The best time to dive in the South West 

The South West hosts some of Australia’s best dive sites and is home to an exciting kaleidoscope of marine creatures. Here at Swan Dive, we operate seasonally and as do the local community of divers. Our operational season is September – May. This is when visibility is at its best, winds are lowest and swells are smallest. However, some sites are very seasonal and host migratory species which can be very exciting!  

Geographe bay

We are very lucky in that most of our dive sites are located in Geographe Bay which is largely protected by the elements. However, when the wind and swells roll in during Winter months, this can massively affect the visibility and enjoyability of your experience. 

HMAS Swan

The HMAS Swan is an ex-destroyer ship, sunk in 1997 for recreational use. The wreck sits 32 meters deep and is 112m long x 12m wide. Due to the nature of it being purposefully sank, the wreck lies hugely intact and extremely accessible. There are purpose cut outs for easy penetration and varying depths so that everyone can have fun! You can even snorkel around the crows nest!

The best time to dive on the wreck would be from September – April as this is when visibility is clearest and surface conditions are calmest. At the beginning of our season (Sept-Nov) we get the humpback whales resting in the bay as their last point of sanctuary before heading into the open ocean towards Antarctica. If you’re lucky, you may even spot one swimming past the wreck or hear one of the vocal males singing. Rumour has it, that the whales actually use the wreck to clean barnacles off themselves, the ultimate belly scratch!

Towards the end of the season, we also often see a a pregnant Grey Nurse Shark hanging out under the stern!

Busselton Jetty

The Busselton jetty is not only a local icon but a worldwide icon! The Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern hemisphere, stretching just over 1.8km out to sea! Every year, over 400,000 people visit the Busselton Jetty and there is a reason for it! The Jetty is home to 1 of only 6 natural aquariums in the world and over 300 species of marine life not to mention it’s iconic local sculpture trail!

The Jetty has been standing for over 160 years, continuing to grow corals and attract marine life with the end of the Jetty now being a sanctuary zone! What this means for the jetty- no fishing and more growing! 

Throughout the year, the Jetty attracts an impressive array of wildlife from teeny tiny critters such as sea spiders to larger smooth stingrays and octopus. In October/ November, we get a growth of algae mucus aka ‘sea snot’ underneath the jetty which may sound yuck but is actually pretty cool! This algae brings in creatures that we wouldn’t usually see such as tiny sea spiders that you really have to hunt around for! The growth is thought to be related to temperature rises and calm waters… perfect for diving! 

Towards the middle of the season (Jan-Feb) we get hundreds of spectacular comb jellyfish hiding under the jetty. There is this super cool thing called ‘cilia’ running through them that makes them look bioluminescent! 

Other exciting dive sites that the South West has to offer

The South West is also home to several other diverse and exciting dive sites, both in the bay and on the west side! All sites offer slightly different ecosystems and marine life across the year; 

4 Mile Reef

The 4 mile reef is an old fault line and sits (you guessed it) 4 miles out at sea and runs between Bunbury – Dunsborough. The site sits in 15-19 meters worth of water, offering both reef and pelagic species. Similar to the Swan, at the beginning of the season (Sept-Nov) we often hear singing migratory whales cruising past. 

Visibility and conditions are most favourable between September- April due to visibility, winds and swell. 

Point Piquet

Point Piquet is located approximately only 200 meters from the shore and has a maximum depth of 14 meters. With a rocky reef oceanography, this site hosts species such as nudibranchs to larger fish and rays!  During the whale season, Piquet is an amazing dive site where the whales really hug the coastline and you don’t have to swim far out to hear them! 

In March-May, large schools of Australian salmon migrate northward along the coast, following the warm Leeuwin Current which offers amazing diving opportunities. At both Point Piquet and Canal Rocks, the occasional grey nurse shark will hang around as well as bronze whalers and hammerheads. 

The best time to dive Point Piquet is September-April with the Salmon season making the site a little more busy in April. 

Canal Rocks

Canal rocks is a very seasonal and weather dependent site. Visibility is best from November – April depending on where you are planning to dive. Due to location, Canal Rocks is subject to strong winds, large swells and underwater currents. We offer boat tours to the west side where we will safely assess conditions and drop you in the best spots. 

Our recommendation is to exercise safe, sound judgment when deciding whether or not to hit the water at Canals. Make sure to take a dive flag and SMB due to the busy boat ramp and sharp cornered dive site/ boating traffic. 

Wrights Bank 

Wrights is another very seasonal site and subject heavily on weather conditions. High swells and currents can make this site inaccessible,. We offer charters to Wrights during our season which again, usually December – March. Wrights is located approximately 3km from the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse and has grounds as deep as 35metres and a pinnacle that lies approximately 2-3 meters from the surface at low tide. 

The site has a beautiful ecosystem that can be found at none of the other sites. With seagrass meadows, rocky reef and deeper waters making the perfect environment for a healthy, thriving ecosystem. From Nudibranchs to large Snapper and the occasional Shark appearance, this site is very busy and exciting!

Charter vs Going with a mate

Sure, going with a mate off your own boat or even shore diving can be cheaper, however going with local, trained and experienced professionals offers an indispensable layer of safety that is essential when hitting the water. Especially for the more advanced dive sites e.g. Canal Rocks and Wrights Bank. We offer tours to all of the sites above and would love to take you diving! 

Written by Meg.