Clovelly
I thought I would start this blog off with a splash! Clovelly is
one of Sydney’s top snorkelling spots. Due to man made barriers, it is a
secluded narrow channel that is mostly untouched by big surf. It is a breeze to
get to with plenty of buses as well as a decent sized car park that doesn’t charge.
Because of the calm conditions there is a perfect environment for coral and
kelp, which allows for a huge abundance and variety of marine life.
I got down there about 2pm and the water was perfect; great
temperature and good visibility. With not too many other swimmers cluttering up
the place. Within an hour I had spotted more than half of the guys on the
board as well as two highlights; a beautiful 1m port Jackson shark and a 1.5m
wobbegong. Whilst wobbey’s are fairly part and parcel for this area, the
Jackson was a real treat.
You are also almost guaranteed to see a bunch of blue
gropers; I would have seen at least 5 today. Keep your eyes peeled for “Bluey”;
a local legend with a distinctive cut on his right side. The male gropers have
more of a blue colour whilst the females are slightly greener and smaller.
I also spotted a decent sized porcupine fish (probably about 40cm)
Pros
- Easy to get to (Free parking – usually easy to get a space, and a solid bus route)
- The sheer number and variety of fish
- Nearby café
- Safe for kids – if you go in close to the beach
- Usually great visibility and not much trash
Cons
- If there is big surf and it is coming from the right angle it can get pretty dicey in the channel, and can cause rough visibility
baa baa black sheep?
ReplyDelete