Written By Marty Hing (Associate Instructor, SDA)

Location

North side of Clovelly Bay.  Follow Beauchamp Rd across ANZAC Pde.  Turn left at the raoundabout onto Malabar Rd.  Follow Malabar Rd up the big steep hill and veer right (still following Malabar Rd) at the traffic lights.  You will go through three more sets of lights, then turn right at the roundabout onto Arden St.  Continue along Arden St and turn right at a roundabout onto Boundary St.  Follow Boundary St to the T-intersection with St Thomas St  and turn right.  Take the next left back onto Boundary St.  Follow Boundary St around to the right, where it becomes Ocean St.  There is a Bus depot at the bottom of the hill here.  Follow Ocean St around to the right, just past the Bus terminal (where it becomes Eastbourne Av) and park your car overlooking Clovelly Bay. 

Amenities

There are toilets behind the café on the southern side of Clovelly Pool.

Experience Level

Advanced.  The entries and exits can be quite hazardous even in a moderately low swell.  The navigation can also be a little tricky at certain points during the dive.

Precautions

The entry and exit points are quite exposed, especially to a south easterly swell.  If there is a moderate swell on the surface there will be a lot of surge under the water here. 

Best time to dive

The best time to dive this site is on an incoming tide as the tidal movement will make it easier on your return leg.  However, if there is some swell the best time to dive is just before the high tide as this will assist you on your exit (see Entry/Exit section below).  I also prefer to dive Shark Point in winter, when you can exit through Clovelly Pool.  You are not allowed to dive in the pool from October 1 to April 25th.

Entry/Exit

Suit up at your car and then walk down the path to Clovelly pool.  Walk west along the rock platform at the base of the cliff.  You will come across a wide flat area out near the point.  Follow the cliff line around to the north.  There are several entry points for this dive. 

1) The fissure.  You should be able to see the fissue running out to the ocean.  The platform slopes down towards the ocean.  There is small square section cut into the side of the fissure at this point.  This is the first entry point.  DO NOT attempt this entry if there is a moderate swell or if the tide is over the small platform.  The water is about 3-4m deep here so you can do a giant stride entry. 

2) Shark Point.  This is a low rock platform on the northern tip of Clovelly Bay which you can enter from in low swell.  The best entry technique here is a shallow water entry (shoulder roll).  Shark Point can also be used to exit in very low swells. 

Exit Points

1) Rocky shelf just outside of Clovelly pool (you would have walked past it to get to the entry point).  The shelf extends most of the way into the cliff.  The edge of the shelf is covered in nice soft sea weed so you can let the wave action push you up onto the shelf.  As mentioned above, if there is a moderate swell the best time to dive here is just before the high tide.  This is because at thigh tide this shelf is often submerged in ankle (sometimes knee) deep water.  This rapidly dissipates the wave energy.  If there is too much wave action here do not attempt this exit. 

2) Clovelly Pool.  This is safest on high tides when there is the maximum amount of water above the breakwall.  Again, if there is a moderate swell you will need to assess weather or not this exit is possible.  The breakwall can cause waves to break into the pool.

It is also possible to exit at the fissure if there is very little swell.  The platform slopes down towards the ocean here and there is a small shelf at the end where you can exit.

If you find that conditions have deteriorated during the course of your dive and none of these exits are possible you will have to swim around to Gordon’s Bay (to the south). 

Navigation

From the fissure:  Follow the fissure down the series of steps until it opens out.  Follow the wall on your right heading south in about 12m depth.  The wall will turn to the east and then back to the south a couple of times. The wall will dissipate into a mass of tumbled boulders and low rock shelves.  At this point you are to the south of Shark Point.  There is some beautiful sponge growth further to the south and along the sand line (16m).  From here swim along a bearing of 300 over the boulders.  You will come across a kelp bed in about 9m depth.  Continue along 300  until you come to a low ledge.  Follow this ledge until it again leads into a maze of boulders.  Turn back onto a bearing of 300 .  This will lead you straight into Clovelly Pool.  If you have decided to exit onto the shelf, ascend when the depth becomes about 6m.  The shelf will be just to your right.

From shark point descend and swim to the east.  You will be in about 6m here.  Drop over the first ledge into 9m and continue east.  Drop over the second ledge into 12m.  This is the southern end of the wall described above.  Follow the wall north until you get to your turn around point, then turn back to the south and make your way to the exit point as described above.

Points of Interest

The wall heading south from the fissure is covered in sponges, ascidians and bryozoans.  There is tons of macro life on the wall.  If you’re lucky enough to come across four large boulders encircling a small sandy patch in about 6m of water, there is a great swimthrough on the south side.

Tips from the pro

Assess the conditions before entry and remember to take into account if the conditions are worsening or abating.  Take only photographs and leave only bubbles.