Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water cold?
- No. You can dive comfortably all year round in a 2-piece 7mm wetsuit (available for hire upon request).  

I don't have a buddy; can I still dive?
- During the summer (December to March), we can usually match you up with other divers. Dive guides are available for a fee.

- During the cooler months, on a weekend we can often still match you up with other divers, but during the week it's a good idea to bring a friend to dive with. If you need a buddy, advance bookings will help us find someone for you to dive with. Dive guides are available for a fee.

Is there a dive guide on all dives?

- There is NO DIVE GUIDE in the water on standard dives. A dive guide is available for an additional fee, by prior arrangement.

I have only dived in the tropics; is it very different?
- It is quite different to the tropics. Colorful sponges, anemones and lots of different coloured seaweed including giant kelp forests. Thicker wetsuits and more weights means you need more accurate buoyancy skills. If you have never used a thick wetsuit (7mm thick or more) before, we recommend that you do a practice session in our training pool (cost $20) so you can get accustomed to the gear before going out on the boat for your dives.

I have not dived for a while, can I still dive?

- If you have not dived in the last 6 months, we recommend that you at least do a practice session in our training pool (cost $20) so you can get accustomed to the gear before going out on the boat for your dives. If you feel that you may need more of a refresher before diving, we recommend that you do the one-day Scuba Review.

- If you have not dived in the last 12 months or more, and particularly if you have done <15 dives in total, we recommend that you do the one-day Scuba Review.

- If you have not dived since completing your Open Water course and it was more than 3 months ago, we recommend that you do the one-day Scuba Review.

How many divers can your boat carry for a dive trip?
- Usually seven divers plus the coxswain.

Can I hire an underwater camera?
- Yes, we have several digital cameras available for hire, see our Prices page for details. Advance notice for camera hire is recommended.

Do you run dive courses?
- Yes, we are a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre. We have courses for beginners and for extending your diving skills. Check our Courses pages for details.

Can I hire equipment? - Yes. We have full hire available, so we can supply any equipment you need.

Can I get a tank filled? - Yes.

Can I stay at the Dive Centre? - Yes. We have on-site dorm accommodation and one double room in our fully self-contained Divers Lodge.

Check our Prices and Accommodation pages for details.

How do I get there without a car?
- There is morning and afternoon bus services Monday to Saturday from Hobart (TassieLink, click here for their schedule). We can collect you from the Eaglehawk Neck bus stop (advance notice please) and also pick you up from your accomodation in the Tasman Peninsula area. We can arrange pick ups from Hobart in the mornings and from Hobart airport, but this is by prior arrangement only and depends on the availability of staff - contact us. We are in a remote area and there are no shops and little else within easy walking distance of the dive centre. We do recommend that you hire a car if possible.

What do I do for food, if I stay at the Dive Centre?
- You can bring your own and cook at the Divers Lodge, or eat at the local hotel, and also at other cafes and hotels in the Tasman and Forestier Peninsula area. There is a small general store about 7km at Taranna, away but the nearest supermarkets are at Sorell and Nubeena. We do have a limited range of groceries available at the dive centre.

What can my friend/partner do if he/she doesn't dive?
- Spectacular bushwalking along the coastline (vertical cliffs up to 300m (1,000ft) high); scenic boat tours of the coast and marine wildlife (contact Tasman Island Cruises) ; deep sea fishing (contact Personalised Sea Charters phone (03) 6250 3370); visit the Tasman Devil Park and Birds of Prey sanctuary at Taranna; also the scenic Blowhole, Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen and the quiet and relaxing Pirates Bay Beach are close by; and we are only 20 minutes by car from the Port Arthur Historic Site.

How do I find the Dive Centre?

Our street address is "178 Pirates Bay Drive" - please note that this road is not on some GPS navigation units, and if it is, that the street numbers are usually in the wrong place on the GPS, so follow the directions below.

- From Hobart - go past Hobart Airport to Sorell, then follow the Arthur Highway toward Port Arthur, passing through several small towns including Dunalley, where you go over the swing bridge over the canal, then through Murdunna past a small general store and petrol station. About 5 minutes past Murdunna, driving through the forest, there is a large green sign on your left for "Pirates Bay" then a large brown sign for "Tasman Sea Cliff Coast Lookout". Take the turnoff to the lookout at the top of the hill (this is Pirates Bay Drive - there are also signs for the Dive Centre on the corner), go down to the lookout then continue on down the road, the Dive Centre is about 750m below the lookout on the right hand side (look out for the sign), down a long drive way. If you go down a long steep hill into Eaglehawk Neck itself, you have gone too far.

- From Port Arthur - take the main Arthur Highway back toward Hobart passing through Taranna to Eaglehawk Neck, go across the narrow neck of land at Eaglehawk Neck and take the first turnoff on the right after the Neck, going past the Lufra Hotel and the Tesselated Pavement, driving up through the forest, the Dive Centre is down a long drive way on the left hand side (look our for the sign) after a sweeping left hand bend. If you go up a very steep hill with a passing lane, you have missed the turnoff; if you go up the road past the Lufra Hotel and end up at the lookout, you have missed the Dive Centre - we are about 750m back down the road from the lookout.