St. Crispin's Reef
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Short description|Part of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia}}
St. Crispin's Reef is an elongate outer-shelf{{cite book|title=Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching surveys 2006 (research publication no. 87) |date=2006|publisher=Great Barrier reef Marine Park Authority|location=Australia|page=48}} coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.
Location and topography
Named after St. Crispin, the French patron saint of cobblers and tanners,{{cite web|title=Survey 22 - St. Crispin's reef|url=http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/surveys/great-barrier-reef-and-coral-sea/st-crispins-reef|work=Surveys of the Great Barrier Reef|publisher=Catlin Seaview Survey|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527212734/http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/surveys/great-barrier-reef-and-coral-sea/st-crispins-reef#|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} St. Crispin's Reef is located 35 miles off the Queensland coast in the Coral Sea,{{cite web|title=Snorkeling at St. Crispin's reef|url=http://www.wavelength.com.au/snorkel-st-crispins-reef.html|publisher=Wavelength|access-date=27 May 2014}} in latitude 16° 07' 54.14" S longitude 145° 48' 22.46" E, at a depth of 9 metres.{{cite web|title=St. Crispin's Reef|url=http://globalreefrecord.org/transect_explorer/14009/image/140090088|work=Transects of St. Crispins reef|publisher=Global Reef Record|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527221607/http://globalreefrecord.org/transect_explorer/14009/image/140090088#|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} It lies east of Undine Reef and south of Agincourt Reefs, close to Opal Reef.{{cite web|title=Location of St. Crispin's reef|url=http://wikimapia.org/12289957/St-Crispin-Reef|publisher=Wikimapia|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215447/http://wikimapia.org/12289957/St-Crispin-Reef#|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Map of great barrier reef|url=http://www.padi.com/scuba/uploadedImages/Scuba_Diving_Trips/Scuba_Diving_Resort_Vacations/Australia%20dive%20map.jpg|work=Dive Maps of Australia|publisher=PADI - Professional Association of Diving Instructors|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220404/http://www.padi.com/scuba/uploadedImages/Scuba_Diving_Trips/Scuba_Diving_Resort_Vacations/Australia%20dive%20map.jpg#|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} Protected by neighbor reefs, St. Crispin's structure consists of many shallow sandy channels that reticulate around coral mounds, rather than a typical reef slope. It has an abundance of soft corals and colourful marine life.{{cite web|title=2012 survey - St. Crispin's reef|url=http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/|publisher=Catlin Seaview Survey|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731032317/http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/#|archive-date=2017-07-31|url-status=live}}
Marine life
St. Crispin's Reef is a popular diving and snorkeling spot for expeditions from Port Douglas and Cairns.{{cite news|title=Major reef sites from Port Douglas|url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/queensland-and-the-great-barrier-reef/697108#sthash.A4WzFqa1.dpbs|access-date=27 May 2014|newspaper=Frommers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527230129/http://www.frommers.com/destinations/queensland-and-the-great-barrier-reef/697108#sthash.A4WzFqa1.dpbs#sthash.A4WzFqa1.dpbs|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} Nicknamed "Flower garden", the reef is host to Sergeant majors, Sweet lips, reef sharks, feather stars and bumphead parrot fish.{{cite book|last=Zell|first=len|title=The Great Barrier Reef: A Journey Through the World's Greatest Natural Wonder|date=May 1, 2014|publisher=Murdoch Books|isbn=978-1743361795}}
Classification
Classified by the Marine Park Authority for "Intensive use",{{cite web|title=Classification of reefs|url=http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/|publisher=Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority|access-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527212252/http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/#|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} the reef has four moorings. In 1998, divers Tom and Eileen Lonergan were accidentally left here by their dive expedition, and went missing. Their bodies were never found. The tragedy inspired the film Open Water.{{cite web | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/mystery-couple-left-behind-shark-24255681 | title=Mystery of couple left behind in shark-infested waters still missing 23 years on | website=Daily Mirror | date=5 June 2021 }}
References
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{{Recreational dive sites|reereg}}
{{coord|16|07|54.14|S|145|48|22.46|E|region:AU|display=title}}
Category:Underwater diving sites in Australia