WATCH THE VIDEO: Rare ghost eel spotted in Port Douglas Marina

A local dive instructor and Master Reef Guide has made an extraordinary discovery, capturing footage of a rarely seen white ribbon eel, also known as a ghost eel, right in the heart of the Port Douglas Marina.

Acacia Ott unknowingly filmed the elusive eel in 2022. At the time, she had no idea of its significance.

“While leaving the boat after a day working on the Great Barrier Reef in the Port Douglas Marina, we saw it in one of the berths,” she recalled. 

“Our immediate reaction was, ‘Eww, it’s a creepy worm!’ and most people left, but I thought it was cool and filmed it.”

It was only recently, after reviewing the footage and consulting experts, that she realised the significance of her sighting.

She credited fellow marine researcher Theresa Graham, a digital content creator with the Master Reef Guides, for encouraging her to investigate further.

“Without Theresa Graham’s push to look into the species, I wouldn’t have known that it was such a special sighting and it would just have sat on my camera roll,” Acacia said. 

Viral

The Master Reef Guides Instagram page later shared the footage and the video went viral, amassing over 12 million views and sparking widespread interest.

According to their post, this is only the third-ever recorded sighting of a white ribbon eel in Australia. 

Unlike the more common moray eels, the white ribbon eel is distinguished by its exceptionally slender body and pale coloration. 

Typically found in the tropical waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Fiji, it is rarely seen in Far North Queensland due to its cryptic nature, small size, and preference for seldom-explored habitats.

Acacia mentioned: “I’ve been reached out to by another person who has footage of a white ribbon eel at Heron Island, just proving that the reach and impact of a sighting can snowball into developments in knowledge and research on a species”.

Hidden marine gems

Acacia’s fascination with marine life in the marina had already led her to document an impressive array of species, from sea hares and green turtles to juvenile batfish, squid, and even crocodiles.

“This all started with my video series of creatures I’ve found in the marina that went viral,” she said.

“The marina is so full of life, and not many people notice or get to see it that often. But because I was living and working in the marina, I could really notice the wildlife.”