Totem is one of the Agincourt sites on the Scuba IQ roster, named for its centrepiece: a prominent coral spike rising from the seafloor like a totem pole. Scuba IQ notes that the main feature is deep enough to be reserved for certified divers, while the surrounding coral garden, full of anemones, makes the site enjoyable for everyone. Pinnacles like this on the outer ribbon reefs act as fish magnets.

The spike stands alone above the sand, so current flowing past it carries plankton to the corals and fish that cling to its sides, and the vertical structure offers shelter to everything from tiny gobies to large groper. Expect clouds of anthias and chromis over the upper parts, sea fans and soft corals growing out into the flow, and reef fish sheltering in holes and crevices. The garden around the base is the other half of the site.

Anemones cover large patches of the reef, each with resident clownfish, and the shallow depth means it is well lit, colourful and easy to explore. This is where snorkellers and newer divers spend their time, and where certified divers finish their dive after ascending from the spike. Scuba IQ does not publish a maximum depth; the depth restriction on the spike suggests its base is beyond the range allowed for discover-scuba divers (12 m), and certified divers should follow the guide's depth plan.

As with all Agincourt sites, visibility is typically 15–30 m and the reef lies within Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning. Totem suits certified divers who enjoy pinnacle dives and photographers who want vertical structure against blue water, while the anemone garden gives the site broad appeal. It is a good example of the smaller, less-publicised sites that small-group operators use to spread divers across the Agincourt complex.

Agincourt day boats leave Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina (formerly the Reef Marina) on Wharf Street, Port Douglas, between about 8:00 and 8:30 am. Park in the marina car park or the free all-day street parking around Wharf and Dixie streets; Quicksilver, Poseidon and Calypso also run coach pick-ups from Port Douglas, Palm Cove and northern Cairns beaches. The run to the Agincourt ribbon reefs on the edge of the continental shelf is about 65–70 km north-east and takes roughly 75–90 minutes on the large catamarans (Silversonic is the fastest), longer on small-group boats such as Scuba IQ/Blue Dive.

You gear up on board and giant-stride from the dive deck at a permanent mooring; the skipper picks the sites on the day to suit wind and tide, so a named site is never guaranteed. Boats are back at the marina around 4:30 pm.

Agincourt is an outer ribbon reef on the shelf edge, so it is fully exposed to the south-east trade winds that blow from about April to September. Moorings on the protected western (back-reef) side remain diveable in 15–20 knots, but anything over 25 knots or a 2.5 m+ sea makes the crossing rough and operators may cancel or switch to more sheltered moorings. Calm spells in October–December give the glassiest days and 30 m+ visibility.

The wet season (December–April) brings northerlies, afternoon storms, cyclone risk and occasional reduced visibility after big rain events, although the outer reef is far less affected by run-off than inshore reefs. Marine stingers are present November–May. Tidal currents run along the reef edges and through the gaps between the Agincourt reefs; spring tides strengthen them, so exposed corners are usually dived on the neaps or near slack water.

Certified divers descend to the base of the spike first, circle it slowly and then spiral up its sides; snorkellers and discover-scuba divers stay in the anemone garden around the base of the reef. Finish in the garden at 5–6 m for the safety stop.

Scuba IQ / Blue Dive – small-group Agincourt day trips (max ~20 guests) several days a week; the site names are Scuba IQ's own and may not be used by the larger Quicksilver/Poseidon boats.