Manta Arch... a classy Grey Nurse Shark dive...

This is South Solitary Island's Grey Nurse Shark home.
Hang on for a great adventure!

Manta Arch has become over the years the iconic dive of South Solitary Island.
The Grey Nurse Sharks are a protected species, that is great to dive with it's slow movements, and curious nature. When diving with them, we need to approach them carefully, so as not to scare them!

Manta Arch boasts in the Winter, "Grey Nurse Shark season", the home of up to 60 Sharks. All this is an area as big as our shop!! As time has gone on, we have found that the grey Nurse sharks are staying in the area all year round. This summer we have had dives and counted over 40 different sharks in one dive!!
Manta Arch divesite features a deep archway over a narrow gutter, and is where the local Grey Nurse Sharks hang out! It appears this overhang and the depth of the gutters that surround the area, are magnets for these magnificent animals. Manta Arch is rated as a advanced divesite because of the depth, however if you know where you are going, you can do a 12 metre dive there too!

What you'll see at Manta Arch..

What you see on most dives! (Click the picture for a larger view. Click the name for additional information.)
Grey Nurse Sharks	Blue Gropers	Blue Tangs	Goatfish	Black Cod	Pomfreds
Black Coral	Clownfish	Old Wife's	Tarwhine	Surgeonfish	Stripeys
Flutemouth's	Hulafish	Sweep	Wobbygong	Sergeant Baker	Moray Eels

What you might see, if you're lucky! (Click the picture for a larger view. Click the name for additional information.)
Lionfish	Blue Angelfish	Clown Triggerfish	Emperor Angels	Bullrays	Eagle Rays
Cuttlefish	Mantis Shrimp	Spanish Dancer	Sea Star	Leopard Shark	Bannerfish

Hazards or Dangers

Currents:
Depending on the East Australian Current, Manta Arch Mooring can be exposed to quite strong currents, this can make it difficult to start the dive in this location.
Once underwater and near Little Birdy island, you can escape the major flow.

The current usually heads from north to south around the island, and can be too strong to swim against. Manta Arch on a small current day, is a great dive with the big Pelagics usually being attracted by the water movement. Be careful if you are diving from a boat without a surface watch! We do not recommend this in this area with that current!

Depths:
Manta Mooring is in 21 metres of water! Inexperienced divers who don't understand multi-level diving principles, can easily go over their table limits and also slip into deco on their computer if they follow the bottom contour back to the mooring from shallower depths.
We recommend that the mooring line is used for all ascents, to avoid the possibility of popping to the surface, from that depth, divers are fooled by the expanding air in their vests (being a greater distance to ascend than our normal moorings). Rapid ascents have been responsible for Decompression Sickness at these deeper sites!

We usually operate our charter Dive Trips to Manta Arch with guidance on not only the location, but on diving with Grey Nurse Sharks!
We pride ourselves with following the code of conduct with diving with Grey Nurse Sharks. You don't know it? Follow this link to our Grey Nurse Sharks page to find out more!

We are constantly updating, so watch these spaces!
If you see any mistakes or wish to help add some information for others, just email us.. Please!

click here to Email US for any Information or Booking or just to say G'Day!

Jetty Dive Centre
398 Harbour Drive
The Jetty Strip
Coffs Harbour
New South Wales (NSW) 2450
AUSTRALIA
Tel (+61) 02-66-511-611 (All hours)
Fax (+61) 02-66-525-702
webmail send questions to mail@jettydive.com.au

Located in Coffs Harbour, NSW and diving the Solitary Islands Marine Park, we have Scuba Divers from all over Australia, dive our amazing sites.
Easy and cheap flights to the Banana Coast in Northern NSW, for Divers from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.