Australia

Iam cruising through a flow of memories and emotions

Firstly, Bass Point is conveniently located one hour and 40 minutes drive south of Sydney, with several car parks giving you access to four points of entry to the water, letting you access even more dive sites. It’s a popular fishing, snorkelling and picnic destination too, so these car parks can fill-up quickly on sunny weekends - best to arrive early! Given the topography of the peninsula, there is usually one or two entry points protected from ocean swells and safe to enter. If you’re not familiar with interpreting swell forecasts, reach out to the local dive shops who will be happy to help.

Visibility can be quite good for a temperate diving destination. I have enjoyed 15-plus metres multiple times and visibility of 20-25 metres are sometimes reported, but it can get to five to eight metres. Ocean swells are the main driver for visibility - with no rivers nearby, Bass Point is essentially unaffected by rain, unless suffering multiple days of downpour, in which case murky water can travel up and down the coast. Depth-wise, Bass Point dives range from 3m to about 30m, so there is something for every diver. I will detail depth profiles per site later in this article.

Although the grey nurse shark appears extremely malevolent, it is in fact a docile slow-moving animal and extremely tolerant of humans in its environment.

In terms of marine life and photographic opportunities, there is enough to keep both macro and wide-angle shooters happy. My macro favourites include the beautiful Sydney pygmy pipehorse and various seaspider species. It takes expert eyes to find them though, again local advice is invaluable. A number of small-to-medium species make for great portraits - eastern blue devil fish, weedy seadragon, eastern frogfish, or even the common old wife, with its characterful face.

Wide-angle shooters will enjoy capturing the atmosphere around the lush sponge gardens of The Gutter, or the grey nurse sharks of Bushrangers Bay. I have seen giant cuttlefish in every dive site around the peninsula, as well as several harmless shark species - wobbegong, Port Jackson shark and grey nurse sharks. Turtles, large bull rays (smooth stingrays), and numb rays are other notable species that I enjoy shooting with a wide-angle lens, plus a myriad of fish species typical from New South Wales waters.

Let’s now dive into Bass Point’s most-popular dive sites (in no specific order). Nicolas Remy reminisces about New South Wales dive site Bass Point, which is where he learned to dive back in 2007, but which still holds plenty of allure for experienced divers

Photographs by Nicolas and Lena Remy, and Craig Taylor

This is the first dive site you encounter when driving into Bass Point. Situated on its northern shore, this is an easy jetty dive with depths ranging from 3m-12m. The most convenient access point is to park at the boat ramp and surface-swim the 150 metres which take you to the jetty. Underwater the navigation is pretty straightforward following the pillars, especially if the visibility is good, which I have seen varying from seven to ten metres on different dives. The bottom is essentially rocks with urchins or kelp in places. Towards the end of the jetty, a large school of old wives is a regular sighting and the main attraction of this

Wobbegong sharks are nocturnal, sleeping during the day and hunting at night. This is because they have poor eyesight and rely mostly on their barbels to sense their environment. Even when they hunt, they barely move!

dive site for me as a photographer, as this is not as lively as Bass Point’s other sites. Yet, a variety of marine life can be spotted below and around the jetty if you look closely.

At night the doors to Bass Point reserve are closed, and the Loader is Bass Point’s only dive site which remains accessible for a night dive, although you have to crawl over rocks on its western side. Be sure to save this for a night with calm seas.

Perhaps Bass Point’s most-popular dive site, as a single access point gives you access to a huge underwater playground with depths ranging from 3m (bottom of the said Gutter) to around 22m. The most-lively parts of the playground are in the 16m-22m depth range.

All dives start with a short walk from over rocks from the car park, and then jumping into a 3m deep gutter (hence the name of the site). The rocky walls conveniently have a few natural shelves which make the exit easy enough, regardless of the tide. Once underwater, all dives start by swimming over a rocky bottom where urchins have cleared most of the kelp, until reaching the famous ‘10m Rock’, which is when you choose your own adventure. Swimming more or less north will see you travel over kelp, and eventually reach the Devil’s Cave, a rocky ledge which has been for years the habitat of two eastern blue devil fish, and is surrounded by prolific sponge gardens at around 20m depth. The rocks in this area

are a good place to search for Sydney pygmy pipehorses, seaspiders and weedy seadragons.

Other sites worth exploring include the Second Gutter and ‘Third Gutter, which are two underwater canyons, respectively 14-18m and 18-20m deep. which will also take you through interesting sponge life and rock formations. Some locals who are familiar with the Gutter use underwater scooters to reach even further, more-remote dive sites from that same entry point! Lena and I once took a guided scooter dive there and thoroughly enjoyed cruising above the kelp and stopping at spots where interesting critters could be found.

This is Bass Point’s only aquatic reserve - no fishing of any sort is allowed there. The wooden stairs connecting the car park to the pebbly beach will keep your heart pumping, but the reward is a lovely little bay, sheltered from all ocean swells except Easterly. Bushrangers Bay is Bass Point’s most beginner and family friendly dive site, with the first half of the bay being interesting for diving from zero to 8m depth. In the outer part of the bay depth reaches down to 18m. Underwater the scenery is a bit of sand, rock boulders and rocky walls, with patches of kelp here and there. Visibility is typically not as good as the Gutter, especially on low-tide, with six to eight metres being typical, but more can be had in the outer part of the bay, preferably around high tide.

Since 2018, Bushrangers Bay has gained greater interest from divers and snorkellers alike, with several grey nurse sharks using the bay to rest, half-awake, half-asleep, during the day. These sharks have been spotted from October to June, but chances to see (several of) them are higher in warmer months. I have seen up to 12 of them in a single dive. It is a real privilege to reliably observe these

endangered animals from the shore in water as shallow as 6m, so if you do dive for the sharks, please be mindful of giving them space so that ‘Bushies’ remains a place they come back to.

South of Bushrangers Bay lies a very interesting dive site. The Arch is a wide swim-through cave at around 23m depth. The cave is around 20 metres long, a few metres wide and has a sandy bottom, so there is no particular challenge in swimming across it, you will always see the exit from the entry. The walls inside the cave are covered with sponges and some fish life can be seen within the cave.

However, either side of the Arch you can swim around interesting rock boulders, some of which are covered by vivid sponges. Various schooling fish species can be spotted around, as well as Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs, and banded seaspiders, on the macro front. While the Arch itself isn’t a challenging dive site, getting there from the shore is another story. The nearest entry/exit from the rocky shore is exposed to swell, so be sure to get local advice if attempting it. I personally have dived the Arch from Bushrangers Bay, but this takes a long 600 metres underwater swim, which is subject to currents and I am only attempting this because I dive a rebreather and carry ample redundant gas supply. Others have used an underwater scooter to reach the Arch from Bushrangers bay, which is probably an easier solution, or ideally dive it from a boat.

Northeast of the end of Bushrangers Bay lies a tiny rocky island, which barely breaches the surface, and is the tip of a (modest) underwater mountain called ‘Lou’s Reef’, which reaches down to approximately 30m depth. Getting there would take a 700-metre swim from the beach at Bushrangers’ Bay, so it is best attempted from a boat, although experienced locals have dived there using underwater scooters. I had the chance to dive all around Lou’s Reef once, circling around the island between 15m-30m, with the deeper sections featuring colourful

sponges and more bare rocky boulders as I ascended. I have been impressed with the abundance of fish life, especially huge schools of white-eared damselfish staying near us in hope to seek protection from the 40 kingfish which made regular appearances out of the blue. Lou’s Reef is definitely a great dive site, yet not as accessible as the other four.

As I wrote before, Bass Point is a huge underwater playground and it is well worth being guided to make the most of your first visit there. I have dived with the two operators closest to the peninsula and am happy to recommend them. Both offer guided shore-dives, but not only. Shellharbour Scuba also do guided underwater scooter dives, and have a special focus in underwater photography. Windang Dive and Spearfishing do try-dives and certification for recreational rebreathers (the Mares Horizon), and are soon going run boats around Bass Point. n

For more images from Nicolas and Lena visit their Website, Nicolas & Lena Remy Photography or follow them on Instagram and Facebook @nicolaslenaremy https://nicolaslenaremy.com/

“We are thrilled to be returning in a few months! The reef systems here are the most unspoiled we have seen in our travels around the world and the resort is paradise. We can’t wait to see all our friends at Wakatobi.” ~ Robert and Barbara Hay

At Wakatobi, you don’t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. A private guest flight brings you directly to a remote island, where all the indulgences of a five-star resort and luxury liveaboard await. The Wakatobi dive team will ensure your in-water experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests so your underwater encounters can create memories that will remain vivid and rewarding long after your visit is concluded. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and the Wakatobi team will provide any service or facility within its power. This unmatched combination of world-renowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.

Bali is now open to international travellers with the

Macro life, coral diversity and schooling fish – with the added bonus of spotting pilot whales and dolphins from your dive boat. There are a wide variety of dive sites in Alor, from muck dives in the bays of Beangabang and Kalabahi, to the always fishy Alor Kecil and the colourful walls of Pulau Reta.

The Amira liveaboard does an Alor dive-safari in May and September. Other liveaboards to visit Alor include the Damai I and Damai II (May and September). There are also a few dive resorts on Alor, including Alami Alor and Alor Divers.

Halmahera is the largest of the Maluku Islands, in the North Maluku province of Indonesia, between Northern Sulawesi and Raja Ampat. It might not be the easiest place to get to, but all the travel is well worth the adventure as Halmahera is home to some of the highest coral diversity in the world. Best time to visit – March to November.

Amira liveaboard visits Halmahera in February and March, The Tambora in April, May, September and October, the Pindito in June, Raja Ampat Aggressor in June and September, Dewi Nusantara, Damai II in October and Indo Siren in May.

Derawan Island, on the east coast of Kalimantan, is the next wild frontier for divers, here, Sangalaki’s so-called ‘Big Fish Country’ boasts crazy pelagic action including mantas, schooling fish and frequent whaleshark sightings. Add to this a very rare stingless Jellyfish Lake on Kakaban Island and you’re up for a pretty exciting diving holiday.

Dive Derawan and nearby Sangalaki with Tasik Divers or Extra Divers or via liveaboard on the Raja Ampat Aggressor throughout July and August, and the White Manta from April through August.

North Sulawesi is more famous for its muck diving – the Lembeh Strait a virtual mecca for macro photographers with its proliferation of weird and wonderful teeny critters. But on the northwest coast of North Sulawesi there are the stunning soft coral gardens of Bangka Island and the equally beautiful coral walls of Bunaken National Marine Park. There are a number of dive resorts in Manado that can take you to both Bunaken and Bangka, such as Murex Manado, Tasik Divers or Thalassa Dive Resort, or you can base yourself on Siladen Island in Bunaken National Marine Park, Bangka Island at Murex Resort Bangka or nearby Gangga Island Resort & Spa. Some resorts offer a two-property package, allowing you to stay in Manado and Bangka, Manado and Lembeh, or even all three. The Tambora liveaboard visits on its crossover trips to Borneo in May and July.

Raja Ampat is a firm fixture on most divers’ bucket lists, but instead of choosing a ‘Best of Raja Ampat’ itinerary near Sorong, venture further south to the less-visited regions of the Forgotten Islands and Triton Bay. The region is known for its colourful soft corals and forests of black coral.

Epaulette sharks can be seen walking over the reefs, giant grouper lurk in sheltered spots, schools of jacks and fusiliers dart around in the blue and squadrons of bumphead parrotfish patrol the reef walls. Triton Bay also boasts a resident pod of pilot whales and is famous for whaleshark action that approach the ‘bagans’ of fishermen at the surface.

Indo Siren visits Triton Bay in December, the Dewi Nusantara in March, Damai I in March and October, Damai II in February, March and April, Seven Seas in March and the Pindito in March and April.

Talk to Diveplanit Travel’s Indo experts to plan your next Indo dive trip! Diveplanit.com Email: enquire@diveplanit.com Phone: 1800 607 913. Dive Clubs: we offer the best group rates for Indonesian resorts and liveaboards. Contact groups manager jess@ diveplanit.com for more information.