Coral Canyons is a system of large canyons that divide coral outcrops at the edge of Osprey Reef. Dive the World describes broken coral and rubble channels between the outcrops at 10–40 m, with the reef edge beyond dropping to 1,400–3,000 m, and notes that the area covers multiple dive sites in one location, with gentle drifts possible.

The canyons give the dive its structure. Each one runs from the upper reef down toward the edge, with outcrops of hard and soft coral on either side and rubble or sand on the floor. Divers can follow a canyon to the drop-off, peer over into the abyss and return by another route, or let a light current carry them along the edge from canyon to canyon. The variety means crews can use the site repeatedly without repeating the same dive.

Dive the World lists red-breasted wrasse, hawkfish, triggerfish, large schools of jacks and snapper, and whitetip and grey reef sharks. The canyons funnel the current, so the schooling fish often gather at their seaward ends. Soft corals, fans and sea whips grow on the outcrops, and the rubble floors hold gobies, blennies and small invertebrates.

Coral Canyons suits intermediate divers and is a good middle ground at Osprey: more structure than a plain wall and less current than the horns. Precise coordinates are not published and the site does not appear in current operator itineraries under this name, so it may be dived under another name or only occasionally. Ask the crew if it is on the plan.

Liveaboard only. Mike Ball's Spoilsport runs 4-night fly-dive trips (depart Cairns Thursday evening, cruise north overnight via the Ribbon Reefs, cross to Osprey, fly back from Lizard Island) and 5–7 night Coral Sea expeditions; Spirit of Freedom visits Osprey on its 4- and 7-night itineraries, with a Cairns–Lizard Island flight connection. The open-ocean crossing from the Ribbon Reefs to Osprey (about 100 km) is made overnight.

Allow 2–3 days at Osprey on a typical trip. Coral Canyons covers several possible dive routes; the crew picks the route and entry point according to the current, and it can be done from a mooring or as a gentle drift.

Osprey is an isolated oceanic atoll about 350 km north-east of Cairns and roughly 100 km beyond the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, so every trip involves an overnight open-ocean crossing. Strong south-east trades (over about 25 knots, common June to August) make the crossing rough and can close the exposed eastern and southern walls; liveaboards then work the sheltered western wall and North Horn. Sep–Dec usually brings the lightest winds and visibility of 40 m or more.

Currents on the walls vary with tide and oceanic flow and can run strongly around the horns. Dec–Apr is cyclone season and trips can be cancelled or diverted to the Ribbon Reefs. Coral Canyons is usually dived in gentle current, which can be used for a drift through the channels.

Descend into one of the canyons at 15–20 m, follow it seaward toward the reef edge while watching for jacks and sharks, look over the wall, then return through a neighbouring canyon or drift gently along the edge before ascending onto the outcrops for the safety stop.

Osprey Reef liveaboards (Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Spirit of Freedom) – occasional, crew's choice.