Holmes Reefs
- ISS006-E-5935
- 08 December 2002
- 01:23 UTC
The Holmes Reefs lies 220 km to the east of Cairns, forming part of the loose cluster of reefs and banks that can be found in the area of the Coral Sea known as the Queensland Plateau. It is split into two main components: East and West Holmes (see large size image). The whole assemblage, which lies 150 km off the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, covers around 450 km². There are two small sand cays that are emergent at low tide.
Shown in the image is the larger East Holmes Reef (14 by 10 km, 125 km²) , which forms a broad horseshoe-shaped submerged platform that is open on its western side. West Holmes, which does not have such a defined shape, can be seen faintly at the top left corner of the image.
