Dive Site: North Bondi

General description
Situated on the tip of Ben Buckler Point at world famous Bondi Beach, North Bondi is another dive site that should only be attempted by more advanced divers. Bondi Beach can be done as a boat dive, however it’s easily accessible from the shore. Divers will be rewarded with an intricate maze of impressive rock formations, yielding some of the more impressive caves to be found around Sydney (Split and Cathedral). The dive site can also provide oceanic schools of fish and some massive rays.

Getting there
To reach the Point, head up Ramsgate Avenue Bondi, which heads due east from the northern end of the Bondi Beach. The road splits in two. Take the low road, which will lead you to the reserve and parking. A staircase leads down to the platform at the south western end of the reserve.

Entry and exit
There are three entries at North Bondi, but only one of these should generally be utilised as an exit. The first entry is directly below the Ben Buckler lookout. A giant stride entry should only be attempted when conditions are very placid.

To the north west of the Ben Buckler reserve is an easily accessible boat ramp. This provides a gentle entry/exit and joins up with the western end of the reef.

Another is halfway between the former two, due west from the staircase, at the break in the rock-platform.

The Dives
If entering from the ramp, head south with the reef on your left. In about 8 metres depth, the reef will begin to swing around to the left and here you have the option of continuing along the sand line (much longer), or cutting east across the boulders. Swimming through the boulders at around the 12 metre mark due south of the point will bring you to the above-mentioned caves. They can be easily missed, so look out for a defined crevasse through the rock (dubbed the “Deathstar”), which leads straight into the Cathedral. After exploring the caves, consider turnaround if you’ve entered from the ramp.

If entering from the point, head due east for about 50 metres or so and you should be directly on top of the caves. This entry also gives you the opportunity to explore the site the north of the point, where you can achieve up to 20 metres in depth.

After an entry from the ‘midway point’, swim away from the point for approximately 30 meters and then descend onto the boulders, in 6-8 meters of water. Take a 120 degree bearing and you’ll be inline with the caves (about 100 metres away).

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Things you can see.
Commonly seen

Things to be careful of.

• Current - Strong Currents sometimes exist once you get the front of the head land
• A swell from the south or the south east makes the site off limits
• Boats approach the ramp at speed – watch out when ascending and exiting there