The Gutter

Best months: Jan–Mar

Protected Area

Bushrangers Bay

Why dive here

With 199+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, bull sharks, dolphins, dugongs and great white sharks - The Gutter offers some of Sydney & New South Wales's richest wall diving. Water ranges 18-23°C, warmest January, February, March.

Best timeJan–Mar

WetsuitA 3mm full wetsuit

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Bull Sharks, Dolphins, Dugongs and Great White Sharks · 199+ species recorded

Water18-23°C · warmest January, February, March

CharacterWall dive

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Gutter at Bass Point is a Sydney classic, and for good reason. We love it because it’s so reliable, even on days when other sites are blown out. The entry off the rocks is a splashy affair, sometimes a bit of a leap depending on the swell, straight into maybe four metres of water. Fin up quickly, then head north. You’ll hit a sizeable rock after a short swim, a kind of underwater landmark that signals the start of the fun. From there, the main channel, our favourite part, opens up, dropping to around 18 metres. It's a rocky bottom, a jumble of boulders and ledges, but the real show is the life tucked into every crevice. We’ve had some incredible encounters here: massive cuttlefish gliding by, sometimes a gang of bull sharks patrolling the deeper sections, and if you’re patient, the elusive Spitlure Frogfish camouflaged perfectly against the rock. It’s a site that rewards slow diving, peering under overhangs for nudibranchs, or scanning the sandy patches for an Oriental flying gurnard fanning its incredible fins. Visibility averages around nine metres, so it’s not always gin-clear, but it’s often good enough to really soak it all in. This is a site for the diver who loves exploring, who doesn't mind a bit of a current, and who gets a thrill from discovering critters.