What will I see on the Reef Crest? The crest is the shallowest part of the reef and is subjected to the surge and the rise and fall of tides. When waves pass over shallow areas, they become agitated which is the precise condition under which corals flourish. Shallowness means there is plenty of light for photosynthesis by the symbiotic zooxanthellae, and agitated water promotes the ability of coral to feed on plankton.

Fish that you spot on the Reef Crest eat either the coral itself, small animals living near the coral, or seaweed and algae. The coral eaters include and abundance of parrotfish and butterflyfish and the Reef Crest is the best place to spot and photograph these wonderfully coloured fish.

The small animal-eaters include the fascinating cleaner fish which set-up cleaner stations and feed on the organisms that inhabit larger fish. Also roaming the crest are the sea-urchin-eating triggerfish.

Seaweed-eating fish include the damselfishes and groupers. Groupers cultivate the seaweed by removing creatures feeding on it such as sea urchins and removing inedible seaweeds.