Summer Bay

Meet the site

Summer Bay is one of the shallow coral gardens that Mike Ball's photographers' guide describes on the southern Ribbon Reefs, between Ribbon Reefs No. 2 and 3 near Flare Point. It is not on every itinerary, but when conditions are calm it is one of the prettiest easy dives on the southern Ribbons and a favourite for photographers who like bright, colourful hard coral.

The guide describes hard-coral gardens with Acropora in every colour and large Porites boulders, with new coral growth appearing after the cyclone damage of the mid-2010s. Blue-green chromis crowd the Acropora colonies, and medium-sized giant clams with varied mantle colours are scattered through the garden. The standout animal is the cuttlefish: several individuals are usually present, and they are often seen laying eggs among the branching coral, a behaviour that allows close, patient observation.

Because most of the interest is in the top few metres, bottom times are long and light is excellent. Mike Ball's guides recommend calm days for the best results and the lowest tides for split shots with the reef flat and sky in one frame. The garden also suits snorkellers, and the shallow depth means it works well as a final dive of the day or a relaxing dive after deeper pinnacles such as Steve's Bommie.

Away from the coral heads, expect whitetip reef sharks and lagoon rays on the sand, parrotfish, surgeonfish, damselfish and wrasse over the reef, and turtles passing through. It suits divers of every level, including those on their first liveaboard. Exact coordinates are not published; the site lies close to Flare Point, and crews choose between the two depending on conditions and which gardens are in best shape at the time.

What you might see

Cuttlefish (often laying eggs), blue-green chromis, giant clams, Acropora and Porites corals, whitetip reef sharks, lagoon rays, parrotfish, surgeonfish, damselfish, turtles

Location

A shallow hard-coral garden between Ribbon Reefs No. 2 and 3, near Flare Point.