Coffs Harbour and Solitary Islands

Before Departure

• Confirm the departure, intended island, minimum numbers, safety cover, depth and maximum current with the charter. The operator may cancel or change destinations for weather and surface conditions.
• Show certification, recent dive log and medical clearance where needed. For scuba, carry a computer and SMB as required by the operator; for nitrox, show current certification and analyze gas under the operator's procedure.
• Experienced snorkelers must confirm appropriate water competence and supervision. A captain on board is not an in-water guide. Freedivers need a trained, dedicated buddy and rescue plan and must not practice alone.

Offshore Hazards

• Swell, chop, visibility and East Australian Current-driven drift vary by site and time. Some North/South Solitary edges and Pimpernel are high-current areas. Use a site-specific entry/exit and retrieval plan.
• Pimpernel Rock is a deep special-arrangement dive, with cave-like topography, strict access checks, and no basis for routine overhead penetration. The operator cites rock passage depths around 39 m and deeper elsewhere.
• Grey nurse aggregation habitats must be treated as sensitive wildlife areas. The published Commonwealth code bars obstructing gutters, feeding/touching/chasing, scooters/horns, electronic shark deterrents and large groups; it also bars night dives at Pimpernel aggregation sites.

Shore Entries and Water Quality

• Prefer patrolled swimming areas, follow beach signs and keep out of rips or unassessed rock platforms. The Beachwatch guidance advises delaying swimming after heavy rain: at least a day on ocean beaches and up to three days in estuaries. Watch for bluebottles and changing creek conditions.
• Follow current no-fly intervals after scuba and ask a dive medical professional about special medical concerns or repetitive/deep dives.

For immediate life-threatening incidents call 000. Coffs Harbour Health Campus at 345 Pacific Highway has a 24-hour emergency department and regional emergency services. This is not verification of an on-site hyperbaric chamber, so do not assume local recompression availability. Discuss retrieval, oxygen, communication and decompression illness response with the operator before diving. For a diving emergency in Australia, DAN lists 1800 088 200 for specialized diving emergency advice; use it alongside, not instead of, emergency medical services. In a marine vessel emergency contact 000 and/or Marine Rescue on VHF Channel 16. Mobile reception can be unreliable offshore.

Marine Park Responsibilities

The NSW zoning guide distinguishes sanctuary, habitat protection and other areas. Normal non-extractive diving and snorkeling can be permitted in many zones, but the legal activity map must be checked for the actual site. State rules generally prohibit anchoring in sanctuary zones and govern public moorings. Do not collect shells, coral, animals or artifacts or anchor on sensitive habitats.

Grey Nurse Shark Sites

North and South Solitary are declared aggregation sites; NSW identifies Manta Arch and The Steps/Anemone Bay in its site-specific controls. Follow the grey nurse code anywhere sharks occur, leave caves and gutters clear, and do not stage close-contact photographs. Protected shark populations must not be disturbed even when animals are seen regularly.

Commonwealth Distinction and Coastal Habitats

Pimpernel Rock is in a separately managed Commonwealth marine park national-park zone. Parks Australia identifies the no-fishing protection; do not assume all state zoning/permits carry over. Whales and dolphins are protected and interactions must comply with the relevant Commonwealth/state wildlife rules. On Muttonbird Island stay on trails to avoid collapsing shearwater burrows, and respect Gumbaynggirr cultural sites.