The dive
You start in a shallow coral garden, where you may meet large Māori wrasse that dwarf the other reef fish. Then you follow a steep wall with several swim-through caves.
The wall faces the seasonal south-easterly trade winds, so its corals are tough and gnarled. Steady currents keep visibility high and feed schools of anthias, fusiliers and damselfish. They in turn draw oceanic coral trout and red bass. White-tip and grey reef sharks both turn up here. Near the surface, the reef crest has many kinds of parrotfish, wrasse and surgeonfish.
For snorkellers
The coral gardens near the mooring are excellent for snorkelling, with lots of parrotfish and butterflyfish. The reef flat has several giant clams, and sharp eyes will spot pink and orange-finned anemonefish.
How to dive it
You dive Agincourt Reef on a day trip from Port Douglas. Certified divers get up to three guided dives at three different sites, with a full briefing before each one. Sites are chosen on the day to suit the weather and tides, so we can’t promise a particular site.
Dive it with us
Port Douglas boat dives
Agincourt’s outer-reef bommies: walls, sharks and the big pelagics.
See the tripWhere it is
What you might see
- Whitetip reef sharkThe slender shark asleep under the ledge. Harmless, curious at night, and a resident at several of our sites.
- Grey reef sharkThe classic reef shark: a stocky grey patroller of walls, drop-offs and current points, often in groups.
- Māori wrasseThe reef’s gentle giant: two metres of blue-green fish with a hump on its head and a face full of tattoos, happy to follow divers around.
- Coral troutThe reef’s most handsome predator: bright red with a scatter of blue spots, lurking by the bommies.
- AnemonefishThe clownfish of the reef, living in a sea anemone that would sting anything else. Nearly every site has a family.
- Giant clamMetre-wide shells with mantles of electric blue, green and purple, some of them a century old.
Nearby sites
- Reef dive · Agincourt Reef Barracuda BommieA deep-water pinnacle on the sheltered side of a small ribbon reef at Agincourt Reef 2, right on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef. It’s one of the most popular sites on the Agincourt trips.22 m
- Reef dive · Agincourt Reef Gary’s GutA wall on the outer edge of Agincourt Reef 4 that plunges from 5 metres to 40 metres. It averages about 20 metres, so it suits Open Water divers, and it’s a favourite with repeat divers.40 m
- Reef dive · Agincourt Reef Harry’s BommieA garden reef among the pinnacles and patch reefs west of Agincourt Reef 4. It’s a favourite with dive instructors.16 m
- Reef dive · Agincourt Reef Horse ShoeA patch reef between Agincourt Reefs 2 and 3, in an area of strong tidal movement. You can drift it or dive it from the mooring.20 m
