Last Saturday’s dive to Cook Island Aquatic Reserve required an early start (groan!) with a meeting time at the launch site of 6.45 am. However, those hardy souls who drove down from Brisbane on the morning were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise, and all were rewarded with two fantastic dives. Cook Island is only about 600m off Fingal Head in northern New South Wales and has so much going for it: ease of access, not too deep so great for beginner divers, and such a variety of sea life.

After passing through the millpond-like heads, we moored on the north side of the island for our first dive. Visibility was great, 10-15m, and although there was a bit of surge, it wasn’t unmanageable. Nudibranchs were out in force, there were turtles, wobbegongs, lion fish, moray eels, schools of fish and beautiful anemone fish in their bubble-tip anemone homes.

For the second dive, we moved to the south side of the island. No surge, no current, just a beautiful coral garden, a crayfish large enough to provide lunch for at least half the divers (no kidding!), turtles, anemone fish, a shoal of squid, wobbegongs, and some were lucky enough to even see a manta ray.

We then headed back through the heads which now resembled a surfer’s paradise, but Tim the skipper ably handled the conditions and we returned safely to the boat ramp to de-kit and then lunch at a local café.

Thanks to the team from Dive Dive Dive and thanks to Marc for organizing.