Breaking Patches is a shallow patch reef just west of Michaelmas Cay, about 42 km north-east of Cairns, and Reef Trip describes it as a shallow coral garden in less than 14 m of water, ideal for snorkellers who like duck-diving. Several operators, including Reef Experience and Aqua Quest, use it, and Passions of Paradise has two sites here, one of which is Long Bommie. Passions describes Long Bommie as a long length of solid coral extending about 200 m, split in the middle, with a swim-through for divers and a unique western drop-off with large hard-coral formations.

The bommie is essentially a coral ridge, and following it from end to end makes a natural, easy-to-navigate dive, with the split in the middle providing a gap to swim through. The western side, where the reef drops off, has the biggest coral formations, massive boulder and plate colonies, and the most fish, including schools of fusiliers and other schooling species that Passions highlights. The shallow top suits snorkellers.

Because the site is exposed, Passions only uses it in calm weather, when visibility and conditions are at their best. Expect the typical mid-shelf mix of parrotfish, wrasse, damselfish, butterflyfish, coral trout and turtles, with reef sharks occasionally seen along the edge. The depth is modest, so bottom times are long, and it suits divers of all levels.

Paradise Reef, also on the Passions list for Breaking Patches, has its own entry. Visibility is typically 10-18 m, and calm days, when Passions can use the site, usually bring the clearest water.

Boat access only. Cairns day boats leave from the Reef Fleet Terminal (1 Spence Street) and the neighbouring Marlin Marina on the city waterfront, with check-in between about 7:00 and 8:00 am; most operators run transfers from city and northern-beaches accommodation, and there is paid parking near the terminal. The run of about 42 km out through Trinity Inlet and across the lagoon to Breaking Patches takes around 80 minutes on a fast catamaran and noticeably longer on slower dive boats or into a south-easterly chop.

Long Bommie is a Passions of Paradise site used only in calm weather; Reef Experience and Aqua Quest also visit Breaking Patches. Enter from the stern steps.

The prevailing south-east trade winds (typically 15-25 knots from April to September) are what limit Cairns outer-reef diving: above about 25 knots trips may be cancelled, and exposed eastern moorings are used only in light winds. Summer northerlies are gentler but make north-facing moorings choppy. Box jellyfish and Irukandji are present from about November to May (stinger suits on every dive), and the cyclone season runs November to April, when a system in the Coral Sea can close the reef for days.

Visibility drops after heavy rain and strong winds; spring is usually calmest and clearest. Being closer to the coast, visibility is lower than on the outer reefs, especially after rain. Passions uses Long Bommie only in calm weather because it is exposed; the western drop-off is best in light winds.

Descend at one end of the bommie and follow it along its length at 8-12 m, passing through the split in the middle. Turn and return along the western side to see the drop-off and large hard-coral formations. Safety stop on the top of the bommie.

Passions of Paradise – calm-weather day trips; Reef Experience and Aqua Quest – Breaking Patches day trips; Breaking Patches is also visited by Reef Experience and Aqua Quest; the mooring used on any day is chosen by the skipper according to wind, tide and other boats