Swansea Bridge

Timing the tide

Dive at high-tide slack water unless you plan a drift. Slack comes some two to three hours after the official tide change, so check locally or watch when local divers go in.

The dive

Follow the breakwall to the pylons, then work your way out along them across the channel. Never surface in the channel: it carries plenty of boat traffic, yachts included.

Sponges and hydroids cover the pylons, and horned blennies peep out of empty barnacle shells. Schools of many species hang in mid-water. On the coarse white sand, look for sole, flathead, fortescues and balls of striped catfish. Junk on the bottom, including the odd shopping trolley, often shelters seahorses, pipefish and striped dumpling cuttlefish.

Drift dive

A fast drift dive runs from the boat ramp on the north-eastern side of the bridge to another boat ramp near the caravan park on the western side. Keep an eye out for old bottles on the way.