Kangaroo Island Dive

Kangaroo Island Diving Safaris, run by Jim and Josie Thiselton, is a professional scuba training facility and dives are conducted from their 15m sailing cat, Wind Cheetah, which has an 18m mast and is surveyed to carry 14 divers.

With the meeting of south, east and west ocean currents, plus Gulf St Vincent's warm waters, diving is excellent in this unparalleled setting. There are 270 species of fish off the north coast of the island alone, and 85 percent are indigenous to the area. In fact, more and more are being discovered — 76 in the past year, with samples still to be scrutinised. Soft coral, sponges and gorgonians are prolific and during the season, cray and abalone are evident.

Dives run from November to the end of April and you will encounter and interact with dolphins, sea lions, blue gropers, New Zealand fur seals and Jim says if you don't see the rare and elusive leafy sea dragon in two days of diving, he will give you another two days free! Sounds like a good deal!

Jim has done much work on leafy sea dragons — they are extremely territorial and he knows exactly where to find six of them at any time. Each is individual and has its own distinct look and you need to be smart to find them as they easily camouflage as seaweed. Along with their cousin, the weedy sea dragon, they are the only sea dragons in the world and both are endemic to the southern Australian coastline.

Three- and four-star accommodation can be arranged on the island. Non-divers are more than welcome.

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