Darwin Gove
The Gove Peninsula, located on the eastern side of Arnhem Land, is washed by the warm, clear waters of the Arafura Sea.
Magnificent islands and reefs surround this isolated peninsula and the marine flora and fauna is unbelievable, with forests of colourful sea fans in only 3 metres of water.
The scuba diving with turtles, whale sharks, manta rays and pelagic fish can be an exciting prospect. The Gove Diving Academy, which offers dive courses and organises trips to the many offshore islands and reefs around the Gove Peninsula, is based in the bauxite mining town of Nhulunbuy.
However, on inshore ares the visibility can be reduced due to run off in the wet season, underwater photography is reduced to close ups. Snorkeling is not encouraged due to saltwater crocodiles in the area.
I had no idea when I went to Gove to run the first PADI UNDERWATER NATURALIST Marine Identification Courses that there would be so many forests of gorgonian sea fans. At some places the forests are so thick you cannot swim between them. However, deep within the branches were groups of Depressed Spider Crabs Xenocarcinus depressus but, alas no spindle cowries.( photo: Neville Coleman)
The traditional owners of Arnhem Land, one of the largest Aboriginal reserves in Australia, have lived in this area for over 40,000 years. Aboriginal communities are spread throughout the region, and many Aboriginals still hunt and gather. A permit is required to visit this unusual and beautiful part of Australia.
Saltwater Crocodiles Crocodylus porosus have no rules, nor do they have a forcasted behaviour and as such they can turn up anywhere. Gove has had a number of attacks on humans by crocodiles.
As long as common sense is followed of not snorkelling or spearfishing near the mouths of creeks, and not sleeping on the beach overnight, the risk for divers diving at the recognised dive sites is minimal.( photo: Neville Coleman)
The Gove Peninsula, located on the eastern side of Arnhem Land, is washed by the warm, clear waters of the Arafura Sea. Magnificent islands and reefs surround this isolated peninsula. Fishing is spectacular in the area, and so is the diving turtles, whale sharks, manta rays and pelagic fish are all part of the scenery. The Gove Diving Academy, which offers dive courses and organises trips to the many offshore islands and reefs around the Gove Peninsula, is based in the bauxite mining town of Nhulunbuy.
Truant Island
Some of the most spectacular diving in the area can be found off Truant Island, quite a distance offshore and usually done as an overnight trip. Reefs with lush coral growths, reef sharks, manta rays, gropers, coral trout, pelagic fish, eagle rays, stingrays and turtles, drop into deep water all around the island. Divers may see whale sharks over summer.
The Red - spotted Aphelodoris Aphelodoris karpa was only described in 2003. It was first known from the north west coast of Australia and this image was the first specimen recorded from Gove. It grows to 60 mm and is able to swim by dorso and ventral flexations.( photo: Neville Coleman)
Bromby Islets
On the leeward side of the Bromby Islets are a number of excellent sites on fringing coral reefs. Reef fish hover above coral gardens. On the seaward side, the reef wall drops into 35 m, covered with soft corals, gorgonians, black corals, sea whips and sponges. Occasional turtles, reef sharks, pelagic fish, manta rays, eagle rays and whale sharks cruise the water at the reefs edge.
Only found on the coastal reefs and islands around the Northern Australia, the Dusky Beaked Coralfish Chelmon muelleri is common in Gove.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Bonner Rocks
Coral heads, gutters, coral gardens and a shipwreck are found at depths from 7-25 m around Bonner Rocks. Angelfish, sweetlips, butterflyfish, wrasse, coral trout, rock cod, parrotfish, surgeonfish, damsels and anemonefish are common. The intact wreck of a trawler is one of the fishiest spots in the area, with gropers, wobbegongs, queenfish, trevally, barracuda, batfish, cobia, tuna, many reef fish and invertebrates.
Due to the often strong tidal influence, lots of silt and restricted visibility at some inshore areas the polyps of Stokes Stony Coral Goniopora stokesi are expanded during the day. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Veronica Island
Some of the best diving at Veronica Island is on coral walls dropping to 30 m. Nudibranchs, flatworms, sea stars, brittle stars, shrimp, coral crabs, molluscs and fish share the reef with a wide variety of soft corals, gorgonians, sea whips and sponges.
I first found this species on the low tidal reefs at Darwin in 1972. The Pale Ceratosoma Ceratosoma palliolatum grows to 80 mm and also occurs at Gove.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Bremer Island
There are numerous interesting dive sites around Bremer Island coral gardens in the shallows, walls dropping to 40 m, caves and pinnacles. Soft corals, sea whips, sponges and gorgonians are found almost everywhere on the reefs around the island. Residents include turtles, gropers, coral trout, moray eels, manta rays, stingrays, eagle rays, trevally and masses of reef fish.
The mound corals were chock - a - block with unbelievable numbers of Feather Duster Worms Spirobranchus giganteus, which were in every colour form.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Sir Rodericks Rocks
Although a long way down the coast, Sir Rodericks Rocks are well worth the long boat ride in good weather. Surrounding this chain of granite islands are a brilliant array of dive sites caves and swim-throughs with tawny sharks, wobbegongs, stingrays, rock lobsters, resting turtles, moray eels, gropers and swarms of baitfish; walls to depths of 40 m, covered in soft corals, gorgonians, sea whips and sponges with manta rays, barracuda, tuna, snapper, trevally, reef sharks, eagle rays, gropers, mackerel and an occasional whale shark cruising the deeper water and the wreck of a trawler resting at 40 m, usually surrounded by schools of fish. While travelling to the many dive sites off the Gove Peninsula, there is always a good chance of seeing dolphins, pilot whales, whale sharks and false killer whales.
Found on jetty pylons and under ledges, the Robust Ascidian Clavelina robusta is a very distinctive species and easy to recognise.( photo: Neville Coleman)
Fringing Reefs
Many fringing reefs slope down to 20 m, providing excellent shore diving off Gove, although the visibility may be reduced at times. Common species are nudibranchs, lionfish, sea stars, butterflyfish, turtles, stingrays, gobies, sweetlips, parrotfish, coral crabs and moray eels.
Town Wharf
The pylons of the Town Wharf, in 16 m of water, are covered with soft corals and sponges, and associated flatworms, decorator crabs, nudibranchs, sea stars, feather stars and other invertebrates. Gropers, trevally, queenfish, coral trout, angelfish, batfish and a variety of reef fish live beneath the structure.
A common resident of soft bottom habitats, the Siboga Sea Star Anthena sibogae is found all across the top end of Australia from low tide reefs down to at least 30 metres. It grows to 150 mm and feeds on detritus. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Darwin Gove
Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life.
Neville Coleman's expertise in marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks, marine reptiles and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters around the reefs and marine habitats off Gove.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
