Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
Home · Contact Me · Sydney Reef Dive Sites · Sydney Shipwrecks · NSW Dive Sites · Australian Dive Sites · Overseas Dive Sites · Dive Accidents and Incidents · My Yachting Adventures · 4WD Trips · Weather · Search 13 February 2025 18:07
Navigation
Home

General
About Me
My Diving
FAQ
Downloads
Web Links - Dive Clubs
St George Scuba Club
Some of my Best Photos
Contact Me

Dive Sites
Sydney Reef Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwrecks
Sydney Dive Visibility, Swell and Temps
Kelly Talking on ABC Sydney about Shipwrecks
NSW Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwreck Summary
NSW Shipwreck GPS/Marks
Australian Dive Sites
Overseas Dive Sites
Aircraft I have Dived
Old Bottles
Free Shipwreck Books

Dive Related Equipment
Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
Uwatec Aladin Dive Computers
Apollo AV1 Underwater Scooter
Bauer Compressor
DIY Oxygen Stick - Nitrox
GoPro HD Hero Video Camera
My Camera Setup
Purchase of New Dive Boat
My Dive Boat - Mak Cat
My Old Dive Boat - Le Scat
My Dive Gear
GPS and Diving
Make Your Own Car Tank Rack

Marine Life
Rarer Sydney Marine Life
Bare Island Pygmy Pipe Horses
Bare Island Sea Horses
Bare Island Nudibranchs
Bare Island Marine Life
Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

Other Dive Info
How Weather Affects Diving in Sydney
Visibility and Wave Averages in Sydney
Waves and Diving
Diving Weather and Sea Conditions
Tide Tables
Dive Accidents and Incidents
Dive Book Reviews
Site Map
Noel Hitchins 1951-2005
Lloyd Bridges - Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt
My Yachting Adventures
Below is a list of links to the main pages about my yacht, Catlypso and My Yachting Adventures:
  • Purchase of Catlypso
  • Details about Catlypso
  • Cleaning/Repairing Catlypso
  • My Yachting Adventures.
  • Login
    Username

    Password



    Forgotten your password?
    Request a new one here.
    Michael's 4WD Trips
    Click here for a list of my Four Wheel Drive and Camping Trips.
    Home Brewing
    Click here for an article about Home Brewing.
    Sydney Dive Site Hints
    "The Balcony is a shallow dive with huge fishlife"
    Big Seal Rocks - Grey Nurse Sharks
    Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving - Big Seal Rock As well as being the site of the tragic shipwrecks SS Catterthun and SS Satara, Seal Rocks on the Mid North Coast of NSW is famous for its grey nurse sharks. People come from all over Australia and even overseas to dive with these gentle but fierce looking creatures of the sea. Seal Rocks is one of the few, if not the only, location in NSW where grey nurse sharks can generally be seen every day of the year. The best sites for diving with the sharks are Big Sea Rock and Little Seal Rock which are located to the south-east of Seal Rocks Lighthouse.

    It is a 10 minute run from the beach at Seal Rocks to Big Seal Rock. Do not let the name "Big" confuse you, although it sticks up a bit out of the sea, it is still quite small. The best spot for sharks is the northern end of the island. After anchoring on the protected western side at the tip of the rock, you descend 12 metres or so to a bottom of small rocks interspersed with larger boulders. The main location to see sharks is a gutter which runs back into the island from where you are anchored. The gutter itself only rises a few metres and ends in a small overhang or cave. The grey nurse sharks hang around the gutter, normally up in the cave end. The sharks may sometimes not be seen as they can be hidden by large schools of small fish that cover the entrance of the cave.

    Seal Rocks
    A map of Big Seal Rocks Shark Gutters
    Courtesy of Ron Hunter, Dive Forster

    On my only visit here in June 1997, I saw two or three sharks in this gutter, including one right in the mouth of the cave. The normal method of diving here is to follow the sides of the gutter up from the deeper water (to keep from scaring the sharks). Be careful as the slightest thing (even a flash) can scare the sharks away. If you must photograph them (or video), wait until everyone has arrived and then do your work. At least them, if they disappear, each person has seen them. It is wise to get in the water quick on this dive so you do not miss anything.

    After visiting this spot, you can swim back out of the gutter and to the north where there is another gutter that runs towards the very point of the island. Just before it reaches the actual point it rises up a little to the ridge before dropping away to 15 metres. Along the gutter there are normally sharks (on my dive we saw four or five) and there are some nice sponges and sea squirts. As you go over the ridge to the eastern side there can be more sharks (we saw one).

    From here the sea bottom drops away quite dramatically, first to 20 metres then 25 metres and to 35 metres further away. You can swim a fair bit to the south here (in fact, you could probably swim right around the rock) before returning to the gutter area. A swim to the north-east takes you out along a vertical wall that is very dramatic.

    After finishing your exploration of this area, return back to the anchor area (check out the first gutter again) and then have a look at the boulders to the south of the anchor. On my dive at Big Seal Rocks I saw more sharks here (two or three, some more than once). Also, this area had some excellent fishlife (leatherjackets, yellowtail, silver sweep, mado) and very nice sponges, sea squirts and small gorgonias. A very nice area.

    When diving at Seal Rocks, you must use dive operators from Forster and generally you stay in Forster. It is about 42 kilometres from Forster to Seal Rocks and it takes about 35 to 40 minutes to drive the distance. Although Seal Rocks is very small, there is food and drink available from a caravan next to the beach from where you are picked up by the dive boat.

    This is an excellent dive, especially for those interested in seeing grey nurse sharks. In fact, do not waste your money on diving with sharks in an aquarium, spend your $$ on coming here. The visibility was not too bad, may be 8-10 metres and no current.

    On my trips to Forster, I have always dived with "Rotten" Ronnie Hunter of Dive Forster. Ronnie has a large comfortable cat to dive from. Ronnie also has cheap but neat accommodation in a house centrally located to all facilities. Contact "Rotten" Ronnie on 61 2 6554 7478.

    Copyright © Michael McFadyen 1990 to 2025
    Non-commercial use of an article or photograph is permitted with appropriate URL reference to this site.
    Dive shops, dive operators, publications and government departments cannot use anything without first seeking and receiving approval from Michael McFadyen.
    This web site has been wholly thought up, designed, constructed and funded for almost 30 years by Michael McFadyen without any help from the Australian Dive Industry.
    Website created 1996!