Port Essington occupies the Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory, within Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, and the four reef sites here sit in the Arafura Sea. Water is warm throughout the year, dropping to the mid-to-high twenties only during the cooler dry-season months. The reefs are shallow, with depths across all sites reaching no more than twelve metres, and access is by boat or shore depending on the site. Tasselled wobbegong, whitetip reef sharks, nurse sharks, green sea turtles, hairy and painted frogfish, and the rarely encountered knifetooth sawfish are all recorded here. Crocodiles are present in the region and divers are explicitly warned across multiple site descriptions; site selection and timing require careful local advice.
Monthly water temperature across Port Essington's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature remains warm year-round, warmest in the wet season and easing slightly through the dry season without ever falling below the mid-twenties. The dry season from approximately mid-year brings calmer seas and generally better visibility, making it the preferred period for visiting divers. Crocodile presence is a documented hazard at several sites, and local operator guidance on safe entry points is strongly recommended.
1 operator
Water temperature around Port Essington ranges from about 26°C in July to 31°C in December, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 31°C) a rash guard or 3mm shorty is comfortable in Port Essington; in the coldest months (about 26°C) step up to a 3mm full suit.
Fin maps 4 sites in Port Essington (4 scuba diving sites).
Across Port Essington's dive sites, May, June, July, August, September and October are most often reported as the best months to visit.
4 more sites to explore
