Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
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Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
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Rarer Sydney Marine Life
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Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

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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.
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    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
    "Osborne Shoals West has excellent fishlife and sponge life"
    Wrights Reef
    Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving - Wrights Reef
    Grey nurse sharks at The Boulders
    Grey nurse sharks similar to these
    can be seen at Wrights Reef
    The Solitary Islands run from Coffs Harbour to Sandon Point on the North Coast of New South Wales. This area has some of the best dives in Australia, if not anywhere in the World. Most dives are done off Coffs Harbour at South Solitary Island and North Solitary Island off Wooli. One of the excellent dive sites that is not dived all that often is Wrights Reef. This site was discovered by local commercial fisher, Darcy Wright, and shown to Chris Connell from Dive Quest.

    This site is located about two kilometres east of North Solitary Island which is about seven kilometres from Arrawarra Headland which is where Dive Quest launches their boat. It takes about 20 minutes to get here once the boat has been launched.

    This dive site consists of huge rock and a couple of smaller rocks that sit on sand at almost 30 metres. The main rock is longer north-south than east-west (perhaps 125 metres long and 40 metres wide). The two smaller rocks are perhaps 30 metres by 30 metres. The shallowest bit comes up to about 15 metres. The main rock is deeper, perhaps 22 metres deep at the shallowest.

    The main section of reef has a tunnel that runs roughly east-west. The eastern side of the tunnel is on the sand and the western side is on the reef at about 27 metres or so. There are normally two moorings at this location. One is on the sand off the eastern side of the tunnel and the other is on the northernmost section. Note that the moorings at this site have changed locations over the years so they might not be at the same spot now. At one time one was on the reef near the western exit of the tunnel.

    The normal dive here would use the mooring off the tunnel. From the bottom of the mooring (30 metres) here I would swim towards the tunnel, looking out for grey nurse sharks. The tunnel is only about 15 metres and it will only take about one minute to travel through it, even examining the sides and roof of the tunnel. I have seen five firefish inside the tunnel as well as some crayfish.

    Once out of the tunnel, explore the reef. You will probably see wobbegongs, anemones and clownfish, large schools of bream, snapper and other species. I have seen a Queensland groper here as well as estuary cod. I even saw a decorator crab one time. There is always the chance of seeing grey nurse sharks here.

    As this is a fairly square profile dive, you will not be able to spend much more than 20 minutes on the bottom before running into decompression.

    This is one of the better dives you will ever do. However, only for experienced divers due to the depth and the possibility of currents.

    Copyright © Michael McFadyen 1990 to 2024
    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!