Australian Fur Seals and Sea Lions

[pinniped84]

Hi, I was hoping some locals could give me advice on good places to scuba with fur seals and sea lions in Australia. Last year I went to Baird Bay for the sea lions which was awesome but was snorkel only. I also checked out Port Lincoln but conditions were not as good and similarly it was snorkel only. I was able to see the fur seals at Chinaman's Hat but it was snorkel only (starting to see a trend), although I do believe there might be scuba operators just none were running boats out the week I was there. I would prefer a place that would go out pretty much daily as I am interested in photography and would be traveling from far away to see these guys! Thanks in advance

 

[Oz Chris]

Narooma / Montague Island
Jervis Bay
Wollongong / Martin Island

(all NSW south coast)

 

[Fibonacci]

Narooma / Montague Island
Jervis Bay
Wollongong / Martin Island

(all NSW south coast)

Yep I've dived with them at Montague Island... a big playful colony, and snacks for resident Great White which is seen from time-to-time by local fishermen
Diving with Seals - Merimbula Divers Lodge

The Tugs near Eden are also a good wreck dive, a few seals often hang around.
Wreck Dives - Merimbula Divers Lodge

 

[Nomad-Diver]

+1 for the seals at Jervis Bay - very playful (and very smelly ! )

 

[WetPup]

Also +1 for Jervis Bay. Been a few years, but I'm assuming they're still there

 

[mockney]

+1 Jervis Bay and +1 Martin Island. Both sites are within a few hours drive of each other and (weather dependent) pretty much guaranteed to dive with the seals.

 

[Wingy]

West Coast - Esperance and Carnac Island although swimming with them is generally not the aim of the dive due to the teefies they attract

 

[diver257a]

Hi pinniped84

I live in South Australia (SA) where Baird Bay, Port Lincoln and Chinamans Hat Island are located (for the information of everyone else reading this thread).

There are a lot of seals in SA waters because of the large number of places where they breed as well as lots of haul-out sites. The same can be said for the south coast of Western Australia based on what is said in publications by relevant state and federal government agencies.

My recommended sites in SA would be Hopkins Island on the east side of Eyre Peninsula and the following two sites off the south-west tip of Yorke Peninsula - Haystack Island and the Althorpes Islands. However, there are no regularly-organised scuba diving charters to any of these sites and I have only dived them by organising it myself and by diving these as part of other boat-based activities.

By chance, whilst looking for something else, I found the following store in Sydney (in NSW) which offers regular seal dives in Wollongong as well as dive trips to Jervis Bay and Montague Island whose itineraries include dives with seals – Scuba Dive with Seals. Its dedicated seal dive schedule can be viewed at Scuba Diving and Freediving in Sydney.

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Tasmania has plenty of opportunities diving with Australian and New Zealand fur seals along with some fantasitic temperate water diving, particularly off the Tasman Peninsula out of Eagle Hawk Neck.

Check out Fur Seal colonies - Eaglehawk Dive Centre

 

[recd]

Jervis Bay has two Australian Fur Seal colonies. One to the south near Steamers Beach and the other to the north at the Drum and Drumstick.
Both these sites are usually only dived in Winter; as that is when there are more seals present. Diving conditions are usually better at these sites in Winter with Westerly winds.
DIVE JERVIS BAY - Scuba Diving and Padi Courses has two boats and run seal diving trips