friendly cods can be taken, where the nose of the cod is right up against the dome port making striking images. The wider the angle of the lens the better. A great place to use an 8mm-15mm lens. For the macro photographer this is a great opportunity to photograph pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs and anemone fish. It’s a very good site to look for species of camouflaged scorpion fish and pipefish. Be weary of the bright white sand. It is very easy to over expose photos of white cods that are getting a lot of light reflected up from the whit sandy bottom. Using strobes on low power will look much better. Sand can easily be kicked up by other divers around the potato cod can cause a lot of unwanted scatter issues. Checking that the strobes are far away from the lens and back behind it will help in this situation.

Lighthouse Bommie

Location: Near the bottom of Ribbon Reef No 10.

Special Features
This is a small pinnacle that rises from 24m’s – 5m’s that has a deeper large mound next to it that rises to 15m’s. A real creature feature dive, with turtles, sea snakes, grey reef sharks and lots of schooling fish.

Coral Life
Lighthouse Bommie has never been known for it’s coral growth, though the top has some lovely growths of all different colours.

Marine Life
One of the best critter dives in The Ribbon Reefs. Green and hawksbill turtles use the pinnacle and mound as a cleaning station. Their population will increase at night time when they come to sleep. At least three resident olive sea snakes live here. Large schools of big eye trevally, chevron barracuda, yellow lined snapper, circle the main pinnacle and mound, with grey reef sharks and several large Malabar grouper. Lots of small creatures such as mantis shrimp, octopus, flame file shell, pipefish scorpionfish, longnose hawkfish and anemone fish. Some of the most common nudibranchs are Notodoris gardineri, Flabellina exoplata, Tambja morose and Pteraeolia ianthina. In the summer months manta rays will use the large mound as a cleaning station and glassfish will swarm the main pinnacle attracting large schools of makeral and trevally who predate on them. Winter months eagle rays are occasionally seen to the South of the mound.

Photo Tips

Often 2 dives are done here in an open deck, as there is just so much to see. For the photographers who can change their lenses, shoot wide angle on the dive that is closest to midday for best colour saturation and natural light and shoot macro earlier in the morning or late afternoon, when you are dependent more on artificial light. An excellent macro dive and feels like a bit of a treasure hunt finding many species of nudibranchs, pipefish, longnose hawkfish and anemonefish. And the best opportunity to photograph the flame file shell. Well worth shooting wide angle and capturing the big schools of fish. A great dive to get your dive buddy in the middle of a school of trevally or barracuda as they are easily approached by divers. Be careful with your strobes that they are not up too bright and blow out the shiny silvery fish. Try to keep the sun behind you while shooting the large schools as the surface will often appear over exposed from shooting up towards it. The turtles and malabar groupers can be easily approached if you move slowly with caution, you can get great close up shots of them as they don’t mind being around people.

Two Towers

Location: Near the bottom of Ribbon Reef No 10.

Special Features
The new coral growth in the shallows is some of the best anywhere on The Ribbon Reefs

Coral Life
The deeper slopes of the two towers has been severely affected from Cylones Ita and Nathan, but the tops of the towers have grown back thickly on the top with every different colour that Acropora corals grow in. A very large colony of Pavona clavis on the South Easter side.

Marine Life
Several fully-grown giant clams are scattered around the site. There are several resident green turtles and sea snakes. Winter months will see small groups of eagle rays on the western and southern edges. Several spotted lagoon rays. At the top of the large Pavona clavis colony, there are many red and black anemone fish and great barrier reef anemonefish species in a large colony. Large schools of yellow lined snappers and fusiliers swarm around the tops of the towers. Several large moray eels live in the small holes on the side of the towers.

Photo Tips

Another great opportunity to get classic wide angle hard coral shots with loads of colourful fish swimming over the of it all. A great site to get your dive buddy in the top third of the image to show off the size and density of the large new coral growths. If a second dive is done here, it is well worth using a macro lens to shoot portraits of the lagoon rays or sea snakes.

Gotham City/ Challenger Bay

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No 10. & 9

Special Features
One of the best night diving sites on The Great Barrier. Lots of fish and sharks hunting making for an adrenalin filled night dive.

Coral Life
Not known for its coral life as it has been largely impacted Cyclone Ita & Nathan in 2014-15. Most prominent is a very large colony of Pavona clavis that has grown from 30m’s – 5’m’s

Marine Life
The schooling fish at this site can be incredible. Large schools of red bass, giant trevally, surgeon fish, milk fish, diagonal lined sweetlips, giant sweetlips, red tooth triggerfish and fusiliers can be seen in large numbers. Barramundi cod, flowery cod and several friendly malabar grouper, large dosile starry puffer laying on the sand with the occasional queensland grouper hiding in crevices on the wall. The Pavona clavis coral hosts lion fish, leafy scorpion fish, swarms of anthias and damsel fish. Batfish are found along the wall, small groups of bumphead parrot fish and barracuda hang out on small coral out crops in the sand for cleaning. White tip reef sharks lay on the sand and many grey reef sharks can be swimming in the deep. Notodoris minor, Chromodoris elizabethina and Chromodoris magnifica are the most commonly seen nudibranchs.

On several occasions, just before sunset or when the light is very poor, mandarin fish have been found in rubble areas. In the summer months manta rays visit the site at several deeper cleaner stations to the East and will regularily pass through the site. The night dive can be very active as all the trevally species, red bass and sharks hunt out of divers torch light and come very close.

Photo Tips

There are a lot of big fish at this site that are easy to get close to. Ideal for a wide angle or a 60mm lens for great fish portraits. One of the few sites where shooting wide angle on the night dive is worthwhile as it’s great to get close ups of hunting grey reef and white tip reef sharks. Sitting in the water column at about 10m’s deep behind the stern of the vessel can be a great place to spend some quality time at the end of the dive as fish hunt in the flood lights all around you and from every direction. Macro photography is good during the day time to shoot pipefish, anemonefish, lionfish and scorpionfish. Throughout the summer months use a wide angle lens in case a manta ray shows up.

Goggle Gardens/Coral Kingdom

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No 10. & 9

Special Features
A gently falling slope with prolific coral gardens

Coral Life
One of the best coral gardens anywhere on the Ribbon Reefs. Densely packed coral gardens with very large branching corals of all colours. Massive boulder corals in the shallows and stunning reef flats.

Marine Life
Found amongst the Acropora corals small groups of cuttlefish can be found, between 1-5 at a time. Blue green chromis and damsel fish swarm around the coral gardens. This is one of the best places to see the unusual behaviour of trumpet fish riding the backs of coral trout while they hunt. A large school of bumphead parrotfish often swim through the site early in the mornings. Juvenile palette surgeon fish (Dory) hiding in small clusters of coral that grow up from the sand. White tip reef sharks sleep on the sand along with spotted lagoon rays. In the summer months manta rays pass through. In the winter months eagle rays pass through. Barramundi cod, moray eels, diagonal lined sweetlips and giant sweetlips are often seen in shallows.

Photo Tips

Shooting with the with the widest lens is great for capturing the density of the coral gardens. Stay shallow and capture beautiful light rays reaching through the water column on calm days. On the lowest tides of the year, this is another great site to do split shots in the shallows when the reef comes out of the water. If the sea conditions are rough, make sure your strobes are pointed out wide and behind the lens to avoid back scatter. Macro shooters will enjoy a good variety of nudibranchs, razorfish, scorpionfish, cuttlefish, octopus, pipefish, juvenile palette surgeonfish, Great Barrier Reef anemonefish, pink anemonefish and spinecheek anemonefish.

Pixie Pinnacle

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No 10. & 9

Special Features
A small pinnacle that rises from 30m’s to the surface with loads of vibrant colour fish and coral in the shallows.

Coral Life
The coral growth on the top of the pinnacle is thick and dense, consisting of many Acropora corals. Large pink gorgonian fans and soft coral grow thickly under an overhang at 5m’s – 8m’s

Marine Life
One of the most abundant swarms of purple and orange anthias in the shallows with a large school of sergeant majors at the surface. Schools of big eye trevally, hunting blue spotted trevally, chevron barracuda, unicorn fish and fusiliers. Female maori wrasse and flowery cod are often seen deeper. Leafy scorpion fish, lionfish, pipefish and many varieties of nudibranchs. Many of the feather stars have commensal shrimps and squat lobsters. Mantis shrimp can be seen scurrying around little holes and burrows. Porcelain crabs and glass shrimp found on several anemones on the very top. Many varieties of anemone fish such as Great Barrier Reef, pink, red and black and spinecheek and anemone fish.

Photo Tips

Pixie Wall

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No 10. & 9

Special Features
During the summer months there is a large oval shaped bommie that is regularly visited by manta rays for cleaning. Particularly good first thing in the mornings for several manta rays cleaning at the same time.

Coral Life
A large Pavona clarvis colony is a great feature. Several large red fans on the wall around 10 metres. Large Tubastraea trees are prominent between 10-25 metres. Reef flat has many small and densely packed Acropora corals.

Marine Life
The most reliably visited cleaning station, by manta rays on The Ribbon Reefs in the summer months. The same cleaning station is a great place to find grey reef sharks pacing up and down, the occasional queensland grouper, small groups of chevron barracudas, nudibranchs, leafy scorpion fish and glass fish. On the main reef cuttlefish are often seen. Spinecheak anemonefish and pink anemonefish are found in the shallows.

Photo Tips

When photographing manta rays in the right season, do not swim over the bommie, stay on the side close to the main reef. Give the mantas plenty of room to come and go as they please. If
you block their access to the cleaning station, they will not come in to be cleaned. They are shy and do not like divers bubbles. Turn your strobe power right down, so you don’t overexpose the mantas white belly. On the lowest tides of the year, this is another great site to do split shots in the shallows when the reef comes out of the water.

Vertical Gardens

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No 10. & 9

Special Features
The best dive site on The Ribbon Reefs, though only accessible in North Westerly or very light South Easterly winds and is off limits 85% of the year. This site has everything and is well worth doing 2-3 dives here. It is a big site with two steep walls that go from 5-40 metres deep with a large sloping bay in between them.

Coral Life
The North Eastern wall is reminiscent of North Horn at Osprey Reef. It is covered in large spectacular gorgonian fans and soft corals all being bright reds, pinks, oranges, yellows and even golds.

Marine Life
36m’s down off the North eastern wall is good for pygmy seahorses. In summer months, manta rays are seen in the afternoons. Large maori wrasse, diagonal lined sweetlips, moon and emperor angel fish, fully grown palette surgeon fish (Dory) are found on the reef flat, wobbegong, epaullete and white tip reef sharks. Schools of fusiliers, unicorn fish, surgeon fish, midnight snappers, red tooth trigger fish, orange and purple anthias are found off the walls in large schools. True clown anemone fish and palette surgeon fish are found next to each other (Nemo and Dory) to the right of where the mooring attaches to the wall. The reef flats host three different kinds of Nembrotha nudibranchs, flame hawkfish, leopard blennies and spotted crouchers. Many different nudibranchs are found on the walls, along with orangutan crabs.

Photo Tips

Excellent for both wide and macro shooting. Often more than one dive is done at this site, so you will get the opportunity to shoot both. The problem is knowing where to look. It is easy to get carried away at 30m’s shooting up the wall to all the beautiful fans or pygmy seahorses. Don’t stay too long and miss great opportunities in the shallows of some of the most colourful schools of fish and varieties of nudibranchs on the reef. Well worth to do every dive on offer and exploring the different walls and bay. Strong currents are common at this site, it is well worth just staying in one area and photographing and waiting for all the marine life to come to you, when this happens. In summer months the visibility can be lower with all the plankton in the water, this is the time to set up for shooting wide angle in the late afternoon, when the mantas visit for feeding and cleaning. Turning your strobes off in these conditions will save hours of removing scatter.

West End

Location: Just off Ribbon Reef No. 9

Special Features
Coral gardens at the base of the steep walls. Small caves and crevices.

Coral Life
There are several large gorgonian fans on the North Eastern wall with large coral gardens at the base of the steep wall. The reef flat has lots of new growth and plates in the shallows. Vast clusters of Acroporas on the Western wall.

Marine Life
The Western facing wall has a very large patch of Acropora corals which has one of the densest swarms of blue green chromis that swarms around its top. Some of the large crevices host giant sweetlips and sometimes, queenland groupers. The North Eastern wall is a good place to find cuttlefish laying eggs. Several species of anemonefish such as, great barrier reef, spinecheek and pink anemone fish.

Photo Tips

A great location to shoot wide angle and get those classic shots of beautiful fields of Acropora corals. It’s worth while shooting the edge of the reef flat and all the new coral growth. It can be great for shooting macro late afternoon, when light is poor and overcast as mandarin fish can be found around 20m’s on the Western Wall for those with a keen eye.

Snake Pit

Location: A submerged patch reef half way between Cod Hole and Lizard Island

Special Features
This is a site that constantly produces great encounters with large mega fauna. In summer months, manta rays are frequently seen. Eagle rays and sea snakes are seen all year around.

Coral Life
Not known for its coral life as it has been largely impacted Cyclone Ita & Nathan in 2014-15.

Marine Life
In the winter months, large schools of eagle rays can be seen swimming around and over the reef. Several fully-grown green turtles use the small shallow sections for cleaning. A small population of sea snakes are spread out over the site. One of the only known places in The Ribbon Reefs to see schooling long fin banner fish. Large schools of fusiliers, chevron barracuda and surgeon fish swarm the South Eastern section of the reef. In the summer months swarms of glass fish can be very thick and dense. A great place to see different species of sharks such as leopard sharks, grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks. On rare occasions guitar sharks, bull sharks and great hammerheads have been encountered.

Photo Tips

There are some really good macro subject matters to photograph such as small glass shrimp, crinoid shrimp and squat lobsters and anemone fish. But shooting wide angle will always be the first if you want to get good turtle, eagle ray or manta ray images. The visibility at this site is much lower on average, than other Ribbon Reefs and ranges between 7-15m’s (as it is a much closer proximity to land). Back scatter can be a big problem, make sure your strobes are pointed out wide and behind the lens to avoid this happening. Currents can be quite strong, so check your strobe position more often than normal, as they get easily moved in strong current.

Cracker Jack

Location: Near Ribbon Reef No.5

Special Features
Cracker Jack is a small deep pinnacle that rises from 40m’s – 10m’s. It’s vertical wall is covered in brightly coloured soft corals and purple elephant ear sponges, surrounded by schools of fish

Coral Life
There are many coloured soft corals, black coral trees, gorgonian fans, red whip corals and Tubastraea trees. Along with large purple and beige elephant ear sponges.

Marine Life
The fish life can be so dense with glass fish in the late summer months, that it is hard to see the pinnacle. It is often surrounded by schools of big eye trevally, fusiliers and swarms of purple and orange anthias around the top. Leafy scorpion fish, many brightly coloured coral cods, hide in crevices and cracks around the top. Pygmy seahorses can be found on different fans deeper than 24m’s, along with longnose hawkfish and pairs of longfin bannerfish. Mantis shrimp are seen around the walls and on the top. Banded cleaner shrimp and red cleaner shrimp can be found often with fish getting cleaned. Coral shrimps and the occasional gorgonian shrimp can be found if you have a keen eye. Several species of nudibranchs inhabit the walls, Chromodoris kuniei being one of the most common. There are several species of pipefish.

Photo Tips

If you like shooting macro, this site will be a highlight, but it is also worthwhile shooting wide angle to capture all the beautiful schools of fish. The dive is usually done as the first dive of the day, so it can be fairly dark, making shooting natural light not an option. Having powerful strobes or lights to draw the reds out of the whip corals and gorgonian fans, but be careful not to shoot too bright and blow out all the subtle colours in the anthias and glassfish. It can be hard to find a good balance, but once you find the right output you probably won’t have to change it again. The shear walls of the pinnacle can make for some great silhouette images first thing in the morning.

Clam Beds

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No.5 & 4

Special Features
Clam Beds is known for the large number of giant clams in the shallows. Exceptional hard coral gardens, surrounded by fine white sand with an abundance of schooling fish.

Coral Life
One of the best hard coral gardens on the Ribbon Reefs that have that classic Great Barrier Reef look that the reef is best known for. Acropora corals of all colour variation, very large boulders of Porites coral are abundant in the shallows.

Marine Life
The largest giant clams are between 1&1/2 – 2m’s in length. They are approximately 14 nestled amongst the coral gardens. Stay shallow as most of them are found between 7m-2m’s deep. There are many small species to see as well, with their mantles in so many different colours, including neon blues and aqua greens. Large schools of bumphead parrot fish, diagonal lined sweetlip and swarms of blue green chromis around the fields of Acropora corals. Chevron barracuda will come into the shallows for cleaning. Several resident green turtles frequent the area and the occasional loggerhead turtle swims by. Sleeping white tip reef sharks are found on the sand or in rocky ledges. In the shallows towards the East along the wall, there are a few crevices where queensland groupers hide in the darkness. Large rays are often found on the sandy slopes in the deeper water. Towards the East, there are crevices in the walls, occasionally a queensland grouper can be seen.

Photo Tips

Put on your widest-angle lens, to capture the full size of the giant clams and the beautiful coral gardens. If you only have a macro lens, shooting the textures and colours of the giant clams mantle make for really striking images. On rare occasions the commensal shrimp that lives inside the body of the giant clam can be seen. On the lowest tides of the year, when the reef comes out of the water, this is a great site to split shots in the shallows. When the visibility is low in rough and windy conditions, have your strobes far behind and away from your camera lens to avoid getting scatter.

Steve’s Bommie

Location: Near Ribbon Reef No.3

Special Features
Steve Bommie is a large pinnacle that rises from approximately 30m’s – 5m’s. It is known for the large schools of fish, vibrant colour and coral and iconic GBR fish species.

Coral Life
There are large patches of Acropora coral, brain coral, small plate corals, encrusting corals,large pink fans and large purple elephant ear sponges in the deeper parts.

Marine Life
The best place to see true clown fish on any of the regular Ribbon Reef dive sites along with pink, great barrier reef, spinecheek and red and black anemone fish species. Schools of yellow lined snappers, blue lined snappers, big eye trevally and chevron barracuda, along with swarms of fusiliers, orange and purple anthias. Giant trevally, blue spotted trevally, spanish mackeral white tip reef sharks and grey reef sharks are often seen hunting. A great opportubity to find the masters of camouflage, such as leafy scorpion fish, stone fish, wobbegong sharks and if you are really lucky you may see rhineopias and frog fish. Regular invertebrates include octopus, peacock mantis shrimp, sea pens, popcorn shrimp and Common nudibranch species are Nembrotha kubaryana, Notodoris minor and Chromodoris kuniei plus so many more. Green and Hawksbill turtles use the site for cleaning and sleeping, they can be found sleeping under giant elephant ear sponges or tucked away in some holes. There are several species of pipefish.

Photo Tips

There are so many photographic options at this site. Often 2 dives are done here in an open deck, as there is just so much to see. For the photographers who can change their lenses, shoot wide angle on the dive that is closest to midday for best colour saturation and natural light and shoot macro earlier in the morning or late afternoon, when you are dependent more on artificial light. When only one dive is planned, shooting macro should be the first choice, as there are many macro creatures found here, that are rarely found on other sites.

Flare Point

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No.3 & 2.

Special Features
This site has excellent coral gardens

Coral Life
The Acropora corals in the shallows are massive and come in a large variety of colours, including bright blues and yellow. Porites coral have grown into boulders. Many new plate corals are sprouting in the shallows of all different colours.

Marine Life
Damsel fish swarm around the coral gardens, such as blue green chromis and sergeant majors. A school of diagonal lined sweetlips are often found around a small pinnacle in the middle of the bay. Lots of trumpet fish can be seen hunting during the day. In the shallow sandy patches at the back of the bay, juvenile rock mover wrasse can be commonly found, along with juvenile palette surgeon fish (Dory) hiding in small clusters of coral that grow up from the sand and spotted lagoon rays fossick around on the sand. White tip reef sharks are often seen laying on the sand. On either side of the bay there are crevices in the walls, occasionally a queensland grouper can be seen.

Photo Tips

A great location to shoot wide angle and get those classic shots of beautiful fields of Acropora corals. The pinnacle with the diagonal sweetlips is a great place to shoot as the large fish are very brightly coloured and often surrounded by small blue green chromis and sergeant majors, once again a classic photo that shows off how beautiful the fish and coral of the great barrier reef can look with loads of light rays streaming in through the shallows. Macro shooters will enjoy shooting Great Barrier Reef anemone fish, juvenile rock mover wrasse and juvenile palette surgeon fish.

Summer Bay

Location: Between Ribbon Reef No.3 & 2.

Special Features
Excellent coral gardens and cuttlefish.

Coral Life
Excellent hard coral gardens in the shallows. Acropora corals of all colour variation, very large boulders of Porites coral are abundant in the shallows.

Marine Life
A site that commonly has groups of several cuttlefish found together and often laying eggs. Many colourful blue green chromis swarm around colonies of Acropra coral. Several medium size giant clams with a variety of different coloured mantles. Lots of new coral growths in the shallows.

Photo Tips

Shooting with the with the widest lens is great to capture the density of the coral gardens. Stay shallow and capture beautiful light rays reaching through the water column on calm days. On the lowest tides of the year, this is another great site to do split shots in the shallows when the reef comes out of the water.

Ready to Discover the Ribbon Reefs?

Join Mike Ball Dive Expeditions for the GBR & Ribbon Reefs Expedition – 5 Nights / 18 Dives and experience the perfect blend of iconic dive sites and undiscovered gems. With 2025 departure dates on May 8, 15, and 22, this expedition is your chance to explore the Ribbon Reefs like never before.

Visit the expedition page to learn more and book your spot!