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Written by Llyle Sawyer (Instructor Certifier, SDA) Location / How to get there:This area is a small inlet just to the south of southern end of Bondi Beach and the ‘Icebergers’ baths. Access is via stairs and rock platform from Wilga St or Notts Avenue. Parking can be difficult. Local creatures:Stingarees, wobbegong sharks, moray eels, small cuttlefish, snakeskin wrasse, yellow finned pomfret, crimson banded wrasse, bullseyes, crayfish, six spined leatherjackets, senator wrasse, and maori wrasse.
Amenities:South Bondi Pavilion / Baths – entry fee may be necessary. Experience Level:Not for the immediate novice but for those with 12 or more dives around Sydney, especially those whom have completed the Navigation and Waves Tides and Currents specialties, this site should be accomplishable. Maximum depth here is 9m.
Precautions inc Wind, Waves, Currents, Tides:
This site is prone to north-easterly and easterly swells / seas, if the sea is “up” at all choose another site. Watch the tides and tidal currents, this area can be subject to a strong tidal and rip currents on an outgoing - ebb tide. Any wave action will hamper your entry and exit, as you enter of a rock platform and rock boulder area, so be aware of the waves. Best time to dive:During calm seas on a flood tide coming up to high tide slack water is the best time to dive this site. Best to dive here when the westerly winds are blowing or southerly winds. Not too bad of a dive when a small (NOT LARGE) south-easterly swell / sea is running, though this will cause more surge. Where to enter/exit:Walk down the stairs to the coastal walkway path. The best entry and exit point is to the right of the stairs from Wilga St. Climb down onto the rock platform and enter the water off the platform. Navigation:Snorkel out ~20m due east and descend in about 6m of water, this area is covered by rock boulders and sand patches. Continue east over the boulders until you reach the sand bottom after about 50m (in total). Cross east across 5m of sand to a low flat reef. Swim around the reef and outlying boulders, use your compass as a guide, the reef runs roughly north south. From the north end of the reef head back west until you meet a wall head south and west along this wall and look in the cuts and small caves. From the caves head back southwest to the platform and exit point. Points of interest:Swim throughs, under cuts in the rocks and some shallow caves in about 3-4m which may have a resident wobbegong shark or two.. Tips (from the pro):Spend time exploring the flat rock reef, top and around the edges, also the swim throughs and rocks to the north of the main reef. Take care exploring the shallow caves only enter if trained and competent to do so. Entry and exit can be ‘challenging’ if there is any wave action.
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