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Shore diving in South Australia: Part 3 – Noarlunga Reef
CJ and Mike continue their South Australia shore diving adventures…
Noarlunga Reef
The forecast looked good and after a fair bit of driving the last two days, we decided to visit the very popular Noarlunga Reef, only 25mins down the road from our accommodation. The dive is known for an underwater trail that guides divers from the end of the jetty round the reef, informing them about the life and processes that shaped the reef. It is a protected area and we thought diving a reef would make a change from the jetty dives of the previous days.
The surface conditions looked good, but underwater there was pretty poor visibility and an annoying swell to contend with. We did an 80min dive, with a max depth of 10m and saw a large ray and a big shoal of mackerel, but little else. I can definitely see why this is a very popular training site as the inner reef is protected and shallow and apparently some big stuff can be seen on the outer reef if lucky. For us, it was nice to be diving, but not as exceptional as either Edithburgh or Rapid Bay. This was partly down to the conditions which may be due to the state of the tide. I would be interested in doing this site again on high slack, with good weather.
Noarlunga Reef dive details:
- Dive level: Easy.
- Depth: 20m at ‘The Gap’.
- Type: Shore dive – Reef.
- Vis: 5m+
- Marine Life: 50 species of fish.
- Entry: Steps
- Water temp: 18-21 degrees C (65-70F)
- Facilities: Car park, toilets, shops and water sport centre.
The Reef is part of the Port Noarlunga Reef Aquatic Reserve, South Australia’s most frequented and best known aquatic reserve. It has over 200 species of marine plants and animals, and more than 50 species of fish. There is an easy access point for divers and snorkelers to see a temperate reef system. Over a thousand divers visit the reef each summer, many completing training here, so it can get a little busy!
An underwater trail consisting of 12 underwater markers provides information about the reef and what you can see, 7 markers are placed on the inside of the reef, number 8 is in the “Gap” which leads to the outside of the reef where there are a 4 further markers. The current through the gap can be quite strong and it is quite deep.
The average depth of the dive site is about 5 – 7 metres. The best access to the reef is via the last set of steps on the jetty, which is 300m long, so a trolley can be used to carry your equipment. The reef is the best part of this dive (although the jetty can be a very good night dive).
The reef is right next to the end of the jetty, you can go south (left) to follow the underwater trail that is set up here. You can also head north (right) and follow the reef that way. It’s easy to navigate, keep the rocks to one side on the way out and on the other side on the way back in until you reach the jetty again. On high tide you can climb over the reef and jump in on the other side and you’re good on your air you can then dive back to the jetty. There are always fishermen on the jetty so keep an eye out for fishing lines and stay under the jetty if in shallower water. The watersports centre next to the jetty has toilets, a cafe and is 100m from the car park.
We had planned to do another leafy seadragon dive at Rapid Bay, but despite an alright forecast when we got there it was too rough to dive, so we went for an explore of the Fleurieu Peninsula, round to Victor Harbour, where in the evenings you can do Little Penguin tours on Granite Island. We enjoyed pottering round a bit before heading back to Adelaide to drop our tanks and weights back to the friendly folks at Diving Adelaide, and heading back to wash our kit and dry it before packing for the flight to Brisbane.
Our trip here has been great, enough good weather to get the dives we wanted done and we loved seeing the leafy seadragons! There is also great white shark diving further along the coast for those with a bit more time and a love for sharky action. If you are headed to Australia, Adelaide may not be the first place you think about diving, but do! There is some fantastic and varied diving in South Australi – it’s definitely worth a visit!
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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