Islander Cruises - Lord Howe Island
The team at Islander Cruises are, in our opinion, the heart of diving on Lord Howe. They specialise in small group trips, which we love, ensuring a personal feel that’s just perfect for getting to know the local conditions and the marine life. If you’re someone who values uncrowded boat decks and detailed briefings, rather than a cattle-call approach, they’re definitely your pick. Diving with them, you’re often heading out to the fringing reefs around the island, places like Erscott’s Hole, which is our favourite for a relaxed afternoon drift. The visibility here is usually excellent, often pushing 20 metres, letting you really soak in the vibrant colours of the damselfish and anemonefish darting amongst the plate corals. We’ve had some cracking encounters with green turtles here, just grazing on the seagrass beds without a care in the world. It’s a genuine feeling of stepping back in time. For something a bit more adventurous, we’d suggest asking about their trips out to Balls Pyramid, though those depend heavily on the weather. If you manage it, the sheer scale of the rock face dropping into the blue is something you feel in your chest. Just remember, Lord Howe can be exposed, so flexible planning with the Islander Cruises crew is key. They know when and where the conditions are best, and their local knowledge is invaluable.
- Location
- Lord Howe Island, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -31.530000, 159.070000
- Phone
- +61 2 6563 2298
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.lordhoweisland.info
- Certification Agencies
- ["PADI"]
- Courses
- PADI Resort [padi:36157]
- Address
- Anderson Road, Lord Howe Island New South Wales 2898, Australia
Dive Sites Near Islander Cruises
Islander Cruises provides access to 1 dive sites in Lord Howe Island.
- Balls Pyramid (wreck)
Other Dive Centres in Lord Howe Island
Best Time to Dive in Lord Howe Island
The warmest water temperatures in Lord Howe Island occur in March, averaging 23.5°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 18.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 22.6°C
- February: 23.0°C
- March: 23.5°C
- April: 23.0°C
- May: 20.9°C
- June: 19.9°C
- July: 19.0°C
- August: 18.9°C
- September: 19.0°C
- October: 19.5°C
- November: 20.7°C
- December: 22.4°C
Marine Life in Lord Howe Island
Home to 65 recorded species including 38 reef fish, 21 sharks & rays, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 1 other, 1 jellyfish.
Notable Marine Life
- Bream (Acanthopagrus australis) - Reef Fish
- Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) - Sharks & Rays
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Silver Bream (Rhabdosargus sarba) - Reef Fish
- Banks Shovelnose Ray (Aptychotrema rostrata) - Sharks & Rays
- Snapper (Pagrus auratus) - Reef Fish
- Chubby Basketfish (Anoplocapros inermis) - Reef Fish
- Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
- Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) - Sharks & Rays
Recommended Packing List for Lord Howe Island
Based on average water temperature of 21.0°C, currents 15 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 21°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories