Lord Howe Island, Inside The Lagoon

Site Overview
Site Type: Coral Reef – Scenic; with Macro (Nudi's); and occasional Mega fauna
Depth: Top: 3M Median: 5M Bottom: 9M
Location: From Comet’s Hole in the middle of the Lagoon, and up the northern end passed the shipping channel into North Bay

The images in this description come mainly from the North Bay end of the Lagoon.  Comet’s Hole have similar reef fish, but additionally there, you’ll probably spot a number of sharks and other larger fish that you’d mainly find outside the reef.

The first thing that will strike you is the variety of coral.

Variety of corals at Comets Hole diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

After that, it will be the variety of fish – and very colourful fish at that.  As you’d expect, there’ll be wrasse!

Surge Wrasse at North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

You will probably spot the endemic double-headed wrasse somewhere along the dive.

Double Headed Wrasse at North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Another fish endemic to Lord Howe is the Three Banded Coral fish – though there are a few stragglers on the mainland too.  Head over to the wreck of the MV Favourite and you’ll see them in their hundreds.

Three banded coralfish at North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Not only is the coral varied, it’s also in excellent condition, and the cover is quite extensive.

Extensive coral beds of branching coral North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Look carefully in and under; as well as the usually damsels and pullers, you might spot something interesting like these two young four saddle pufferfish hiding in there.

Juvenile female Saddler pufferfish hiding amongst the horns of coral North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Check out the sea anemones – and you’re bound to find the endemic McCulloch’s anemonefish.

Coral with a McCullochs anemonefish North Bay diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Over at Comet’s you’ll probably find a lionfish or two.  There are three variants at Lord Howe – though we only spotted the common variety.

Common Lionfish Comets Hole diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island

Another new find for me was the Dusky Butterflyfish – one of the few butterfish that is solitary – most of the others you see in pairs.

Dusky Butterflyfish Comets Hole diving inside The Lagoon at Lord Howe Island