Byron Strait - Rabaul & New Britain
Byron Strait, often called Eagle Ray Passage, is one of those places where you just go with the flow, literally. We’ve drifted along, keeping an eye on the two prominent pinnacles, and watched eagle rays put on a show in the current. It’s a pretty reliable spot for them. During stronger tidal pushes, we’ve also seen bigger pelagics, like the occasional oceanic whitetip or a bronze whaler shark cruising by. If you enjoy a good current dive and a chance at some larger animal encounters, this channel is worth your bottom time.
- Location
- Rabaul & New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -2.650000, 150.650000
Best Time to Dive in Rabaul & New Britain
The warmest water temperatures in Rabaul & New Britain occur in January, averaging 30.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 30.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- February: 30.6°C (air: 26.9°C)
- March: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- April: 30.6°C (air: 26.7°C)
- May: 30.6°C (air: 27.0°C)
- June: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- July: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- August: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- September: 30.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- October: 30.6°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 30.6°C (air: 27.2°C)
- December: 30.6°C (air: 26.9°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Rabaul & New Britain
- Albatross Passage - 15-30m (drift)
- Baudisson Bay (reef)
- Bermuda Drop - 3-25m
- Catalina Wreck - 20m (wreck)
- Echuca Patch - 12-31m (reef)
- Ecucha Patch - 15m+ (reef)
- Japanese bi-plane
- Kaplaman
- Kulau Wrecks (wreck)
- Lissenung Island House reef (reef)
- Lissenung Island Reef - 2-10m (reef)
- Matrix - 15-30m (reef)
- Mitsubishi Zero
- Pete Floatplanes - 18 & 40m
- Pete’s Bi-plane - 30m
Nearest Dive Centres to Byron Strait
Marine Life in Rabaul & New Britain
Home to 203 recorded species including 176 reef fish, 17 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 clams & mussels, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Ehrenberg's snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) - Reef Fish
- Marbled Cone (Conus marmoreus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cloth-of-gold cone snail (Conus textile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Big-eye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Messmate Pipefish; (Corythoichthys intestinalis) - Reef Fish
- Dog conch (Laevistrombus canarium) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Sponsal Cone (Conus sponsalis) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Dashed-line Blenny (Blenniella interrupta) - Reef Fish
- Triton's trumpet (Charonia tritonis) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cowry (Monetaria moneta) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Flea Cone (Conus pulicarius) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
- Bear Paw Clam (Hippopus hippopus) - Clams & Mussels
Recommended Packing List for Byron Strait
Based on average water temperature of 30.6°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 31°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- 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