Albatross Passage

The site opens like a broad amphitheatre towards the Bismarck Sea, with terraces stepping down from about 10 m to a sandy plateau near 30 m and further into the deep. The upper terrace wall is thick with large gorgonian fans, black coral trees, sponges and soft corals, which shelter nudibranchs, leaf scorpionfish and pygmy seahorses. On an incoming tide clear water from the Bismarck Sea flushes the passage, and grey, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks patrol alongside dogtooth tuna, jacks, barracuda and eagle or mobula rays. A resident school of yellowtail snappers lives in the central area. On an outgoing tide the water carries silt from the islands and mangroves, so timing the dive is essential.