Running more or less North to South, island acts as the eastern barrier for the Bismark Sea. The waters on the inner, western side, tend to be calmer than the more rugged eastern coastline. The scenery around Kavieng is stunning and contrasting - mountainous islands which drop sharply into the sea, or a myriad of low lying coral islands surrounded by golden sandy beaches and pretty fringing reefs. Channels between these islands allow for the movement of vast quantities of water between the outer Pacific to the North and the inner Bismark Sea to the South. The ridge is a magnet for barracuda, which school here in their thousands.
Jacks mingle amongst the barracuda, and they swirl and circle above divers' heads.
Along the edge of the ridges, sharks of varying types and huge yellowfin tuna can be seen cruising the open water. A Korean fishing boat, impounded by the Kavieng authorities for illegally entering Papuan waters, lies on its starboard side on top of the ridge, where it was scuttled. While the wreck is a relatively recent addition to Echuca Patch, it is quickly being encrusted with marine growth, and is now home to numerous fish and invertebrates. The reef top is made up of a mass of pillar corals in which numerous anemones and their resident clownish can be seen. Red whip corals sprout from the reef floor.