North Head Bommie

Meet the site

North Head Bommie sits about 70 m offshore and 800 m north-west of North Passage, the northern entrance to the lagoon. Michael McFadyen, who dived it in May, describes it as 'a pretty interesting dive site' with dramatic structure. The bottom drops from 12 m to 14 m and then gradually to about 18 m, while the bommie itself rises to 7–8 m, which keeps the whole dive comfortably shallow.

What gives the site its character is the way the bommie is cut up. McFadyen records narrow slits and canyons, overhangs, small swim-throughs, large holes or craters and porthole-like openings that frame the blue water – good material for wide-angle photographers. The gullies run continuously around the structure, so an anti-clockwise circuit from the western anchor point takes you through a series of cracks and overhangs.

Fish life is typical of the outer reef near the lagoon. Galapagos sharks are regular, crayfish shelter under the overhangs, and the reef fish include butterflyfish, firefish, leatherjackets, one-spot pullers and a few trevally. McFadyen saw no nudibranchs on his dive, so this is more of a structure and fish dive than a macro site.

McFadyen recorded 21.6°C and at least 30 m visibility. Being close to the lagoon, the site is a short boat ride and is a good option for a second dive or for newer divers, although it is outside the barrier reef and so exposed to westerly and north-westerly swell. It suits Open Water divers and anyone who likes photogenic reef structure.

What you might see

Galapagos sharks, crayfish, butterflyfish, firefish, leatherjackets, one-spot pullers, trevally

Location

A bommie about 70 m offshore and 800 m north-west of North Passage, outside the lagoon near North Head.

Facilities nearby

Departure from the Lagoon Road boatsheds.