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Oak Park
Location Information
Oak Park is one of the most popular dive sites on the Cronulla Peninsula. Located on the southern outskirts of Sydney, Oak Park is an excellent dive for all skill levels. Oak Park is a great place for night diving.
Diving Conditions
The entry point is behind the pool, an easy 40 meter swim in a south easterly direction before dropping down over the edge of the wall (aprox 6mtrs). If the swell is up you can also enter safely from southern side of the pool.
The dive takes you past a wall which runs in a north easterly direction. Visibility ranges from 3 – 15 metres, averaging 7-8 and improves on an incoming tide or during winter. The exit points are located either side of the Oak Park pool.
The wall is very distinct for about 25 meters before it begins to break up. After a small sandy patch you should pick the wall up again and this is where the best overhangs are located. You gradually move down from about 3 to 8 meters. Moving on even further you will pass some huge boulder like formations that are home to many different kinds of fish. At this point (30-40minutes into the dive) it is usually time to head back.
Special Notes
This is a great spot for a picnic or a BBQ after the dive.
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Ship Rock
Location Information
Ship Rock is situated in Port Hacking on the Cronulla Peninsula. It is a very famous dive site in the southern Sydney area. The name comes from a large rock on the shore’s edge that when viewed from the water resembles a ship. The entry to Ship Rock is at the end of Ship Rock Rd, Lilli Pilli with a steep dirt track through a council reserve leading to the dive site. Note, The Track will become very slippery when wet
Diving Conditions
The best time to dive and the best visibility can be achieved when diving on the high tide. Add another 20 minutes to the tide charts for this dive site, with this tide you should get a leisurely dive. There may be a strong current at this site, use your training to gauge the suitability of this site before jumping in.
Visibility will range between 6 to 20 metres. Swim out about 10 metres facing the opposite shore. The water here is about 2-3 metres but if you swim in an easterly direction it will soon drop to a depth of 15 metres. Once you reach the wall, head south, keeping the wall on you right. After about 25 metres you will come across a small bubble cave that gives you the experience of having a chat at 15 metres. Moving along, the wall and the huge rocks situated away from the wall are covered by all kinds of marine life. The exit point can be found by taking the slope up after bubble cave.
Special Notes
Shiprock is a fantastic night dive location, and is also great for macro photography.
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Bass and Flinders
Location Information
The Bass and Flinders Point is situated on the most southern tip of the Cronulla peninsula. You can park the car right in front of the Bass & Flinders Point and it is only a short walk to the entry point. There is a small set of stairs leading down to the water?s edge about 75 metres to the right of monument, this is marked by a large green pipe, care should be taken due to the slippery entry point
Diving Conditions
On Saturday and Sunday there are often a number of scuba schools who are holding their practical lessons at this location. Most dives start here and are a very slow drift dive to Oak Park. The best time to dive this site is at the high tide mark because the water should have the highest visibility.
After entering the water swim out a little (but be careful of boats, you should always use a flag and float) before descending. The depth of the water is about 7 metres and this will not change much of the dive. Keeping the reef on your right you should experience a very slight push as you move towards the Oak Park pools. Depending on the strength of the current the dive should take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. As usual, the slower you go the more you will see.
Special Notes
This is a safe and easy beginners dive, and you may also exit where you enter.
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Inscription Point
Location Information
Inscription Point is one of the many dive sites in Kurnell National Park. Kurnell is the birthplace of modern Australia after being discovered by Cpt James Cook in 1788. After entering the National Park, travel along the main park road towards Cape Solander, turn off at the 3rd car park.
Diving Conditions
There is two main entry points dependent on the tide, if it?s an outgoing current you enter at the small beach where the flag pole is located, and if it?s an incoming tide you enter via the right hand side of the park, close to the ?No Collecting? Sign, there is a large V section in the rocks that allows easy entry to the water. The exit point is the opposite entry point dependent on the current. (ie if you entered at the flag pole you exit at the Sign, or visa versa)
If entering from the beach entry you need to swim roughly 30meters out (You will notice the bottom change from Sand to Kelp to Rock and you will then notice the drop off) this is the same on both entries.
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The Steps
Location Information
After gearing up, take the stairway down the cliff face and then follow the small boardwalk to the west. From here you should easily be able to reach the rock platform below where good entry and exit points can be found. After entering the water swim towards Bare Island for about 20 metres and then descend to the bottom, swimming towards the North until you reach the sandy bottom which is at a depth of about 10 metres.
The bottom is literally covered by large boulders which in turn are covered by immense sponge gardens. Follow the sand edge to the east and the depth should increase to about 15 metres. Over the past few years the seagrass has withered somewhat clearing the rocks for prolific sponge gardens that used to cover the entire area.
The dive profile for this site is to head east along the sandy bottom, following the contours of the rockwall, make sure you keep a look out for the large blue gropers, dozens of Weedy Sea Dragons and other interesting sea life. Your turn around point should at 30-40 min or at 120bar, and you follow the sandy bottom along until you return to the large boulders that mark the exit.
This is a dive site you should do with an experienced diver, who knows this location well.
Diving Conditions
Visibility here ranges from 5 to 20 metres. The dive is best done on the incoming tide, drift into Inscription point and exit via the ?No Collecting? sign. This can also be done as a reverse drift dive entering from Inscription point and exiting at the steps.
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The Leap
Location Information
The leap is situated in the Kurnell National Park. To get there follow the main road into the National Park and drive past the parking area (on your left) that you use to get to inscription point and continue past the top of the hill. After about 2 kilometres after entering the national park you should see a small informal parking area on the right side of the road.
Diving Conditions
The only time to dive this site is on the incoming tide, with little or no swell. This dive is NOT for beginners as you have to leap off a rock into the water, hence the name. Across the road from the car park there is a set of rough stairs that leads down to the rock platform (be careful they may be slippery). The entry is not ovious and is recommended to be done with a person who has done this dive site before.
It is a high jump into the water but if you time it right it is quite easy. Once in, swim away from the cliff face for about 30 metres and descend below the waves. Depth should be about 10 metres and you should initially keep a heading going north-east till you reach the sand edge of the reef. The depth should be 21-22 metres and there are numerous small rocks, some connected to the reef and others like little islands. After drifting very slowly for about 45 minutes you should be at depth of 10 metres after which you should surface to check your location in conjunction to shore.
The exit points are the Steps and Inscription point.
Dive Site Warnings!!
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It is very unwise to exit via the entry point unless the seas are completely flat and you are very confident in the water. |
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This is NOT a beginners dive, you must be very good on your air consumption, and be able to dive 60 + minutes on the tank with 20m + depths. |
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The walk down to the entry point is very steep, and can be slippery |
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If you have never dived this site, we suggest diving it with someone who has done the dive before. |
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Bare Island
Location Information
On the northern side of Botany Bay, just south of Sydney is Bare Island . Bare Island is joined to the mainland by a small timber bridge and has recently regained its claim to fame. Mission Impossible II was filmed on Bare Island.
Diving Conditions
Bare Island is perfect for either day or night diving in almost all weather. In even moderate seas you can safely dive in almost any spot and in very heavy seas you can usually dive the protected side of the island. A number of different dives can be done around the island itself, as well as along the shore on either side of the bridge. When diving be aware of boats and jet-ski?s which regularly speed under the bridge.
After entering the water you start under the bridge and you are looking to circle the island in a clockwise direction. You continue this until you hit an open flat area and from here keep as close as possible to the wall. Depth here is only 6 metres. If conditions allow it try and swim between the island and the large rock, however should conditions deteriorate swim to the left of the rock and continue in a south westerly direction until the depth is about 9 or 10 metres.
Shortly after turn west and maintain a similar depth until you reach some low step stone like rocks that are aligned in a rough north-west/south-east direction. All that remains is to follow the steps at the same depth till you reach the ledge on the north-west corner of the island. A normal dive should take you 70 -80 minutes to complete which includes plenty of time to see everything. If you keep closer to the rock platform on the southern side of the island you should be able to cut the dive time to close to an hour. This dive is suited for all skill levels.
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TECHNICAL DIVING IS HERE! |
With the sun heating up the diving around Cronulla, Aquatic Explorers is going Technical, with the introduction of Deeper and more interesting Dive charters every second Saturday..
More Info Coming Soon
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INTERSTATE DIVE TRIP |
Aquatic Explorers is heading to Fish Rock later this year, this is always a great trip for anyone who is new to diving and want to try somewhere a little different to the Scuba Diving around the Sydney Dive Sites.
More Info Coming Soon |
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What our Customers are Saying! |
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Over 25 Dive sites with in minutes of the Dive Store, what other location in the world has this, I love diving around Cronulla.
Cathy Lo - Parramatta
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