Explore the Iocal lslands surrounding Port Stephens

Fingal Island (14m)

Only fifteen minutes from Nelson Bay, Fingal Island features pinnacles, drop offs and abundantly colourful sponge gardens. Fish and invertibrate life is extensive, ranging from tiny nudibranchs to schooling baitfish, morwong, friendly grouper and turtles. Fingal also has quiet rocky bays diveable in almost all conditions and haven for breeding Port Jackson sharks in late winter and spring.

The Pinnacle (5-35m)  

Plunging from five to 35 metres this is best in summer when yellow tail kingfish, cobia and mullaway move in to take advantage of schools of baitfish which come in with the warmer weather. Amoung the gutters from the pinnacle find port jacksons, wobbiegongs, eels and scools of bulleyes.

Boondelbah Island (12-30m)

Boondelbah offers protected waters with sheer walls, tight swim throughs and caves which provide a haven for bream, drummer and the inevitable blue groper. During summer you will also encounter large schools of mullaway and big snapper. A colourful sponge garden on the south west corner drops away into deep water. While offshore winds during winter encourage us to dive the sheer walls on the eastern side of the island, Safety Bay on the southern end of the island is a perfect summer training location with total protection from the prevailing northeasterly winds.

Little Island (25-35m)

The most exposed dive sites in the area with sheer walls on all sides and attractive sponge gardens in the deep gutters to the north and east of the island. Our favourite site if you are into deeper diving. You can encounter anything out there, from cobia, snapper, small whalers and in summer schools of eagle rays. Port Jackson sharks breed close to the island and who knows what lurks out in the deep.

Cabbage Tree Island (12-14m)

A calm, and safe training location. Shallow rock walls drop off to sand in no more than twelve metres on the south western side making it a comfortable dive for the inexperienced and a safe location for diving when the strong northeasters blow during summer. At this site divers will see the rare doughnut nembrotha, wobbiegongs, eels, blue groupers, schools of bullseyes, yellowtail and old wives. This site also hosts the statue of the naked lady.