Dive Site - The Steps - Inscription Point
| Dive Site - The Steps - Inscription Point | |||
| Dive Location: | City / Island: | ||
| The Steps - Inscription Point | Botany Bay, NSW | ||
| Country: | Rating: | Max. Depth: | Difficulty: |
| Australia |  |
15 m | Open Water |
| Aquatic Name: | Water: | Altitude: | |
| - | Salt | 0 m | |
| GPS Latitude: | GPS Longitude: | GPS Datum: | |
| 34° 0.171′ S 34.00285° S 34° 0′ 10.26″ S |
151° 13.549′ E 151.225817° E 151° 13′ 32.94″ E |
Google Map | WGS84 |
| 2 dives at this location: | |||
| 61 | 62 | |||
| Map: | |||
| - | |||
| Comments: | |||
| Entry/Exit: Entry and exit is via a rounded cutoff area between two rocks on the rock edge. It is important to time the waves so that you are swept back out with them, and fin hard to get out of the wave zone. In the right conditions it would be an easy site to dive from. In the wrong conditions it could be quite harardous. Located within the Captain Cook National Park at Kurnell on Botany Bay, NSW, The Steps is a very picturesque location near the southern head of Botany Bay. A $7 fee is paid for a day pass to the park. After entering the park, travel along the main park road towards Cape Solander and past the turn-offs to the visitor centre and Sutherland Point. About 1.5 kilometres into the park you will see a 90° parking area on your left running parallel to the roadway. In the middle of the parking area there is a stairway which leads halfway down the cliff face. After gearing up, take the steps down the cliff and then follow the walkway and small board-walk to the west. From here you can easily walk down onto the rock platform. With a maximum depth of 14 metres this is supposed to be a great dive site, especially if you want to see Weedy Seadragons. The sponge gardens in the area are supposed to be very extensive. I say "supposed to be" because on my two dives there, visability was only about 3 metres. It is best to dive The Steps on the incoming tide, because the ebb usually makes the water dirtier and also creates occasional strong currents flowing out to sea. Your best bet is not to risk any mishaps and dive during slack tide or on the rising/incoming tide only. It would be best to proceed over the kelp beds and into an area littered with large sandstone boulders. Once down to 10 metres or so you will start to see sponges and corals. The Weedy Seadragons are usually to be found in amongst the kelp beds. Location GPS coordinates from Google Earth. Approximate location only. See also: https://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/viewpage.php?page_id=288 |
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