Five of the best shore dives in Sydney

We all love to dive, and if you’re lucky enough to live in Sydney, then look no further. Sydney offers the perfect place to get your scuba diving fix; not only can you enjoy the varied sites that it offers right from its shores, but you can enjoy it all in the city's very backyard! If you are in Sydney and want to dive, you have plenty of dive sites to pick from that are literally just a step off the shore. Sydney offers some of the best diving of any major city in the world. It's literally at our doorstep!

• Bare Island
• Oak Park
• Shelly Beach
• The Leap
• Voodoo

Bare Island:
Bare Island wold be the most popular dive site in Sydney although I would rate it fifth in this list of sites. There are actually two dive sites here, one on each side. The eastern side has the lowest water movement and tends to offer the best visibility. Both sites are surprisingly colorful due to the soft corals and sponges which thrive here. Look out for multiple species of sea stars and nudibranch as well as seahorses, seadragons, pipefish and Red Indian fish.

Oak Park:
This is a prime example of a dive site that will suit divers of any experience level. The dive site is massive with a series of reefs starting with a wall situated on a shoreline that runs in an arc from the shore, first toward the east and then north-east and finally north. The wall is about two to three metres high and has multiple overhangs that are home to numerous beautiful fish. It is also home to some of the friendliest blue gropers that you will find on a shore dive.

Oak Park is not only residence to among the friendliest blue gropers you will ever encounter while diving on the shore. You will also see a number of other amazing marine animals, including cuttlefish, Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs, stingrays, and large schools of fish.

Shelly Beach:
Situated in Cabbage Tree Bay, this shore dive site is where you can see over 200 recorded species of bony fish and the even larger variety of mid-size temperate reef fish. There are many juveniles and the occasional Bull Ray, Wobbegong, Dusky Whalers and Dolphins. If you do not see at least 25 different marine life on any dive you are not looking properly because not only are there a lot of marine life but they are very easy to spot.

The Leap:
The Leap, a dive that offers more than just a giant stride, it normally features clear water, large schools of fish, sponge gardens, numerous seadragons and some magic swim-throughs. The dive is a drift dive that lasts about 45 minutes and must be done on an incoming tide. The maximum depth is 22 metres at the beginning of the dive and gradually reduces to about 6 metres by the end of the dive.

Voodoo
My favorite dive site with lots of fish and visibility of up to 25 to 30 meters.Voodoo is south side of the Kurnell National Park it is an almost unknown dive site in Sydney. Named by surfers after the almost supernatural sets unleashed upon it, Voodoo should only be attempted when the wax heads are elsewhere. This site should only be done by experienced divers and only when conditions are exceptionally placid. Voodoo’s highlight is an overhang which upon waves break, allowing you to actually see the waves safely from beneath.

When it comes to shore diving around Sydney, there are so many options to suit any dives needs. Are you ready to dive into (or step into) Sydney’s best shore diving sites?