Snake Pit

Meet the site

The Snake Pit is a small, isolated patch reef in the lagoon between Lizard Island and Ribbon Reef No. 10, and it is famous for one thing: olive sea snakes. Dozens of the reptiles live on the reef, and they are notoriously curious, swimming up to inspect divers and their reflections in masks and camera ports. Spirit of Freedom describes it as an isolated reef between Lizard Island and #10 Ribbon Reef, with depths of 10–30 m.

Mike Ball's photographers' guide is frank that the site is not known for coral, which was badly affected by the 2014–15 cyclones. The appeal is animals. Resident green turtles use shallow sections of the reef for cleaning, sea snakes are scattered throughout, and the south-east section attracts large schools of fusiliers, chevron barracuda and surgeonfish. It is one of the only places on the Ribbon Reefs where schooling longfin bannerfish are found. In winter large schools of eagle rays pass through, and in summer dense swarms of glassfish draw in predators.

Sharks are frequent: leopard, grey and whitetip reef sharks are regular, and there are rare sightings of guitar sharks, bull sharks and great hammerheads. For macro, look for glass shrimp, crinoid shrimp, squat lobsters and anemonefish. Lizard Island Resort lists olive sea snakes, manta rays, reef sharks, eagle rays and seasonal whales.

Visibility is lower than elsewhere on the Ribbons, often 7–15 m, and currents can be strong, so this is a site for experienced divers comfortable in open water with no reef wall to follow. Photographers should expect backscatter. Those who get the conditions come away with some of the most memorable animal encounters of a Ribbon Reef trip.

What you might see

Olive sea snakes (many), green turtles, eagle rays (winter schools), schooling longfin bannerfish, fusiliers, chevron barracuda, surgeonfish, glassfish (summer), leopard, grey and whitetip reef sharks; rare guitar sharks, bull sharks and great hammerheads; glass shrimp, crinoid shrimp, squat lobsters

Location

An isolated submerged patch reef roughly halfway between the Cod Hole and Lizard Island, inside the line of the Ribbon Reefs.