Stone
Contributor
Diving in Oz (or, Theres No Place Like Holms!)
Australian Live-Aboard Diving: Holms Reef in the Coral Sea
Getting There is Not Half the Fun
Holms Reef is about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of Cairns, Australia in the Coral Sea. Few boats make this excursion, and only between September and December (before the start of the monsoon season). Although the Nimrod Explorer can carry 18 passengers, 2 of our number bailed out at the last minute fearing the weather would not cooperate a reasonable assumption since the week leading up to our 12 December departure had been dismal and rainy. More than one of our acquaintances in Cairns had commented that Monsoon season must have started early this year.
My wife and I were picked up from our Hotel and dropped off along with the other passengers next to the Nimrod at the Port of Cairns. During the short ride, I learned this was to be a Coral Sea trip. I was a bit disappointed because I thought we were spending a week on the legendary Great Barrier Reef. Id never even heard of Holms Reef. After stowing our gear and gathering in the Solon, we started the introductions. The final tally was seven Americans, five Brits, one Russian, and one Canadian. The guys outnumbered the girls eleven to three.
The plan was to leave port around 5 pm, eat a leisurely dinner, go to bed early (lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the boat), and wake up refreshed as the anchor dropped at the first dive site. Total elapsed time - 14 hours.
We managed to stick to the plan for an hour. Dinner was served about the time we were leaving the protected waters of the Great Barrier Reef. As the swells started to increase, so did the movement of plates and silverware across the table. By bedtime, we were running headlong into 6 and 8-foot seas. I spent the rest of the night in my bed and in the air above it, as boat, bow, and bed continually dropped out from under me. Total elapsed time An eternity.
Sometime in the hours just before dawn the seas started to calm. By the time we dropped anchor, the gentle swells were less than two feet and the sky was nearly clear. I more or less staggered into the solon where I found a fair number of blanket wrapped bodies under tables and on the cushioned bench seats. The live-aboard veterans had migrated to most stable area of the boat during the night.
Its a Tough Job, but . . .
Sunshine and near lake-like conditions followed our turbulent crossing, and the next five dive days fell into a pleasant routine. Breakfast was served around 7:30 followed by the early morning dive briefing. Each briefing included a white board drawing of the dive site with max depths, suggested dive profiles, and a list of sea life expected to be encountered. The first dive, often a drift dive, would be followed by a surface interval spent drinking tea and snacking on pastries and fresh fruit. Within an hour, the boat would anchor at the next site for the second morning dive. After lunch and another short boat ride, we would dive our third site of the day. By four or five in the after noon we would be moored at the fourth site where the dive deck would be declared open for the rest of the day. The Nimrod would stay at this last site for a twilight or night dive and remain moored overnight. The engines starting up the next morning told us we were about to start the whole process again.
Walls and Bommies
Holms Reef is not a single reef, but a collection of reef walls and bommies. Bommies are roughly circular plateaus that rise from the ocean depths to within a few feet of the surface. Several small bommies can be clustered together, or a single large bommie may dominate. A typical dive profile for a small bommie allows the diver to descend to the maximum desired depth, then circumnavigate the bommie while ascending. The safety stop is usually spent exploring the top of the plateau, which is far more entertaining than hanging onto an anchor line in midwater. The smaller bommies are also ideal for night dives since there is no chance of getting lost. The larger bommies are too big to circle on a single tank, so the best approach is a simple out-and-back dive along the wall, followed by a swimming safety stop on the top of the plateau.
Drift dives were conducted nearly every day along reef walls which rose from sand beds of about 400 to 200 feet (120 to 60 meters) to the surface. The walls were pock marked with caves and broken by deep, sandy-floored canyons. The fantastic visibility, which was in the 200-ft (60-m) range, combined with the wall and canyon features to create an incredible sensation of flying. The currents were gentle enough to allow time to see the sights and, if desired, you could fin against the current to frame a photograph or make a detour into a canyon. Most divers headed to their max depth and slowly ascended to the surface where the dive tender or tinny provided a tow back to the Nimrod.
Many of the reef walls and bommies at Holms reef are unnamed. The crew and passengers of the few boats that visit the reef will occasionally name the charted but unnamed formations. Two of our exploratory dives resulted in a bommie and a reef wall being named for divers on this trip. A spectacular bommie rising from the sand at 100 feet to within 15 feet at the surface is now known as Earls Hideaway. Its a circular bommie, about 50 feet in diameter on the top, and featuring a gorgonian filled crevice that passes completely through the bommie from its base up to about 50 feet. A gently sloping reef wall with numerous canyons and outcroppings rising from the sand at 180 feet to within inches of the surface was named for my wife, and is now known as Candys Reef.
Sea Life on the Reef
The most impressive sea life on the walls had to be the gorgonians. At about 130 ft, the bright yellow and greenish gorgonians protruding from the walls were easily 20 ft and greater in diameter. The shallow caves in the wall face sheltered smaller (6-ft) gorgonians that seemed to be primarily yellow, red, and purple. An occasional White-tipped reef shark could be seen swimming through the caves between the gorgonians that sprouted from the floor and hung from the cave ceilings. Although not as common as the White-tips, the larger Silvertip Reef sharks were usually seen cruising the wall below us at 150 to 200 feet.
The reef walls were beautiful, but the bommies offered a greater abundance and diversity of marine life in a relatively small area. Besides the usual tropicals (Parrots, Angels, Puffers, Lion Fish, etc.), White-tipped Reef sharks, schooling Barracudas, schooling Trevalley, Silvertip Reef sharks, Napoleon Wrasse, huge Grouper, and Tuna were common. Eagle Rays, Moray Eels, and turtles were seen occasionally.
On more than one bommie, a large, solitary barracuda would station himself, apparently motionless, under the boat at eye level with the 15-ft safety-stop bar. Beautiful iridescent blue-green Napoleon Wrasse, sporting the unique pompadour bulge on the forehead seemed curious, and would swim within a few feet of the divers. A special treat was a close-up encounter with a pair of Cuttlefish whose bodies shimmered and flickered like the neon signs in Times Square.
At the aptly named Predators Playground, we were surrounded by dozens of 5 and 6 foot White-tips even before the Nimrods crew lowered a bait ball to demonstrate a shark feeding frenzy. The large Tuna were more aggressive than the White-tips and were seen chasing the sharks away from the bait. A single 8-foot Silvertip shark avoided the commotion entirely and circled us about 20 feet away. The White tips continued to mill around after the feeding, and several of the divers were able to pet some sharks that appeared to be resting on the sandy bottom.
The variety of hard and soft corals, sponges, and anemones was incredible. The anemones covered the rocks and coral skeletons like living, tentacled throw rugs. Clam shells the size of small suitcases opened to reveal psychedelic designs and colors on the animal inside.
Theres No Place Like Holms!
We skipped the night dive on our last day on Holms Reef to begin our return trip. This time we were running with the seas and even the veterans spent the night in their bunks.
The next morning we dropped anchor on the Great Barrier Reef (figuratively speaking of course). There was time for just a couple of dives before heading into port. Our first dive was on Opal Bommie. The visibility was (I cant believe Im saying this), a disappointing 50 feet. Even worse, a Cyclone had obliterated at least 90 percent of all the corals. Fragments of branching coral littered the entire bommie, and everything was covered with grey silt. A lone Moray Eel was the only real sea life I recall seeing. Our next dive was much better, although the viz was still only 50 feet. Long Bommie was just that . . ., a long bommie about 200 feet wide and 800 feet long.
Our last 2 dives made me realize how truly awesome my diving experience was on Holms Reef. Walls and bommies, gorgonians the size of trees, corals and tropical fish of every conceivable color, turtles, rays, sharks, and 200 foot visibility. Theres no place like Holms!
Australian Live-Aboard Diving: Holms Reef in the Coral Sea
Getting There is Not Half the Fun
Holms Reef is about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of Cairns, Australia in the Coral Sea. Few boats make this excursion, and only between September and December (before the start of the monsoon season). Although the Nimrod Explorer can carry 18 passengers, 2 of our number bailed out at the last minute fearing the weather would not cooperate a reasonable assumption since the week leading up to our 12 December departure had been dismal and rainy. More than one of our acquaintances in Cairns had commented that Monsoon season must have started early this year.
My wife and I were picked up from our Hotel and dropped off along with the other passengers next to the Nimrod at the Port of Cairns. During the short ride, I learned this was to be a Coral Sea trip. I was a bit disappointed because I thought we were spending a week on the legendary Great Barrier Reef. Id never even heard of Holms Reef. After stowing our gear and gathering in the Solon, we started the introductions. The final tally was seven Americans, five Brits, one Russian, and one Canadian. The guys outnumbered the girls eleven to three.
The plan was to leave port around 5 pm, eat a leisurely dinner, go to bed early (lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the boat), and wake up refreshed as the anchor dropped at the first dive site. Total elapsed time - 14 hours.
We managed to stick to the plan for an hour. Dinner was served about the time we were leaving the protected waters of the Great Barrier Reef. As the swells started to increase, so did the movement of plates and silverware across the table. By bedtime, we were running headlong into 6 and 8-foot seas. I spent the rest of the night in my bed and in the air above it, as boat, bow, and bed continually dropped out from under me. Total elapsed time An eternity.
Sometime in the hours just before dawn the seas started to calm. By the time we dropped anchor, the gentle swells were less than two feet and the sky was nearly clear. I more or less staggered into the solon where I found a fair number of blanket wrapped bodies under tables and on the cushioned bench seats. The live-aboard veterans had migrated to most stable area of the boat during the night.
Its a Tough Job, but . . .
Sunshine and near lake-like conditions followed our turbulent crossing, and the next five dive days fell into a pleasant routine. Breakfast was served around 7:30 followed by the early morning dive briefing. Each briefing included a white board drawing of the dive site with max depths, suggested dive profiles, and a list of sea life expected to be encountered. The first dive, often a drift dive, would be followed by a surface interval spent drinking tea and snacking on pastries and fresh fruit. Within an hour, the boat would anchor at the next site for the second morning dive. After lunch and another short boat ride, we would dive our third site of the day. By four or five in the after noon we would be moored at the fourth site where the dive deck would be declared open for the rest of the day. The Nimrod would stay at this last site for a twilight or night dive and remain moored overnight. The engines starting up the next morning told us we were about to start the whole process again.
Walls and Bommies
Holms Reef is not a single reef, but a collection of reef walls and bommies. Bommies are roughly circular plateaus that rise from the ocean depths to within a few feet of the surface. Several small bommies can be clustered together, or a single large bommie may dominate. A typical dive profile for a small bommie allows the diver to descend to the maximum desired depth, then circumnavigate the bommie while ascending. The safety stop is usually spent exploring the top of the plateau, which is far more entertaining than hanging onto an anchor line in midwater. The smaller bommies are also ideal for night dives since there is no chance of getting lost. The larger bommies are too big to circle on a single tank, so the best approach is a simple out-and-back dive along the wall, followed by a swimming safety stop on the top of the plateau.
Drift dives were conducted nearly every day along reef walls which rose from sand beds of about 400 to 200 feet (120 to 60 meters) to the surface. The walls were pock marked with caves and broken by deep, sandy-floored canyons. The fantastic visibility, which was in the 200-ft (60-m) range, combined with the wall and canyon features to create an incredible sensation of flying. The currents were gentle enough to allow time to see the sights and, if desired, you could fin against the current to frame a photograph or make a detour into a canyon. Most divers headed to their max depth and slowly ascended to the surface where the dive tender or tinny provided a tow back to the Nimrod.
Many of the reef walls and bommies at Holms reef are unnamed. The crew and passengers of the few boats that visit the reef will occasionally name the charted but unnamed formations. Two of our exploratory dives resulted in a bommie and a reef wall being named for divers on this trip. A spectacular bommie rising from the sand at 100 feet to within 15 feet at the surface is now known as Earls Hideaway. Its a circular bommie, about 50 feet in diameter on the top, and featuring a gorgonian filled crevice that passes completely through the bommie from its base up to about 50 feet. A gently sloping reef wall with numerous canyons and outcroppings rising from the sand at 180 feet to within inches of the surface was named for my wife, and is now known as Candys Reef.
Sea Life on the Reef
The most impressive sea life on the walls had to be the gorgonians. At about 130 ft, the bright yellow and greenish gorgonians protruding from the walls were easily 20 ft and greater in diameter. The shallow caves in the wall face sheltered smaller (6-ft) gorgonians that seemed to be primarily yellow, red, and purple. An occasional White-tipped reef shark could be seen swimming through the caves between the gorgonians that sprouted from the floor and hung from the cave ceilings. Although not as common as the White-tips, the larger Silvertip Reef sharks were usually seen cruising the wall below us at 150 to 200 feet.
The reef walls were beautiful, but the bommies offered a greater abundance and diversity of marine life in a relatively small area. Besides the usual tropicals (Parrots, Angels, Puffers, Lion Fish, etc.), White-tipped Reef sharks, schooling Barracudas, schooling Trevalley, Silvertip Reef sharks, Napoleon Wrasse, huge Grouper, and Tuna were common. Eagle Rays, Moray Eels, and turtles were seen occasionally.
On more than one bommie, a large, solitary barracuda would station himself, apparently motionless, under the boat at eye level with the 15-ft safety-stop bar. Beautiful iridescent blue-green Napoleon Wrasse, sporting the unique pompadour bulge on the forehead seemed curious, and would swim within a few feet of the divers. A special treat was a close-up encounter with a pair of Cuttlefish whose bodies shimmered and flickered like the neon signs in Times Square.
At the aptly named Predators Playground, we were surrounded by dozens of 5 and 6 foot White-tips even before the Nimrods crew lowered a bait ball to demonstrate a shark feeding frenzy. The large Tuna were more aggressive than the White-tips and were seen chasing the sharks away from the bait. A single 8-foot Silvertip shark avoided the commotion entirely and circled us about 20 feet away. The White tips continued to mill around after the feeding, and several of the divers were able to pet some sharks that appeared to be resting on the sandy bottom.
The variety of hard and soft corals, sponges, and anemones was incredible. The anemones covered the rocks and coral skeletons like living, tentacled throw rugs. Clam shells the size of small suitcases opened to reveal psychedelic designs and colors on the animal inside.
Theres No Place Like Holms!
We skipped the night dive on our last day on Holms Reef to begin our return trip. This time we were running with the seas and even the veterans spent the night in their bunks.
The next morning we dropped anchor on the Great Barrier Reef (figuratively speaking of course). There was time for just a couple of dives before heading into port. Our first dive was on Opal Bommie. The visibility was (I cant believe Im saying this), a disappointing 50 feet. Even worse, a Cyclone had obliterated at least 90 percent of all the corals. Fragments of branching coral littered the entire bommie, and everything was covered with grey silt. A lone Moray Eel was the only real sea life I recall seeing. Our next dive was much better, although the viz was still only 50 feet. Long Bommie was just that . . ., a long bommie about 200 feet wide and 800 feet long.
Our last 2 dives made me realize how truly awesome my diving experience was on Holms Reef. Walls and bommies, gorgonians the size of trees, corals and tropical fish of every conceivable color, turtles, rays, sharks, and 200 foot visibility. Theres no place like Holms!
