Echuca Patch - Rabaul & New Britain
Echuca Patch sits in the open ocean near Kavieng, a substantial ridge that rises from 45m to a comfortable 12m below the surface. We've often found this to be a real magnet for schooling barracuda and jacks, circling in the current. Close by, around 31 metres, the Korean fishing boat ‘Der Yang’ lies on its side, making for a fascinating wreck dive in conjunction with the lively reef. It's a solid dive for those who enjoy pelagic action and a bit of history.
- Location
- Rabaul & New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -2.570000, 150.810000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 12-31m
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
- Byron Strait
- Catalina Wreck - 20m (wreck)
- 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 Echuca Patch
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 Echuca Patch
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