Jervis Bay · Australia · Reef
Crocodile Head
A boat-only deep dive to about 30 m on the Beecroft Peninsula
Area photo: Dave Naithani · CC BY-SA 3.0
Crocodile Head is a deep site on the Beecroft Peninsula, about two nautical miles north of the Jervis Bay entrance and reached by boat only. It bottoms out near 30 m and is catalogued as an advanced dive, described as one of the best deep dives in the area, with current the condition to watch.
Where it is and how deep
35.0700° S, 150.8300° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The run out is about two nautical miles north of the bay entrance along the Beecroft Peninsula, and there is no shore option here: the site is boat access only. Depth reaches roughly 30 m, which puts the dive at the bottom of the recreational range and keeps no-stop time short. The directory that catalogues it rates it as one of the best deep dives in this part of the bay, and as advanced rather than intermediate.
Current is the variable that shapes the dive, and the listing flags it specifically with a warning to take care of it. On a 30 m site that argues for a prompt descent, working into any flow at the start and letting it carry you back towards the pick-up, with a delayed surface marker buoy ready if the ascent ends away from the boat. Beyond the depth, the difficulty rating and that current note, nothing is published about the terrain or the marine life, so the briefing on the day is the real description of this site.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| 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.
Know before you go
- Current: the only condition the listing calls out, with a warning to take care of it. Descend promptly on the line and carry a delayed surface marker buoy.
Sources
- Crocodile Head, Jervis Bay — Zentacle
- Point Perpendicular Light — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Jervis Bay
Reef
Juvenile fish over sand and rock groups, from 5 m to about 20 m
Multi-level sponge reef, 10-30 m, with the Wandra wreck alongside
Reef
Kelp gardens and rock gutters, no deeper than about 13 m
Reef
A self-guided shore dive over kelp and seagrass in 8-12 m
Boulder swim-throughs under a 100 m cliff, from 6 m to 35 m
Reef
Winter seals over boulder ground, with the bottom at 25-30 m
Cave & cavern
A 60 m slot in the cliff, entered at 16-18 m and naturally lit
Cave & cavern
A true overhead cave running 70-80 m back into the cliff
Similar dives elsewhere
A dozen resident potato cod, the largest around 30 kg
Black coral on the gutter walls, then semi-trailer-sized boulders
Winter sand channel where grey nurse sharks gather
Small cave at 10 m on Flat Rock's northern side