Shallow kelp dive at the gaps between Cape Hauy and its islands, beside the Candlestick and Totem Pole, where 30 to 50 New Zealand and Australian fur seals haul out year round and come down to meet divers.
Visibility at Cape Hauy Seals
Visibility at Cape Hauy Seals typically ranges from 12 to 25 metres, though it shifts with swell, wind and recent rainfall. Year round (seals present all year) generally offers the best conditions for diving here.
Air, gear and guides near Cape Hauy Seals
Browse dive shops in Hobart for fills, hire gear, servicing and guided dives at this site.
Region: Tasman Peninsula, TAS
Skill Level: Beginner
Depth: 3-10 m
Water Temperature: 11-16 °C
Visibility: 12-25 m
Best Time to Dive: Year round (seals present all year)
Marine Life: Long-nosed (New Zealand) fur seals, Australian fur seals, southern hulafish, real bastard trumpeter, longfin pike, purple wrasse, toothbrush leatherjacket, butterfly perch, banded morwong, herring cale, draughtboard shark, blacklip abalone, feather stars, long-spined sea urchins, southern rock lobster, kelp
Hazards: Wild seals can bite and carry disease, let them approach and never touch; keep boats 50 m from seal colonies (100 m in November and December) under NRE guidelines; surge in the narrow gaps; exposed open-coast boat ride
Facilities: Boat access only, from Pirates Bay (Eaglehawk Neck) or the Fortescue Bay boat ramp; no landing at the haul-out.