Manly sits on the South Pacific Ocean just north of Sydney Harbour, and most of its diving is done from shore. The anchor attraction is Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, a no-take zone that takes in Shelly Beach and Fairy Bower and rewards divers and snorkellers with notably healthy marine life densities. Sites span shallow beginner reefs, kelp forest, muck patches, walls, and an offshore drop-off at Dee Why Wide. Water temperatures range from the high teens in winter to the low-to-mid twenties in summer, and visibility is typically at its best during winter. Spotted wobbegong, pot-bellied seahorse, electric ray, nudibranch, and green sea turtle are among the species recorded across the region's nine sites.
Monthly water temperature across Manly's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperatures follow a clear seasonal pattern, cooling to their lowest in late winter and early spring before climbing back through summer. Visibility tends to improve markedly in winter, making cooler months the preferred time for those wanting cleaner water on the shallower reef and muck sites.
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Water temperature around Manly ranges from about 18°C in August to 24°C in February, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 24°C) a 3mm full suit is comfortable in Manly; in the coldest months (about 18°C) step up to a 5mm suit.
Fin maps 9 sites in Manly (9 scuba diving sites and 3 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
1 more site to explore
