Sydney area in July?

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MacDuyver

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Heading to Sydney in July, will be open for 1-2 days of diving.

What charters/spots do you recommend for someone who has limited time. I'dbe willing to travel about an hour or so, but will be staying by the harbor.
(95 dives, Rescue, NITROX, Deep, Drift, Wreck certs, bringing own gear, looking for photogenic spots, ok with challenging sites)

Not sure when I'll be back in Australia, I hope it's soon, but right now I'm looking for "must do" spots. No GBR this trip :(
 
Yes. Full set, was planning a 5mm but also have dry.
 
July could be either a raging sea storm, or a very nice cold (16-18ºC) calm experience with decent vis. 7mm and drysuits are typical, but some (surfers?) can make it happen 5mm.

Dive Centre Manly very active shop.

Diving Sydney - Sydneys Best Advance Diving Charters ran one of the most consistent dive boats when I was there.

It is the only place in the world (so far) that I've been to where the boat, captain and divers are fully capable of routinely going out in conditions wild enough for me to puke (which has yet to happen to me anywhere else 🤡)

Or you could shore dive at Manly, Bondi, Clifton Gardens
There is also "the Leap" site a bit south. Tide dependent
 
I'm still trying to wrap the ol brain around Australia being opposite seasons
 
July could be either a raging sea storm, or a very nice cold (16-18ºC) calm experience with decent vis. 7mm and drysuits are typical, but some (surfers?) can make it happen 5mm.

Dive Centre Manly very active shop.

Diving Sydney - Sydneys Best Advance Diving Charters ran one of the most consistent dive boats when I was there.

It is the only place in the world (so far) that I've been to where the boat, captain and divers are fully capable of routinely going out in conditions wild enough for me to puke (which has yet to happen to me anywhere else 🤡)

Or you could shore dive at Manly, Bondi, Clifton Gardens
There is also "the Leap" site a bit south. Tide dependent
How does shore diving work there? Is it a guide from a local shop?
 
@MacDuyver yeah you can shore dive in several spots but all of them are going to involve a vehicle (and often parking fees/severe shortages on weekends). Most shops will rent you tanks & gear if you have a cert. In good conditions, you might not need a guide. I wouldn't recommend shore diving if the swell is up.

Also this
 
How does shore diving work there? Is it a guide from a local shop?
Where will you be staying, CBD, north or south of Sydney?

As justinthedeeps said, you will need transport to get to the sites as most shops won't provide transport for shore dives, you may be able to hitch a lift with another diver though but I would suggest talking to the dive shop first as they might be able to tee something up before hand.

The closest dive sites to the CBD are about 30 minutes by car, not including a visit to a dive shop.

You have several choices for dive shops, a few to look at are:
North of the city:
- Dive Centre Manly
- Frog Dive
- PRO DIVE Brookvale

East of the city:
- Dive Bondi

South of the city:
- Abyss Dive
- PRO DIVE Alexandria

Abyss Dive and Frog Dive do free shore dives (excluding gear rental) where other charge, this typically includes one or two DM's depending on group size and I know the Abyss one includes a basic lunch between dives.

Basically the way it works is that you turn up to the shop, sign a waiver saying if you die you wont sue, meet the guide/s, organise any gear you need and then head to the dive site that has been selected on conditions.

You can also pay to have private DM to take you out

Some of the shore dive sites are:

North:
- Shelly Beach/Cabbage Tree Bay
- Fairlight

Close to the city:
- Chowder Bay
- Camp Cove
- Shark Point
- Gordon's Bay

South of the city:
- Bare Island
- Kurnell - 3 sites: Steps, Leap and Monument sites
- Ship Rock
- Oak Park

There's plenty more, for a good resource on Sydney's sites, have a look at Michael McFadyen website: Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site

The two shore sites I would recommend as a "must do" would be The Steps (Weedy Sea Dragons, Angler Fish and Sea Horses) or Shelly Beach/Cabbage Tree Bay (Weedy Sea Dragons, Large Cuttle Fish, Turtles, large Groupers)
Be warned, the Steps is appropriately named.
 
@DiveDiversions I’ll be staying in the harbor area.

The steps look massively interesting. We’ve got a site on Oki that’s a couple stories of stairs to get to that can get…. Interesting…. If the weather rolls in.

I’ve seen many mentions of the Apartments. Where is that site in relation to the city?
 
@DiveDiversions I’ll be staying in the harbor area.

The steps look massively interesting. We’ve got a site on Oki that’s a couple stories of stairs to get to that can get…. Interesting…. If the weather rolls in.

I’ve seen many mentions of the Apartments. Where is that site in relation to the city?
The Steps is also a rocky entry/exit, so you need to watch the swell so not to get pummelled, especially on exit, It can be challenging some days with a camera.

The Apartments is a boat dive and further up north of Manly, it looks like Sydney Dive Charters have some boat trips there during July.
 
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