The Split
Located just east of the gap on Sydney Harbour’s south head, this wonderful dive is full of surprises.
Quick Facts on diving The Split
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Location: Three dive sites north of the heads
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Diver Qualifications: Advanced
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Depth: 10m to 24m
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Recommended Gas: 21% or Nitrox
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Dive time: Generally, 35-70 mins
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Visibility: 5m to 25m
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What you’ll see: Slipper crays, yellowtail, kingfish, Port Jackson and crested horn sharks, soft corals and sponges, wobbegong and nudibranch.
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Best season to dive: All year
Spectacular swim throughs
Divers will travel down the boulder field looking at the extensive soft corals and sponges. They’ll encounter many small caves and swim throughs in this area.
Meet the slipper crays and their friends
Port Jackson and crested horn sharks are found throughout this area in the numerous caves. Soft corals start around 18m to the sand line.
Making our way to the Dunbar shipwreck
Heading south along the reef, divers will head up towards the wreck site of the Dunbar, Sydney’s largest loss of live due to a shipwreck. The Dunbar was a big 3-masted ship much like the Catherine Adamson. As it happened, the Dunbar mistook the north head lighthouse and turned early in a storm coming from the north and crashed on the rocks and broke in two.
There was only one survivor, a young boy who managed to climb about halfway up the cliff face and stayed on a ledge for 3 days until he was rescued. He became the lighthouse keeper at the Hornby lighthouse which was erected after the incident.
Anchors, chains and Port Jackson sharks
We’ve seen thousands of Port Jacksons congregating on the sand line during mating season some years ago. So many in fact, we couldn’t see any sand.
Wobbegong on the sand line
The second dive site is located on the sand line. We anchor right on the reef edge so divers can use the rock line to assist in navigation, going in the direction of the current, general in a southerly direction.
There is a huge boulder located on the sand line and is covered in dense soft corals and sponges, which is a great spot for photography. Wobbegong sharks are seen throughout this area.
Swim throughs and nudibranch
There are many structures in this area if divers like to go into swim throughs and like to wiggle their way through, this is a great spot! There are many nudibranch here, the best are a very long, purple feather types found on the soft corals.
Beautiful shells on display
Turbo – Link to more info
Come dive the Split with us!
Yet another amazing Sydney dive experience with Sydney’s best scuba diving charter team. Join us on tomorrow’s dive!