Arch Rock/Ninepin Point & Butts Reef Feb 2019

Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/Feb/2019
7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Location
Ninepin Point

Categories

• Dive
• Southern Location

Dive Info

Dive Coordinator:	George Parremore
Meeting Place:	Olinda Grove Dive Sheds
Minimum Dive Qualifications:	Open Water
Dive Cost:	$60 + Tanks
Deposit Required:	$60
Day/Night Dive:	Day Dive
This trip consists of	2 Dive(s)
Location of Dive	Statewide
Cancellation Policy	A full refund will be given if the dive is cancelled by the club, e.g. due to bad weather or equipment unavailability. A 50% Refund will be given if a diver cancels between 1 week and 12 hours of the start of the dive unless a replacement diver is available in which case a full refund will be given. Before this time a full refund will be given except for trips where long lead times are involved (eg Interstate Trips/Long weekend trips etc) where refunds are at the discretion of the Dive Coordinator.

Arch Rock is part of the Nine Pin Point Marine Reserve, a system of reefs that stretches about 100 meters from the shore into the Huon River.

Tannic acid from the Huon River reduces light levels and seems to encourage deep water species to move into the shallows. Bearded Rod Cod, Weedfish, Pipefish and Leatherjackets are  common.

Near Arch rock there is a flat rock shelf that supports a rich weed garden, and the bottom drops away about 40 m from the rock onto a series of small ridges in 10-14m.

The island is home to plenty of Butterfly Perch, Leatherjackets, Wrasse and Rock Cod – a very easy and relaxing dive.

Butts Reef is an extensive area of reef that lies in the middle of the mouth of the Huon River just south of Charlotte Cove.

The reef comes up to around 5-8 m and the flat reef top spreads over an area around the size of a football field. The top of the reef offers a shallow weed garden with a few small bommies. The weed garden has some species of delicate brown algae, but tends to be dominated by cray weed and strapweed. On the sheltered northern side it slopes away slowly into a thick weed garden in ten metres. The western and southern sides drop away sharply onto silt and sand in 13-15m. The slope on the southern side is perhaps the most attractive area.

Meeting at the Olinda Grove dive shed 7am.

Bookings