Ribbon Number Nine Reef - Great Barrier Reef
Ribbon Number Five Reef is one of those spots that sticks with you long after the last dive. We always suggest trying to hit this one early in the morning, before the liveaboards start shuffling around. The light penetration through the shallower sections of the reef, especially around the big bommies of yellow scroll coral, is just fantastic, casting dappled patterns on the sand. We love dropping in here and drifting along the wall, keeping an eye out for the bigger pelagics that cruise by. Black marlin have made an appearance on more than one occasion for us, a real heart-stopper. But it's not just the big stuff; the sheer density of the stony corals and staghorn formations is incredible. You'll find yourself slowly finning over fields of it, spotting tiny wrasse darting between the branches and maybe a sleepy longface emperor tucked into a crevice. It’s a great site for divers who appreciate intricate coral topography and a chance at some exciting open-water encounters.
- Location
- Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -14.990000, 145.706120
- Type
- reef
Best Time to Dive in Great Barrier Reef
The warmest water temperatures in Great Barrier Reef occur in February, averaging 29.5°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 25.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.4°C
- February: 29.5°C
- March: 29.2°C
- April: 28.4°C
- May: 26.9°C
- June: 25.8°C
- July: 25.1°C
- August: 25.0°C
- September: 25.4°C
- October: 26.6°C
- November: 27.7°C
- December: 29.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Great Barrier Reef
- Admiralty Anchorage (reef)
- Agincourt Reef - 5-25m (reef)
- Agincourt Reef No. 1 - Trigger Fish City (reef)
- Agincourt Reef No. 4 - The Point - 5-25m (reef)
- Agincourt Reefs (reef)
- Agincourt Reefs (reef)
- Alexandra Reefs (reef)
- Atkinson Reef (reef)
- Aylen Patch (reef)
- Baines Patches (reef)
- Baines Patches (reef)
- Barracuda Pass (drift)
- Bashful Bommie (reef)
- Bashful Bommie (reef)
- Batt Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Ribbon Number Nine Reef
- ABC Dive & Snorkel - ["PADI"]
- Blue-Cruise Pty.Ltd
- Coral Princess Cruises P/L - ["PADI"]
- Dive Centre
- Divers Den - PADI
- Horseshoe
Marine Life in Great Barrier Reef
Home to 163 recorded species including 88 reef fish, 61 hard corals, 9 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays, 1 starfish, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) - Sharks & Rays
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora damicornis) - Hard Corals
- Lineated Butterflyfish (Chaetodon trifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Telescopefish (Epibulus insidiator) - Reef Fish
- Banded thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Blunt-head Parrotfish (Chlorurus microrhinos) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Chameleon Parrotfish (Scarus chameleon) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
- Black-back Butterflyfish (Chaetodon melannotus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Ribbon Number Nine Reef
Based on average water temperature of 27.3°C, currents 17 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories