January 2025-Lord Howe Island

North Rock 29/1/25

Max Depth: 31 Metres

Time: 37 Minutes

North Rock is a dive on Lord Howe Island I had been meaning to do for ages, and it lived up to expectations. The site is on the deeper side for Lord Howe Island, but the bottom is made up of a network of almost lava-tube-like swim-throughs, very cool. The highlight of the dive was a Whitespotted Eagle Ray swimming past, which is extremely rare on Lord Howe Island.

South Island Deep 29/1/2025

Max Depth: 23.5

Time: 40

Have done this site before in extremely challenging swell, so I was happy to do it on a slightly more benign day. There was still quite a bit of current, but it was manageable. Very typical LHI dive, lots of cool critters like moray eels, crayfish and nudibranchs, and some very nice soft coral.

The Arch 30/1/2025

Max Depth: 16.4

Time: 57

One of the many dives around the world called the Arch, and justifiably so, as the site is dominated by an arch of volcanic rock covered in encrusting coral. Beneath the arch there is a large school of painted sweetlips, and the site was also home to schools of striped catfish, crayfish and nudibranchs. A nice relaxing dive.

Octopuses Garden 30/1/2025

Max Depth: 13.2

Time: 53

The first animal I saw when I descended was an octopus, so this site certainly lived up to its name. The site was dominated by a maze of pillars of rock and coral with some nice swim-throughs. All the normal mix of tropical and temperate fish that characterise LHI reefs, plus some fleeting glimpses of turtles and Galapagos Sharks. After the dive, whilst I was on the mermaid line, relieving myself, I had the disconcerting experience of a shark fin bearing down on me. Thankfully, it chose not to eat me in such a vulnerable and embarrassing position.