Meet the site
Clipper and Super Cat are two adjacent moorings on Norman Reef that, as Divers Den notes, can be dived as a single site. Both feature swim-throughs for more experienced divers and a shallower canyon that is easily manageable for beginners, and an old glass-bottom boat wreck sits on the wall's southern edge. Parrotfish, angelfish and surgeonfish populate the area. The names presumably come from tourist vessels, and the wreck is a reminder of Norman's long history as a tourism reef: glass-bottom boats and pontoons have operated here since the 1980s. The wreck is small and broken, lying on the wall rather than on sand, and is now well encrusted and home to fish; it is not a penetration dive, but it adds an unusual element to a reef dive. The swim-throughs are the main attraction for experienced divers, passing through coral buttresses along the wall, while the canyon, a shallower corridor through the reef, gives beginners and snorkellers a sheltered, enclosed route with plenty to see. Parrotfish, angelfish and surgeonfish are the most obvious residents, joined by reef sharks, turtles, anemonefish, damsels and coral trout. Because the site offers terrain for all levels on one mooring, it is a useful site for mixed groups, and the wreck gives photographers a distinctive subject. Saxon Reef has a separate pair of moorings with the same names, described by Divers Den with a resident turtle, sweetlips and titan triggerfish; that site has its own entry. Visibility is typically 15-25 m, and the canyon is best dived on the top half of the tide.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Clipper & Super Cat (Norman Reef) is recorded as Reef in Cairns. The listed access is boat (day trip). Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Clipper & Super Cat (Norman Reef) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Clipper & Super Cat (Norman Reef) through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Parrotfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, reef sharks, turtles, anemonefish, damselfish, coral trout
Location
Two neighbouring Norman Reef moorings, about 58 km north-east of Cairns, that can be dived as one; an old glass-bottom boat wreck lies on the wall's southern edge.
Facilities nearby
Departs Reef Fleet Terminal / Marlin Marina, Cairns: toilets, cafes, paid parking; dive gear, tanks and lunch supplied on board
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
diversden.com.auaustraliantraveller.comRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.