405_April_24

Galapagos Shark

Before arriving on the island, we tried to book some boat dives with the only dive operation on the island – Norfolk Island Diving. However, Mitch Graham, the owner/operator of the business, works full time and only runs the dive operation part time, mostly on weekends. Also, the diving is very weather dependant, as there are only two jetties where the boat can be launched. So, booking ahead was not really an option. The weather when we arrived on the island was not ideal for diving, with strong easterly winds wiping out both jetties. We rang Mitch on arrival to book a few dives, and fortunately for us the weather was looking good for the weekend when Mitch mostly runs the boat. With several days before the weekend, we did the next best thing – a snorkel at Emily Bay and Slaughter Bay. Most of the coastline of Norfolk Island is rocky cliffs, however there are a few sheltered bays, with the best being Emily Bay and Slaughter Bay. These two elongated inter-connected bays are fringed by a rocky reef that keeps them safe for swimming and snorkelling under most sea conditions. The best time to snorkel in the bays is at low tide, when the reef stops any swell from stirring up the sand and the visibility is exceptional. We did our first snorkel at Emily Bay on the afternoon we arrived, and were instantly impressed with this lovely spot. This sheltered bay has pretty hard coral gardens and many sandy patches with seaweed, and plays host to a wide variety of marine life. While we saw many invertebrate species, including numerous sea hares, it was the unique fishes that most enthralled us. www.divelog.net.au

Launching the dive boat.

Lined Sea Hare.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #405 - April ‘24