Saxon Wall is the exposed eastern side of Saxon Reef, which Divers Den calls the Wild Side. The operator describes a steep bank that develops into a deep wall extending on either side, notes that the boat sits further offshore than at most sites, and highlights wobbegong sharks lodged under ledges and nudibranchs coating the cracks and crevices of the coral. Because it faces the prevailing south-east trade winds, the Wild Side is dived only in calm conditions, and it rewards divers with a quite different experience from the sheltered lagoons on the western side.

The wall's coral is shaped by wave energy, with robust plates and boulders on the upper bank and softer, more delicate growth, sea fans and whips, deeper down where the water is calmer. The fish life is richer in larger species than on the lagoon side: trevally, snapper and fusiliers school off the wall, grey and whitetip reef sharks patrol it, and turtles rest on ledges. Divers Den also reports diagonal-banded sweetlips, titan triggerfish and bottlenose dolphins in winter at neighbouring Saxon moorings.

The wobbegongs are the site's speciality; tasselled wobbegongs in particular are perfectly camouflaged against the coral and easy to miss, so look carefully under every overhang. The depth and exposure make it better suited to divers with an Advanced certification or experience in current, and a surface marker is sensible. Visibility is often the best on Saxon, and the coral is little visited.

Surface intervals should be spent in the lee of the reef where possible.

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 55 km out through Trinity Inlet and across the lagoon to Saxon Reef takes around 75 minutes on a fast catamaran and noticeably longer on slower dive boats or into a south-easterly chop.

Divers Den's Wild Side mooring sits further offshore than most Saxon moorings and is used only in suitable weather. Enter from the stern platform and descend promptly.

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. Saxon's western lagoons are sheltered; its weather side is dived only in calm conditions. The Wild Side faces the south-east trades and is only dived when the wind drops below about 10-15 knots; expect surface chop and some current.

Descend promptly, drop down the steep bank onto the wall at 15-20 m and follow it in one direction, looking under ledges for wobbegongs. Turn at a third of your gas and return shallower along the top of the bank, keeping the safety stop close to the mooring line.

Divers Den (Reef Quest, Ocean Quest) – in calm conditions; other Saxon operators occasionally; Saxon is also worked by Divers Den, Reef Experience, Down Under Cruise & Dive, Tusa Reef Tours, Aqua Quest and Reef Encounter; the mooring used on any day is chosen by the skipper according to wind, tide and other boats