13. GREAT DETACHED REEF

 Large fish is a blue-spot coral trout - normally wary of people, this one absolutely fearless.  An indication that few people have dived here with spearguns.  Corals on 'the weather side' of reefs are different in shape as compared with the sheltered 'lagoons' on the other side of reefs.  Surf and currents can be expected most days.  It's a fabulous location that tourists rarely get taken to see at any reef.

Great Detached Reef extends north to within vision of Raine Island further north.  A basic tower (a light house without a light) was erected on Raine Island to assist navigation for sailing vessels of the past.  Many were wrecked on Great Detached Reef.

Technically Great Detached is a part of the Great Barrier Reef, yet the outside edge is where The Coral Sea begins.  How far off the reef does jurisdiction by GBRMPA exist?

Lagoon side of the reef.

Fiji film shot, shallows, Great Detached Reef (2002)

At all the Great Barrier Reefs, the outside edges can be expected to have beautiful underwater visibility.  These are not locations for charter boats to anchor.  The water can be deep as the reefs generally shelve away rapidly.  (The continental shelf).

One of two iron anchors on the reef.

Fatima shipwreck site.  Ben Cropp exploring with camera's.

Ben Cropp films leopard shark GD Reef - a canal link to the weather side

Great Detached Reef - lagoon

Underwater wave on weather side of Great Detached Reef (1983)

Whaler shark digital, weather side Great Detached Reef 2003

Staghorn corals, digital test, canal link to weather side 2003

Unusual shell

Family of spinner dolphin are residents of the lagoon at Great Detached Reef

Tiger shark at Great Detached Reef, in deep water, 1983

1983 image by J H Harding