Escape Reef Great Barrier Reef

Site Overview
Site Type: Outer Reef
Depth: Top: 2M Median: 6M Bottom: 9M
Location: North of Agincourt Reef and just out of reach of the Port Douglas day boats and the Great Barrier Reef

Escape Reef is a barrier reef with distinct ‘lagoon’ and ocean facing sides. Obviously the best sheltered diving is the protected side. Along the inside edge of the reef there are some strips of reef in front of the reef edge proper. There is a great variety of hard corals in these different coral stacks and you’ll also find giant clams dotted about.

Acropora with clam behind at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit

Some of the branching corals looks very new and delicate, and is growing amongst the mushroom corals which seemed particularly numerous here.

Fine acropora with 3 mushrooms at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit

The boulder corals are covered in Christmas tree worms.

Christmas Tree worms at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit

Clearly, this reef is not dived particular frequently, as some of the fish seemed very surprised to see us.

Redfin butterfly face on at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit

Everywhere there are pretty reef scenes with sea fans and different kinds and colours of corals.

Seafan with small corals at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit

Possibly the depth is a factor in this dive site having so many healthy and colourful corals with just a few bleached corals here and there.

Variety of coral and colour at Escape Reef diving Ribbon Reefs Great Barrier Reef Queensland by Diveplanit