6 day Expedition - November expedition visits Ribbon Reefs only
December expedition visits Osprey Reef and Ribbon Reefs.

 2007 Schedule | 2008 Schedule  | Itinerary  | Map

The end of the year, during late November and December, brings some amazing aggregations of reef animals together. If you're into sex on the reef then this is the time! Coral spawning is by now a famous attraction and interest for divers and to experience the coral spawning is a unique diving event. This is not as predictable or reliable a mass event as is generally thought - however at the times predicted for the Undersea Explorer trips you will have the best chance to experience the spawning of many of the different reef fish and invertebrates as well as the corals.

This will be a trip with lots of night diving and enjoying the action in the shallows of the reef as many of the animals move here to spawn. We will be basing ourselves along the Ribbon Reefs coral garden areas and getting to know some of our sites very well for a number of dives to record the events. During coral spawning we also see many marine worms massing to breed and beautiful blue bioluminescent flashes from small reef prawn-like crustaceans spawning near the surface.

As well as possible coral spawning we may see hundreds of large trigger fish massing to build nests, mate and lay and protect their eggs. There are aggregations of thousands of surgeonfish, parrotfish, damsels, wrasse and other species coming together in the reef shallows to spawn. These fish perform amazing dance rituals as they attract the females to then spiral towards the surface and release their eggs and sperm together. The last 20 minutes of a dive is often spent in the shallows amidst huge numbers of spawning fish.

In the late afternoon many of the invertebrate animals get into the act, with starfish and sea cucumbers climbing to high points of the reef and spawning to the surface. Giant clams set off a chain reaction to the other giant clams on the reef in a domino-like clam spawning event. Cuttlefish are also mating and laying eggs at this time which is quite an enthralling behaviour to observe.

One of the highlights of spawning season is the food it creates and the feeding action which results. Drift dives along reef walls, channels and around points aim to find these action sites where large schools of pelagic fish including mackerel and tuna aggregate to feed on the smaller planktiverous fusiliers and 'bait' fish. It will certainly be an interesting time diving and searching for the interesting sites of action.

If you were just diving on the reef you may well miss many off these amazing spectacles, but with Undersea Explorer marine biologists' past knowledge and a number of trained eyes searching for signs, we are assured of some spectacular experiences.

 

 

Coral Spawning Itinerary

Because we react to our observations in the weeks prior to this trip we will be setting the trip itinerary close to the date and during the actual trip. This gives us the best chance of finding the most active reef spawning areas and daytime action of feeding animals. There will be many night dives in shallow (5-8m deep) reef garden areas especially between 7-11pm which is the most active spawning time. These night dives will probably be conducted at the same site each night to provide the opportunity to best see the variation in spawning species over different nights.

 

 

 

A Sample Itinerary (which will definitely change to suit the situation) would be:

Sat: - Board Undersea Explorer 5.00pm and depart Port Douglas early evening after skipper and biologist briefings.

Sun: - Arrive at Pixie Pinnacle, a great dive with incredible diversity of invertebrate life - nudibranchs, mantis shrimp, anemones, gorgonian fans as well as fish life including lionfish, pipefish and schools of giant trevally. Dive Lighthouse bommie with resident sea-snakes, turtles and octopus. Off to No-Name Reef to select a site in the early afternoon to get familiar with the area and to map out the site for night spawning dives. Night dives occur between 7pm and 11pm - a team effort to get the most spawning observations possible.

No-Name Reef has an incredibly diverse assemblage of coral species, ideal for spawning studies. It is also a fabulous dive site and great venue to base spawning dives throughout the night.

There will be a series of presentations to introduce divers to corals and spawning and in particular what to look for and how to record observations. Special briefings will also be given on photographic techniques for useful spawning images.

Mon: - Dive the world famous Cod Hole then on to Eagle Rock before heading back to No-Name Reef coral gardens for more night spawning searches.

Tues: - Search for feeding action in the reef channels to the north - Yonge and Day Reefs. Dive the channels and steep reef walls where weather allows and search for current slicks with concentrated plankton where aggregations of feeding marine life occur. Back to No-Name Reef area for another night of spawning dives.

Wed: - Dive around Hicks Reef and Jewel Reef area, again searching for manta rays and whale sharks occasionally sighted feeding in the current slicks. Back to No-Name Reef area for another night of spawning dives.

Thurs: - Dive south Ribbon #5 and Ribbon #3 and Steve's Bommie. Search for feeding action in the water with top deck observers keeping watch throughout the day. Night dive to continue spawning observations.

Fri: - Dive Agincourt Reef area for 2 dives in the morning then steam to Port Douglas - arriving approximately 5.00pm
 

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