12lb Reef (18-20m) Boat Dive. Sunday 9th November

11.00am meet time for 12.50pm Pickup Portsea Pier

 Wall Dive |  Boat access

Depth: 8 m (26 ft) to 20 m (66 ft)

Level: Open Water and beyond.

12lb Reef is located on the Lonsdale Wall, inside Port Phillip. It was named after a massive crayfish that was caught there. The story goes that a cray diver caught site of the monster in its cave, and grabbed it. Maybe it's more accurate to say that the cray caught him! By the time he reached the surface, the two were still locked in a mortal struggle!

Nevertheless, there could well be more large crays still lurking here, so if you fancy your skills as a cray hunter it's definitely worth a look. The many overhangs and plentiful soft corals make this a popular and picturesque dive as well.

The Rip & Tides Warning: Always keep an eye on sea conditions throughout any shore or boat dive within "The Rip" (aka "The Heads"). This is a dangerous stretch of water, where Bass Straight meets Port Phillip, which has claimed many ships and lives. Please read the warnings on the web page diving-the-rip before diving or snorkelling this site.

Crayfish Dive Site | © Ian Scholey

Divers have the opportunity to catch Southern Rock Lobster (aka Crayfish) at this dive site. Remember your catch bag, current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, rock lobster measure, and cray tags. Once you get back to the dive boat, or shore, make sure you clip the tail and tag your Crayfish as per Fisheries requirements. Please abide by all current fishing regulations if you intend to catch crays. See article-catching-crayfish for practical cray hunting advice from The Scuba Doctor, plus melbourne-cray-dives for a list of other crayfish dive sites near Melbourne. For tips on cooking your Crays, please see article-cooking-crayfish.