Early December Diving Options From Perth

[BKtraveler]

Greetings,

So that's the long and the short of it. I'm looking for a prime destination that's somewhat convenient from Perth and not affected by the rainy season that I'm finding many destinations to be affected by in Asia. I'm a somewhat experienced dive master. I tend to prefer larger creatures but truly appreciate a variety. My budget is flexible but prefer not to spend an arm and a leg. I'm not too concerned with the quality of food or accommodation, although those are bonuses, I really want to focus on excellent diving. I have up to 3 weeks and don't mind jumping around or planting myself in one spot or a liveaboard. Would be happy to dive several xs a day and enjoy night diving. I hope that's enough info but I'm sure I'm missing some important details.

Thanks in advance,
BK

 

[WetPup]

Big stuff around Perth? Well if you dive around Rottnest Island enough times you will inevitably spot a bronze whaler or a great white. Day trips run out of Fremantle or Hillary's.

There's some good shore diving around Rockingham wreck trail, or the Ammo Jetty, which are about ~1hr or so drive south of the city. Can rent tanks from LDS and do your own thing, or most of them have a weekly shore dive scheduled which you could tag along on.

December is the wrong time of year to head north to see the whale sharks (they're around now'ish). Exmouth Navy Pier is also worth it if you can get a permit, but again, not so much for the big stuff.

No LOB's operating around the west coast that I'm currently aware of.

@Wingy might want to comment here too

 

[BKtraveler]

Thanks for all of the info Wetpup. I should have mentioned that I’m interested in leaving Australia for this trip. Will go anywhere that’s 24hrs or less to get to.

Cheers.

 

[Nomad-Diver]

Bali - Tulumben. Stay at Villa Alba.

 

[BKtraveler]

Just got back from Tulamben/Bali dive trip. Was nice but really looking for something where I can dive for at least 1-2 if not 3 Weeks

Cheers

 

[WetPup]

In that case...get on a flight from Perth to Jo’burg and check out some South African diving? Awesome big stuff over there Can include some amazing topside things too!

Could do an island hopping trip in the Philippines and check out a few different spots? Lots of variety to be found. Big stuff, little stuff, wrecks...

 

[Wingy]

No actually why stick to the steeple train when a $99 flight away gives you a whole new ocean to dive in....2 actually.

I'd always thought of Perth diving as pretty "bland" until the last year having to stay mostly here for family reasons.

There's a massive amount of coastline but down south in the southern ocean you have BIG stuff...where Orcas presumably eat tagged 5m Great Whites while harassing but getting tail slapped by southern right whales protecting their carves. That is at the Bremer Bay Aggregation site (even had giant squid turn up) and while no diving allowed the trip offered as a long way out to see experience takes "whale watching" to a new level. Coming back to the coast line at Esperance you may dive with leafy sea dragons and learn about the newly discovered Ruby sea dragon (too deep for scuba) and zip over to the seal colonies (they kindly provide scooters, a rarity for Aus, as it's a fair distance and you can bop GWs on the head with it I guess. Back towards Perth I found Albany while cold and subject to very big seas has some sheltered bays with awesome huge granite sea caves conveniently equipped with nice ledges to climb onto, take a rest, watch fins exploring cave too. There are big Pelagics and a salmon run and Dolphins who like body slamming surfers around the capes and most of way back to Perth along with the wreck of the Swan and Busselton Jetty. Around Perth - Rottnest is my preferred go to spot, and the "Ammo Jetty" offers up some excellent Macro. Night diving there one night watching nudis, assorted shrimp and mating blue ringed octopi was a great dive until something bumped me. All along the coast up to Perth we have both weedy and leafy sea dragons.
In December you will miss whalesharks and navy jetty permits may Be harder to get due to school holidays and it's also cyclone season. Ningaloo can still be dived from shore around Doddies Bay, Tantabiddi Creek if you're happy to continue on another 1700km north. It's a shame your timing precludes getting to the warmer northern waters where dive spots like Rowley Shoals and the Montebellos are. So pretty diverse, from Nemo to Orcas. You can also dive ground zero where the British detonated atomic bombs in the 50s for a dive spot not many people do.....and then there's Xmas island.

Hope this helps.

 

[BKtraveler]

In that case...get on a flight from Perth to Jo’burg and check out some South African diving? Awesome big stuff over there Can include some amazing topside things too!

Could do an island hopping trip in the Philippines and check out a few different spots? Lots of variety to be found. Big stuff, little stuff, wrecks...

Spent a couple of months diving around the Philippines and couldn’t agree more - am seriously considering returning for this trip. I guess I have to look a bit more into the weather/vis at this time of year. South Africa diving...I have heard great things. Need to do a bit more research now. Cheers

 

[BKtraveler]

No actually why stick to the steeple train when a $99 flight away gives you a whole new ocean to dive in....2 actually.

I'd always thought of Perth diving as pretty "bland" until the last year having to stay mostly here for family reasons.

There's a massive amount of coastline but down south in the southern ocean you have BIG stuff...where Orcas presumably eat tagged 5m Great Whites while harassing but getting tail slapped by southern right whales protecting their carves. That is at the Bremer Bay Aggregation site (even had giant squid turn up) and while no diving allowed the trip offered as a long way out to see experience takes "whale watching" to a new level. Coming back to the coast line at Esperance you may dive with leafy sea dragons and learn about the newly discovered Ruby sea dragon (too deep for scuba) and zip over to the seal colonies (they kindly provide scooters, a rarity for Aus, as it's a fair distance and you can bop GWs on the head with it I guess. Back towards Perth I found Albany while cold and subject to very big seas has some sheltered bays with awesome huge granite sea caves conveniently equipped with nice ledges to climb onto, take a rest, watch fins exploring cave too. There are big Pelagics and a salmon run and Dolphins who like body slamming surfers around the capes and most of way back to Perth along with the wreck of the Swan and Busselton Jetty. Around Perth - Rottnest is my preferred go to spot, and the "Ammo Jetty" offers up some excellent Macro. Night diving there one night watching nudis, assorted shrimp and mating blue ringed octopi was a great dive until something bumped me. All along the coast up to Perth we have both weedy and leafy sea dragons.
In December you will miss whalesharks and navy jetty permits may Be harder to get due to school holidays and it's also cyclone season. Ningaloo can still be dived from shore around Doddies Bay, Tantabiddi Creek if you're happy to continue on another 1700km north. It's a shame your timing precludes getting to the warmer northern waters where dive spots like Rowley Shoals and the Montebellos are. So pretty diverse, from Nemo to Orcas. You can also dive ground zero where the British detonated atomic bombs in the 50s for a dive spot not many people do.....and then there's Xmas island.

Hope this helps.

Helps a lot. GREAT info here much of which I had no clue about. Cheers Wingy

 

[Wingy]

Wow I'm impressed with myself...apart from a) misreading where BK was from b) a few grammatical errors and c) failing to understand core concept - willing to travel from Perth I stand by above info despite having replied to post after finding my stash of Kava.

Can I add - Willing to travel - Uepi - Solomon Islands.

Big Stuff - only gets a little bigger than SR Whales. Even if you do go overseas to dive - the Bremer Bay Aggregation trips really are unlike anything on the planet. It's as raw as it gets there - some people get breaching humpbacks, some people get to see apex predator ferocity like here