Five hours North of Sydney is South West Rocks, the home of Fish Rock island the
jewel in NSW diving and located 2Km off the coast of Smokey Cape, it is in my
opinion just the best. It’s proximity to the continental shelf allows an incredible
diversity of both temperate and tropical species, from Grey Nurse Sharks to
Juvenile Emperor Angel Fish (pomacanthus imperator), the list is diverse. We were
lucky enough to see a fever (group) of Large Stingrays, hovering in the current.
On the surface Fish Rock gives no indication of the 62 metre cave that lies below,
or the spectacular and confronting array of marine life that awaits any intrepid diver
that enters. I say confronting because if entering from the deep entrance (24 m),
you swim over 3 or 4 huge Wobbegong sharks resting on the bottom and then
ascend up a vertical chimney with only your torchlight piercing the darkness. The
reward is the spectacular abundance of marine life that live in the cave, over 100
painted rock lobster (panulirus versicolor) adorn the crevices and one or two
endangered large Black Cod (Epinephelus daemelii) attempt to hide in the darker
corners. Grey Nurse Sharks are regularly seen silhouetted in the shallower (12 m)
eastern side of Fish Rock as you exit.
There are many other dives around Fish Rock that don’t require entering the Cave,
these include Colorado Pass, Fish ‘N Chips, the Aquarium and a number of others I
am yet to attempt. Being an island, Fish Rock allows many places to hide from the
sometimes energetic currents, so there is nearly always a protected dive site to
visit.
We dived with South West Rocks Dive Centre, their professional approach to
diving, local knowledge and general protection of the Fish Rock marine life, make
diving with them a pleasure.
John Swift
The happy divers; Michael Abbott, David Arnold, Janet Abbott, Joshua Batchelor,
Harriet Conwell, John Swift