reef

Log This Dive

Polmaise Reef

Polmaise Reef, out in the Coral Sea, feels properly remote. You're a fair way from land, and it shows in the water. We’ve found the visibility here can be truly exceptional, often pushing 30 metres on a good day, making the sheer scale of the reef easier to appreciate. It's an imposing structure, a wall of coral dropping away into serious blue, and that's where the real action tends to be. Down along the wall, look for big schools of snapper, sometimes so dense they form shimmering curtains. We've often seen brownbanded bamboo sharks tucked into ledges, usually unbothered by divers. Our favourite moments here are often just drifting along the reef edge, watching the bluespot damsels dart among the open brain coral, or catching a flash of a blue trim parrotfish as it grazes. Keep an eye out for the big long-nosed butterflyfish; they’re surprisingly elegant. It’s a site for divers who appreciate dramatic topography and a sense of being truly out there, away from the crowds. Go for the expansive views and the feeling of encountering something untouched.