We are planning to go for a dive at Cook Island, which is a site suitable for Open Water divers. Cook Island Aquatic Reserve is located approximately 600 metres offshore from Fingal Head and approximately four kilometres south-east of the Tweed river mouth in northern NSW.

This aquatic reserve includes approximately 80 hectares of marine estate and is famous for its colony of green sea turtles waiting to share a swim with visitors all year around!

Hard and soft corals cover the bottom in some areas, with boulders forming walls and caves descending to the sandy sea floor. A colourful and interesting mix of reef and pelagic fish call Cook Island home including pufferfish, groupers and clownfish (hi Nemo) just some of the common residents. Photographers will find plenty of photogenic subjects, with nudibranchs, stingrays, turtles, wobbegongs.

Several threatened or protected species also occur in this marine reserve, including the giant Queensland grouper, black rockcod, goldspotted rockcod (formerly known as an estuary cod) and the grey nurse shark.

We will do two dives with a commercial boat and the cost will be $120, including tanks and weights. Gear hire is your own responsibility. Fuel costs will be shared across the participants.

Every diver must come to the shed the Thursday before the trip (18 April) for a pre-dive briefing. On Saturday, we will need to get to the public jetty at the corner of Dry Dock Road and Minjungbal Drive by 8 am, but we'll discuss the logistics during the briefing.

We have only 20 spots available so be quick to sign up!

If you have any questions about the trip, please email dive@unidive.org.