Jervis Bay · Australia · Reef · Sand slope
Bowen Island
Juvenile fish over sand and rock groups, from 5 m to about 20 m
Area photo: Dave Naithani · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bowen Island sits on the south side of the entrance to Jervis Bay and has dives right around its edges, from the shallow sand and rock of the Nursery to a wall further round. Most of the diving runs between about 5 m and 20 m, with sand sloping to 30 m at the deeper end, and the shallow ground is a straightforward open-water dive.
Also known as The Nursery.
Where it is and how deep
35.1189° S, 150.7681° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The island carries a number of separate dives around it, and the one run most often is the Nursery: a maximum of 12 m over a sandy bottom with groups of rock formations spread across the site, usually protected from the outside sea conditions. It is described as a good open-water dive for beginners, shallow enough for a long bottom time and workable on days when the swell is up outside the bay.
Further around from the Nursery is a site that starts at five metres, drops over a wall to 15 m and then slopes down into sand at 30 m, described as an excellent multi-level site for all levels of diver: down the wall, out across the sand, back up the slope for the shallow end of the dive. Schools of juvenile fish use the island as protection from larger animals, and ocean sunfish have been recorded here stopping at the cleaning stations.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
- Mola mola
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Jervis Bay: Apr–Jul is clearest as summer runoff clears; seals are present through winter and grey nurse numbers peak in the cooler months.
Sources
- Bowen Island, Jervis Bay — Zentacle
- Jervis Bay Dive Site Locations (2019 archive) — Deep 6 Diving Jervis Bay (Wayback Machine)
- Bowen Island — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Jervis Bay
Reef
A boat-only deep dive to about 30 m on the Beecroft Peninsula
Multi-level sponge reef, 10-30 m, with the Wandra wreck alongside
Wreck
A 1915 timber steamer in 26-28 m off the Drum and Drumsticks
Reef
Kelp gardens and rock gutters, no deeper than about 13 m
Cave & cavern
A true overhead cave running 70-80 m back into the cliff
Cave & cavern
A 60 m slot in the cliff, entered at 16-18 m and naturally lit
Reef
A self-guided shore dive over kelp and seagrass in 8-12 m
Wall
A wall from 25 m dropping past 50 m, usually dived as a drift
Similar dives elsewhere
A resident Maori wrasse called George, and a slope to 30 m
A 12 m ledge where rays stop to be cleaned
Beach entry to a jetty and a sunken barge at 12 m
Beach access at the end of 12 km of unsealed road