Montague Island NSW day trip report

[Air One]

We wanted to dive with the seals and we did it, but Montague Island is not always an easy place to go.
Ther are 2 different ways to go : from Narooma or from Bermaguy ( or also from Mistery bay with an inflatable boat.
-Narooma is much closer, but there is a rough bar at the harbour entrance.
-Bermaguy is a real fishermen harbour but the distance is about 2 or 3 times longer.

We choosed Narooma. I went on Diveoz where I've been told that Rhys Kennar was a good solution for me and my family, unfortunately he goes only on the WE on February.
So I booked with Island Charter Narooma for tuesday.
Tuesday morning, lovely weather the wind was cool and the sea was looking cool also...I wouldn't say the same about the bar...
Bad new : the guy cancelled the day trip because of the bar, everybody looked very surprised at the dive shop, I was also, but what could I do ?
The guy told me to call back later for another booking and then he told me there was no way untill 1 week ! Bad new, I had to go 4 days later.
So we went at the Info tourist center : kind and helpfull, perfect. They made a booking at Narooma charter, the comapny I wanted to avoid because they didn't seemed to be a dive charter, but much more dedicated to the Island tour.
Next day : rainy and windy : cancelled again !
Next day : cool and sunny, let's go !
(I've been very surprised to see that the boat of Island charter narooma stood at the warf all day long.)

Narooma charter : a 12 m catamaran with 2 powerfull engines, the captain and a sailor, all that just for the 5 of us !?!
I'm not sure they made money this day.
I also have to say that they have been, welcoming, kind, helpfull, professionnal an having a good sense of humor ( in 1 single word : australian...)
Diving
Narooma tourist office

Diving with the seals has been a marvelous experience, the viz was very good, about 20 m and they come very easily to see and to play with the divers.

This is a colony of male adults rejected from the breeding colonys of the south of the country, so no pups and no GWS ( they said)

So, thanks again to Narooma Charters and to the Narooma tourist information center.

Now, few pics

I also should talk about the accomodations at Mystery bay cottages :
Mystery Bay Overview
A very nice place to stay.

 

[Air One]

Let's talk about Forster also, the other place we went for diving in NSW.

We went diving with Ron Hunter who is a very nice guy.
The diving boat is perfect, I wouldn't say the same about the gears they rent.
Anyway it was cool, a good ambiance...a VERY good ambiance.

I wouldn't say the same about the dive conditions : cold and bad viz.
At seals rock it was OK for that and we saw many GNS, wobbegong ang port jackson's sharks.

But when we bagan to dive around Forster, we had a big change.
At the Pinnacle, the viz was crappy on surface, and very clear at 30 m, but it was also very dark and the watter temp was 12Ž° C.
I was surprised not to sea the sharks, we saw 1 of them , the other group none, we also saw a school of kinfish , a giant stingray and an eagle ray.
This is probably a fantastic dive...with a good viz and the sharks of course.

Lattitude Rock, a shallow dive was quite cool, the watter a bit clearer and we saw about 10 sharks each dive. Also, we saw a turtle and an eagle ray ( and the usual wobbies and PJS....some wobbies are very big : about 2m !).

we also tried spot A, the worst viz we had, 2 or 3 m max, but we saw a lot of small stuff...a bit like here, in the Channel sea...

So, a very pleasant place to dive, but as allways, you need to be a little bit lucky.
The more you dive, the biggest chances you have.

 

[Tomeck]

Thanks for your report. It's very interesting to see seals.

 

[thanksforallthefish]

Glad you got some dives in ... havent dived Narooma ... will get ther one day

Have done quite a few dives at Forster with Ronnie Rotten ... yep he is a good guy ... have had a wide range of conditions there from huge swells and practically zero viz to flat seas and 30m viz.

 

[Air One]

It's very interesting to see seals.

Not as cool as diving with penguins , but you're true, that's a good moment.

(you could try to go in winter : seals , penguins and...whales !)

 

[AquaExplorer]

LOL...OK as a forum/internet geek did ANYONE else think the NSW meant Not Safe for Work?

Cool pics BTW!!!

 

[Air One]

I didn't knew it.
Amazing isn't it ?
I just can tell you that in Australia it means New South Wales. CQFD

BTW : No problem for BTW and LOL

MDR...