Delicate fan corals in perfect condition in a perfect environment	Starfish are large and varied in colour at Abana Reef	Coral in good condition, and so is the starfish.	There are many schools of small fish. The flashy fusiliers are inquisitive, filing past divers many times...	A procession of fusiliers checking out the divers...again
Fusiliers heading off to somewhere more interesting	Last known siting of the fusiliers	My research hobby - crinoids. This picture demostrates stickability in a current!	A crinoid in feeding formation - sticky arms out catching anything small that is drifting on the current	The population of crinoids is large - though unusually for Brunei the variety of species on this reef is limited
Soft corals - prolific and healthy	Soft corals crowding every available space	A snapshot of the normal concentration of fish at Abana Reef	More soft coral enjoying some sunlight

Abana reef is a small reef located approximately 5km  NE of the Brunei port of Muara.   The depth average on the reef is 11m, dropping off gently to about 20m towards the edges of the reef. 

What to see.  This reef is notable for the wide variety of soft and hard corals and the wonderful array of reef fish.  As is the case with nearly all Brunei reef areas, there is little or no evidence of damage caused by man ...

Visibility varies considerably depending on the time of the year, rainfall runoff from Brunei and state of the tide.   

Current. The current is slight to moderate, again depending on the state of the tide.  It is best to dive here an hour or so before the top of the tide

Navigation.  This site is a good test of navigation skills.  One rock covered in soft coral can look much like another when there are many rocks together, all scattered over an area of a couple of hectares.  One technique that seems to work is to park the boat in an area that is close to the minimum depth (10 m) so that divers can head "up hill" back to the boat.  This supplements the variation in compass reading accuracy and current direction changes that can sometimes cause a little confusion.

Pics...

Click on pictures to see an enlarged version.