Ribbon Number Two Reef - Great Barrier Reef

Day Reef is one of those spots that just delivers. We’ve always found it to be a consistently good dive, reliable for that classic Great Barrier Reef feel without the crowds you sometimes get closer to Cairns. Drop in, and you’re immediately enveloped by the sheer density of the coral. We're talking massive bommies rising from the seabed, punctuated by delicate branching corals that host entire communities of fish. On our last trip, we spent a good chunk of time just watching the adorned dwarfgobies darting in and out of the honeycomb coral – they’re so tiny, you really have to slow down. Look a bit wider and you’ll spot the humphead unicornfish patrolling the reef edge, and the parrotfish, particularly the rivulated and batavian varieties, are always busy scraping algae. The black-saddled leatherjackets are often curious, coming in for a closer look. Visibility here can be stellar, often pushing 25 metres on a good day, especially around the slack tide. We'd suggest aiming for late morning or early afternoon dives when the sun really brings out the colours of the corals. It’s a comfortable dive, suitable for most experience levels, as long as you're comfortable with boat diving. We love it for its sheer visual abundance and the feeling of truly being in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Australasia
Coordinates: -15.559870, 145.796280
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

Nearest Dive Centres to Ribbon Number Two Reef

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 Two 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