Gotham City is a world-renowned dive and snorkel site on the outer Ribbon Reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, accessible only by boat from Cairns or Port Douglas. Named for its dramatic underwater topography of swim-throughs, overhangs, and coral caves, this sloping reef bommie is carpeted in vibrant hard and soft corals. It's famous for exciting night dives where whitetip reef sharks patrol the reef, and for its sheer abundance of marine life. A must-visit on any liveaboard itinerary, Gotham City offers some of the most exhilarating snorkelling and diving on the entire Great Barrier Reef.
Gotham City
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Wave Height 0.4 mSwell Period 6.0 sWind Speed 8.4 knPrecipitation 0.9 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Remote location
The site is only accessible by boat and is a significant distance offshore (outer Ribbon Reefs). Emergency evacuation to medical facilities is time-consuming.
Low risk: Ocean currents
Outer reef swells and ocean currents can be strong, especially on the exposed sloping reef wall. Conditions vary with weather and tides.
Low risk: Reef sharks
Whitetip and blacktip reef sharks are commonly seen here, especially on night dives. They are generally non-aggressive but should be treated with respect.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
Gotham City is an outer Great Barrier Reef dive and snorkel site on the Ribbon Reefs system, accessible only by boat from Cairns or Port Douglas. Most visitors reach it via liveaboard multi-day tours or extended day trips operated by companies such as Divers Den, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, and Silverswift.
Parking & facilities
Park at the tour operator's designated meeting point in Cairns or Port Douglas marina precincts. Check with your specific operator for parking arrangements.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports