January 2026- Nelson Bay and Sydney
- theurbanshark
- Feb 7
- 2 min read
06/01/2026- Fly Point
Max Depth: 19.1 metres
Time: 55 minutes
Temp: 22 degrees
First dive of 2026! This is a site I have been meaning to dive for ages, supposedly the best shore dive in NSW. Unfortunately, my Osmo housing fogged during this dive. The dive didn't disappoint, vis was bad in the shallows, but opened up to about 15 metres below 5 metres. The site is covered in snowflake coral, sponges, ascidians and sea tulips, super colourful, probably more colourful than some coral reefs I have dived. So much life. More Blind Sharks than I have seen anywhere, must have counted over 20. Unfortunately, one was dead. Some huge Blue gropers, and all the other usual NSW marine life. Also, some oddities I haven't ever seen before, like Maori Cod, Pineapplefish and various sweetlips species. Amazing what a two-hour drive north can do for diving quality.
25/1/2026-The Steps
Max Depth: 12.5 metres
Time: 62 minutes
Temp: 22 degrees
Finally got some good weather and did the Steps. Went left from the entry and decided to drift all the way to the Monument with the incoming tide. Vis was quite variable, ranging from 3 to 7 metres, better than I expected, and the clearer patches were much appreciated with all the hysteria surrounding sharks in Sydney. Saw a Weedy Seadragon, tons of nudis from 3 species, two fiddler rays, one of which was enormous and a Spotted Wobbegong. Highlights were finding a Bastard Trumpeter, not a particularly cool fish, but it has a hilarious name, and watching a Mosaic Leatherjacket eating a jellyfish. Managed to find the Monument exit point first time, have never gone that far before. All in all a very good dive.
29/1/2026- Fairy Bower
Max Depth: 8 metres
Time: 80 minutes
Temp: 23 degrees
Decided to do the old faithful Fairy Bower. Conditions were decent, 5 metre vis, which increased to 7 once we crossed to the right-hand side of Shelly Beach. Not much to write home about, all the usual CTB marine life plus a shovelnose ray and a new type of nudi I haven't seen before.
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