home
welcome
dives
search
favourites
videos
news
about
contact
europe (62)
americas (37)
asia (37)
africa (39)
australasia (183)
antarctica (1)
2021 February
Australia (172)
ACT, Jervis Bay (1)
2011 January
Northern Territory, Batchelor (1)
2017 - October
Northern Territory, Vernon Islands (1)
2017 October
NSW, Broughton and nearby islands (16)
2013
2014 Jan - Feb
2014 Mar - Apr
2014 May - Oct
2014 Nov - Dec
2015 Jan - Feb
2015 Mar - Apr
2015 May - Dec
2016 Jan - Feb
2016 Mar - Dec
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
NSW, Cook Island (1)
2020 Aug
NSW, Forster (2)
Dec 2011 to Oct 2012
2013
NSW, HMAS Adelaide wreck (1)
2017 May
NSW, Jervis Bay (2)
2011 January
2020 November
NSW, Julian Rocks (3)
2012 March
2016 March
2021 February
NSW, Lord Howe Island (1)
2019 December
NSW, Merimbula (1)
2011 May
NSW, Montague Island (4)
2009 November
2012 January
2016 February
2020 November
NSW, Nambucca Heads (1)
2014 November
NSW, Nelson Bay (45)
2009 Nov
2012
2013
2014 Jan to Feb
2014 Mar to Apr
2014 May to Oct
2014 Nov to Dec
2015 Jan to Feb
2015 Mar to Apr
2015 May to Oct
2015 Nov to Dec
2016 Jan to Feb
2016 Mar to Apr
2016 May to Oct
2016 Nov to Dec
2017 Jan to Feb
2017 Mar to Jul
2017 Aug to Dec
2018 Jan to Mar
2018 Apr to Aug
2018 Sep to Oct
2018 Nov to Dec
2019 Jan to Feb
2019 Mar to May
2019 Jun to Sep
2019 Oct to Dec
2020 Jan
2020 Feb to Mar
2020 Apr
2020 May
2020 Jun to Jul
2020 Aug to Sep
2020 Oct
2020 Nov to Dec
2021 Jan
2021 Feb
2021 Mar to May
2021 Jun to Jul
2021 Aug to Sep
2021 Oct
2021 Nov to Dec
2022 Jan to Feb
2022 Mar to Sep
2022 Oct to Dec
2023 Jan to Mar
NSW, Nymboida River (1)
2012 February
NSW, Oakland wreck (7)
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2019
2020
NSW, Seal Rocks (3)
2012
2013
2014
NSW, Shellharbour (1)
2010 January
NSW, Solitary Islands (1)
2012
NSW, South West Rocks (8)
2006
2009
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2019
NSW, Swansea (3)
2009
2011
2014
NSW, Sydney (14)
2006 Dec
2009 Nov to 2010 Oct
2010 Nov to 2011Aug
2011 Nov to 2012 Feb
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
NSW, Tweed River (1)
2020 Aug
NSW, Wollongong (2)
2019 September
2020 August
Queensland, Coral Sea (2)
2013 Sep - MV Spoil Sport
2018 July - MV Spoil Sport
Queensland, Gold Coast Seaway (1)
2014 November
Queensland, Great Barrier Reef (4)
2005 April - MV Super Sport
2013 Sep - MV Spoil Sport
2015 May - Heron Island
2018 July - MV Spoil Sport
Queensland, HMAS Brisbane wreck (1)
2015 May
Queensland, North Stradbroke Island (1)
2016 March
Queensland, Wolf Rock (1)
2019 June
Queensland, Yongala wreck (1)
2013 September
South Australia, Edithburgh (1)
2019 May
South Australia, Hopkins Island (3)
2010 January
2011 January
2019 April
South Australia, Kangaroo Island (1)
2019 May
South Australia, Neptune Islands (4)
2010 January to April
2011 January
2014 June
2019 April
South Australia, Point Lowly (1)
2021 June
South Australia, Port Lincoln (1)
2011 January
South Australia, Rapid Bay (1)
2010 January
South Australia, Second Valley (1)
2019 May
South Australia, Tumby Bay (2)
2014 June
2019 April
South Australia, Victor Harbor (1)
2019 May
South Australia, Wool Bay (1)
2019 May
Tasmania, Derwent River (2)
2016 February
2017 January
Tasmania, Tasman Peninsula (2)
2016 February
2017 January
Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula (2)
St. Leonards Pier - 2010 Dec
Indented Head - 2010 Dec
Victoria, Mornington Peninsula (5)
Portsea Pier - 2010 Dec
Rye Pier - 2021 Mar
Sorrento Pier - 2021 Mar
Blairgowrie Pier - 2021 Mar
Portsea Pier - 2021 Mar
Victoria, Port Phillip Bay (1)
2021 Mar
Victoria, Port Phillip Heads (1)
2021 Mar
Western Australia, Busselton (1)
Busselton Jetty - 2022 Nov
Western Australia, Exmouth Gulf (3)
2005 April
2022 April
2022 Nov
Western Australia, Murion Islands (2)
2005 April
2022 April
Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef (2)
2005 April
2022 April
Western Australia, Rowley Shoals (1)
2022 Nov
Western Australia, Shark Bay (1)
2005 April
Fiji (4)
Island Dancer II (1)
2010 March
Viti Levu (3)
2010 March
2010 October
2011 April
French Polynesia (2)
Moorea (1)
2012 September
Rurutu (1)
2012 September
New Zealand (2)
North Island - Goat Island Marine Reserve (1)
2011 January
Poor Knights Islands (1)
2011 January
Papua New Guinea (1)
New Britain (1)
2011 December
Tonga (1)
Vavau (1)
August 2012
Vanuatu (1)
Efate (1)
2010 February
In February 2021 I returned to dive Julian Rocks, this time accessing this popular dive location from Brunswick Heads rather than Byron Bay. I was immediately impressed by the Blue Bay Divers operation there. Above all, at a time of the year when conditions can be unpredictable their candour in giving realistic expectations, was admirable as was their attention to safety and their willingness to try and give everyone a good dive. Their vessel, Bay Warrior, is ideal for this type of diving and their dive team, experienced and friendly.
February and March are good months to see Manta rays and Leopard sharks at Julian Rocks. Unfortunately, they are also months of potentially big swells and accordingly cancelled dives. Sure enough, Cyclone Oma put pay to my March 2019 trip then rough weather forced the cancellation of my “Let’s Go Adventures trip” in February 2021. But third time lucky, with perfect conditions forecast just a week later, I travelled to Brunswick Heads on my own and was rewarded with some superb diving.
On Day One my dive guide Christina Gray introduced me to my dive buddy, Angela Fontaine. I quickly realised that Angela is one of those divers who is just naturally coordinated underwater – it was a real pleasure to dive with her. We had only just entered the water when the first Leopard shark swam by us. Then another and another. With Manta rays, eagle rays and turtles as well, our two dives were outstanding. On Day Two, Christina buddied me up with Timmy McCarthy and Timmy and I enjoyed pretty much the same fabulous sightings as on Day One. Then my friends Mat Smith and Bob Lewis joined me for Day Three. Again, we had a great time but this time a Manta ray stayed with us for ages, easily close enough to touch if we had been so stupid. Mick Todd was going to join me for Day Four, driving from Nelson Bay to Brunswick Heads overnight. However, with poor weather forecast, Blue Bay Divers cancelled the next day’s diving just before Mick could set off on the 626-kilometre drive north.
Despite the unpredictability of the sea conditions at this time of the year, the fantastic diving when diving is possible, justifies taking a chance.
last updated 28/03/2024
© malcolm nobbs
/
help