Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia

Claires Corner

Best months: Jul–Nov

Why dive here

With 231+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, blue sharks, grey reef sharks and manta rays - Claires Corner offers some of Cocos (Keeling) Islands's richest diving. Water ranges 27-29°C, warmest January, February, March.

Best timeJul–Nov

WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit

Marine lifeBarracuda, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Blue Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and Manta Rays · 231+ species recorded

Water27-29°C · warmest January, February, March

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

Claires Corner, when it’s flushing with that clean ocean water on an incoming tide, is one of our favourite Cocos dives. The visibility can push 40 metres, making the deep blue really pop. We’ll often drop in, let the current carry us gently, and just take it all in. The name comes from Claire, who discovered it, and the 'corner' refers to the way the reef drops off, with these ridges running out like fingers into the open ocean. That’s where you want to be – finning out into the blue. We regularly see big schools of barracuda out there, just hanging, and the grey reef sharks are often patrolling deeper. Keep an eye out for the Fat-handed snapping shrimp and Roughridge pipefish tucked away in the coral too. This is an advanced dive, not because it’s a terrifying wall, but because you’re pushing 23 metres, often deeper, and you want to be comfortable with that open water. It’s a site for divers who appreciate the bigger picture, who like to drift, and who enjoy the chance of pelagics.