The End Bommie: Wall Diving in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

The End Bommie is a distinct coral pinnacle, a natural extension of the barrier reef that defines one side of a deep-water channel through Horseshoe Reef, just off Port Moresby. Your dive typically begins with a descent down a mooring line on the top of Horseshoe Reef, before you navigate along a reef wall and a coral ridge. This approach leads you directly to the bommie itself, a roughly circular formation that plunges into the depths, its surfaces covered in a rich tapestry of corals.

As you begin your descent along the bommie's vertical face, starting from a minimum depth of 10 metres, you'll notice the light filtering through the upper reaches, illuminating the dense growth clinging to the rock. This healthy coral cover, including various soft corals and tubastraea, thrives due to the nutrient-rich waters and robust currents that characterise this area. The wall's topography is complex, featuring numerous overhangs and crevices that invite closer inspection as you follow its contours downwards.

Moving deeper along the sheer wall, the landscape shifts, and large gorgonian fans begin to dominate the scene. These resilient structures extend outwards into the current, creating a dynamic environment. They provide shelter and feeding grounds for a variety of smaller reef inhabitants, and it's within these deeper sections that you'll often find pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus bargibanti) clinging to the fans, masters of camouflage. Locating these tiny creatures requires a keen eye and a patient approach, but the reward of observing them in their natural habitat is significant.

The open water beyond the wall is where you'll often encounter larger marine life. This site offers a consistent chance to see various species of sharks patrolling the blue, moving with an effortless grace. Rays are also a common sight, gliding past as they make their rounds in these productive waters. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings beyond the immediate wall structure will enhance your chances of witnessing these pelagic encounters, adding another dimension to the dive.

The resident fish population at The End Bommie is notably abundant and diverse. Swarms of anthias, including the striking red lined anthias, cascade over the reef, creating a vibrant, moving spectacle. Various species of reef fish dart in and out of the wall's crevices, while closer inspection reveals a hidden world of more cryptic creatures. The bommie acts as a magnet for schooling reef fish, creating a bustling underwater scene that is constantly in motion.

One of the unique draws of The End Bommie is its reputation as one of the best places globally to reliably see the rare lacy scorpionfish (Rhinopias aphanes), also known as Merlett's scorpionfish, a specialty of the Bootless Bay area. These masters of disguise blend seamlessly with their surroundings, requiring a careful eye to spot. Additionally, near the mooring, an anemone garden hosts hundreds of red and black anemonefish, providing an ideal shallow area for safety stops and a final opportunity for macro observation.