Deacon's Reef

You arrive by boat — there is no shore entry here — and the diving stays shallow throughout, so the dive is limited by the guide's plan rather than by a computer. Cabbage corals and stands of green tube coral cover the cliff, and sea fans and soft coral hang off its face. The whole of it sits in about 12 metres of water, which leaves the profile flat from the moment you drop in.

Reef fish work the coral gardens, and sharks and rays pass through them. Rainforest runs down to the water above the site, so the whole dive happens in the shadow of the canopy overhead, and the reef sits pressed up against the land rather than out on an open bank. With no depth to speak of, the limit is bottom time and light rather than a ceiling, which suits long, slow passes with a camera.