Alcyonaria Point takes its name from the old term for soft corals (Alcyonaria), and 100 Magic Miles confirms the name is apt: colourful soft corals grow on the wall at around 10 m. The guide describes a ledge that drops vertically into a wall penetrated by numerous gullies and small caves, reaching about 18 m, with large wrasse, cod and sweetlips among the fish life and visibility of 3–15 m. It is one of the more structured dives among the Hook Island fringing reefs.

The shallow ledge, dominated by plate corals, is excellent snorkelling when the current is slack; below, the wall and its gullies give divers vertical relief and places to look for crayfish, eels and resting fish. The soft coral band at 10 m is the photographic highlight. The drawbacks are current and anchoring.

The guide warns that current becomes a problem at mid-tide, and the drop-off makes anchoring difficult, so boats usually drop and collect divers. The site is exposed to northerlies and to strong south-easterlies. For Open Water divers comfortable with a little current, Alcyonaria Point is a rewarding wall dive and a change from the sandy bays; for snorkellers, the plate-coral ledge is superb on the right tide.

Its exact position on Hook Island is not given in the source, and coral condition after Cyclone Debbie has not been documented, so confirm details with operators. As at most Whitsunday wall sites, a surface marker buoy is sensible: if the current picks up, divers can drift along the wall, deploy the buoy and be collected by the boat rather than fighting back to a fixed point.

Boat only. Northern Hook Island is about 22–28 nautical miles from Airlie Beach – roughly 45–75 minutes by fast day boat from Coral Sea Marina or Port of Airlie, or about 1 hour from Hamilton Island marina. Day tours that stop here include Ocean Rafting, Red Cat Adventures (Thundercat), Whitsunday Dive Adventures and Explore Group (from Airlie and Hamilton Island); overnight sailing and bareboat charters also visit.

Private and bareboat skippers must use the public moorings (time-limited, first come first served) and observe no-anchoring areas marked by reef protection markers; bareboat operators restrict where hirers may go. Parking at Airlie is available near Coral Sea Marina and the Port of Airlie. Anchorage is difficult on the drop-off, so a live boat drop and pick-up is usual.

The northern Hook Island bays face north and are sheltered from the dominant south-east trades (15–25 knots April–September), but they are open to northerly winds and swell (common October–March) and to very strong south-easterlies that wrap around the headlands. Tidal currents through the islands are strong on spring tides (tidal range up to about 4 m) and can make points and bay entrances difficult – plan dives at slack water and neap tides where possible. Visibility is usually 5–15 m, dropping after strong winds, big tides and wet-season rain.

Manta rays visit May–September. Marine stinger season (box jellyfish and Irukandji) runs roughly November to May – wear a full-length stinger suit or wetsuit with hood and gloves, carry vinegar. Cyclone season November–April; tropical lows and cyclones can close sites and damage coral (TC Yasi 2011, TC Debbie 2017).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie (March 2017) badly damaged the fringing reefs of northern Hook and Hayman islands; recovery is ongoing. 100 Magic Miles: current problematic at mid-tide; exposed to northerlies and strong south-easterlies.

Drop onto the ledge, descend the wall to 12–18 m and follow it with the current, detouring into gullies and small caves; rise to 10 m for the soft-coral band and finish on the shallow plate-coral ledge.

Whitsunday Dive Adventures and Explore Group dive boats when conditions suit; sailing charters for snorkelling. Nearest dive centres for gear hire, fills and local advice: Whitsunday Dive Adventures, Explore Group, Ocean Rafting, Red Cat Adventures, Cruise Whitsundays.