Location

Balaban's Bommie is a bank situated 1.5 nautical miles from the north-west tip of Normanby Island. The top of the reef, practically oval in shape, lies at a depth of between 1.5 and 3 metres. The walls drop quite steeply to 15-20 metres where a ledge forms and blocks of coral are scattered among the sandy parts; it continues down to 50-60 metres where the sandy bed then gradually descends to a depth of 300 metres.

Dive

If the sea is calm you anchor close to the top of the reef, to the south-west, from here you can dive and descend along the wall towards the east part of the reef and then return to the boat. As this is quite long, it is hard to do it all in one dive. You should therefore take the zodiac to the south-east tip and return towards the Melanesian Discoverer.

The almost vertical walls do not have a dense vegetation although you can admire large barrel sponges and crinoids, near which you may be lucky enough to see the famous Rhinopias fish . You must look very carefully because this species has great powers of camouflage.

Along the walls are various crevices and small caves where different forms of life can be observed: ascidians, blennies, nudibranchs, shrimps, moray and shellfish. Living on the sandy bottom are the fish typical of this habitat, above all small gobies, some in symbiosis with a blind shrimp that looks after the den.

You may even meet small spotted rays. As you rise, a few metres below the surface, on the east side of the reef you will come to a magnificent garden of hard corals. When the sea is very calm the rays of sunlight penetrating the depths create a marvellous spectacle. You must, however, be extra careful and skilled with the use of the buoyancy compensator because a clumsy move could destroy the patient work of nature.

The other side is more bare although you will see several types of anemones with their clownfish. Dives can be made in all conditions with the exception of a strong south-easterly wind. Night dives are possible but not usually made as it is preferable to moor the boat in more sheltered areas.

This dive presents no particular difficulties and is suited to all levels of experience.