Adam Hanlon: Great Barrier Reef
Wetpixel Editor Adam Hanlon was invited to dive on Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef in May 2018. Scubapix/Nauticam Australia’s Peter Mooney arranged for him to cover the Canon Collective’s event at Heron Island and then to undertake a 7 day liveaboard trip out of Cairns, Queensland aboard Mike Ball Dive Expedition’s bespoke dive vessel, Spoilsport. The itinerary followed a journey Northwards via the Ribbon Reefs, before veering East out to the Coral Sea.
The return journey retraced the Northbound voyage in reverse back down the Ribbon Reefs.
The Great Barrier Reef is an amazing natural phenomena with stunning amounts of coral. Although there has been some bleaching, it was reassuring that there is plenty off healthy corals, and significant regrowth has already occurred in the faster growing species.
The shear size and area that the reef occupies means that it is host to a vast range of species. For the photographer, it offers everything from significant megafauna to super macro subjects. Liveaboard trips allow the visitor to dive a large variety of site and capture a wide variety of imagery. Mike Ball’s trips are photographer friendly and the staff do their level best to provide great photographic opportunities. Mike is himself a photographer and ensures that his trips cater to our needs.
Many thanks to Peter Mooney and Mike Ball for their hospitality.
A family of pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) in a magnificent anemone (Heteractis magnifica) on Steve's Bommie, Great Barrier Reef.
Grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) surround the bait during a shark feed at North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea
A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) feats on its favorite food-a jellyfish in the water column aboveSteve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
Cup corals (Tubastraea sp.), sea fans (Alcyonacea sp.) and other soft corals on this overhang at Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
A potato cod (Epinephelus tukula) rests on the sea bed at Cod Hole, Ribbon Reef 10, Great Barrier Reef.
Grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) surround the bait during a shark feed at North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea
A yellow leather coral (Sarcophyton elegans) surrounded by schools of fish on the reef at Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
Coral polyps feeding at night at Clam Beds, Ribbon Reef number 4, Great Barrier Reef.
Red encrusting sponge adds color to the hard corals at Cod Hole, Ribbon Reef 10, Great Barrier Reef.
A pair of clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) in an anemone on the top of Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) feats on its favorite food-a jellyfish in the water column above Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
A dive guide from Mike Ball Dive Expeditions swims through an incredible school of fish at Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
A small school of Diagonal-banded sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus) at Clam Beds, Ribbon Reef number 4, Great Barrier Reef.
A broadclub cuttlefish (Sepia latimanus) above the corals at Summer Bay, Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef.
A massive school of bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira) swirls around the reef at Steve's Bommie, Ribbon Reef number 3, Great Barrier Reef.
A redspotted pygmygoby (Eviota albolineata) among coral polyps during a night dive at the Clam Beds, Great Barrier Reef.
A photographer captures an image of two whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus) at North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea.
Amazing healthy hard and soft corals at the Coral Kingdom, Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions owner Mike Ball is still actively diving and taking pictures underwater!
Mike Ball video pro Jemma Craig poses in a school of glass fish on Cracker Jack Reef, Great Barrier Reef