South Coast, Bluff to the Cutting
Bluff
Around the corner from the harbour entrance you have the bluff reefs. Cracker reef is about 500m south of south pier. It is a shallow dive (8m) and the surf needs to be fairly settled to dive on the inside where there is a large cave.
The big boiler on the outside of the reef is all that remains of the mine sweeper `Northern Duke` which was wrecked here during the 2nd World War. This is a good spot for brusher during the run. Without a permit to get into the army base, you will need a boat to dive here as the ferry no longer runs across the harbour mouth. The reef is off the old pumping station and extends for 150m north running parallel to the shore.
Further south is the old whaling station, and blood reef lies off here. The reef extends out to 23m and there are some good caves in 9m+ and 18m. There are some good pinnacles in 18m. This area is good for cuda during the run. To get reef fish here you need to dive the deeper ledges in 23m+.
Southward you have Garvies which is reached by taking Sloane road off Marine drive. The reef starts in line with the pipe on the beach and extends south in 7m+. Good for rock lobster and snoek. Ansteys is next approximately 3km south. Take beach turn-off from Marine drive. The reefs are directly off the lifeguard tower and extend out past the shark nets running north and south. The 6m scattered reefs are good for snoek.
Brighton is next a further 2km south. Enter on the north side of the tidal pool where there is a gulley. Reefs go from backline out to 14m with some scattered deeper reef further north. Reef directly behind the tidal pool is good for brusher. A further 3km south is treasure reef. To get there continue south on Marine drive, left into Treasure Beach Road and right into St Deran. The reef is straight off the stairs leading down to the beach. The pinnacle out in 13m is good for gamefish. The scattered pinnacles inshore and south are good for hunting bronzies.
The Cooper Light wreck
This spot can only be dived from a boat and lies south of the Coopers lighthouse for which the wreck was named. She lies in 30m and is thought to be a whaler that was scuttled around 1940. Due to the silt on the bottom it is difficult to find ideal conditions here. It is always worth a look if you are in the area as large shoals of salmon are attracted here during the season, July to November.
Cutting
The Cutting is a backline reef which lies north and south of the Umlaas cutting. Carry on with Marine drive which changes into Travancore. Follow this round to Tanjor which runs alongside the canal. Follow this road to the car park at the end. This is a popular spot for garrick, snoek,salmon,brusher. There is a pipe outlet off here in 18m which attracts a large shoal of baitfish and is a good spot for gamefish.