Jervis Bay · Australia · Reef · Cave & cavern
The Docks
A blue groper named Greg often joins divers here
Area photo: Dave Naithani · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Docks is a boat dive on the rocky edge of Jervis Bay, where the cliff line is cut into caverns and swim-throughs shallow enough to run at open-water level. The maximum depth is 18 m, and the cliff edges are the draw: octopus and giant cuttlefish in the open, wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks under the ledges. It also holds a population of Eastern Blue Devil fish, a rare species that lives only off the southern Australian coasts.
Where it is and how deep
35.0807° S, 150.7974° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Entry is from the boat, and the dive works the rocky cliff edges that give the site its shape. The rock here is cut through rather than merely walled: swim-throughs and cavern mouths open in it at a scale PADI rates as beginner level, so a group can pass through them in order. Nothing on the site goes below 18 m, which keeps bottom times long and the plan simple.
What lives in the rock is the reason to slow down. Octopus and giant cuttlefish work the open faces, nudibranchs sit on the rock, and wobbegong and Port Jackson sharks tuck under the ledges. The site also holds a population of Eastern Blue Devil fish, a rare species restricted to southern Australian coasts, so it pays to check the shaded recesses rather than run the swim-throughs and move on. A blue groper named Greg is a regular and often joins the group.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
- Wobbegongs
| 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
- The swim-throughs and caverns are rated at beginner level but are still overhead environments: go through in order and keep the exit in sight.
Dive videos
Jervis Bay THE DOCKS Nov 2021 · JnJ Scuba on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is The Docks dive site?+
The maximum depth is 18 metres, inside open-water limits, so bottom times stay long. PADI lists PADI Open Water Diver as the useful certification for the site, with Underwater Navigator and Boat Diver as sensible add-ons.
What will I see at The Docks?+
Common sightings are octopus, nudibranchs, giant cuttlefish, wobbegong sharks and Port Jackson sharks. The site also holds a population of Eastern Blue Devil fish, a rare species found only off the southern Australian coasts, plus a resident blue groper called Greg.
Sources
- The Docks Dive Site | PADI — PADI
More dive sites in Jervis Bay
Reef
Juvenile fish over sand and rock groups, from 5 m to about 20 m
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
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
Similar dives elsewhere
Grey nurse sharks on the rock from July to October
A mini cave that usually holds pelagics and wobbegongs
A 3 m hole dropping into a bowl of wobbegongs and groupers
A protected colony of endangered grey nurse sharks