I always enjoy diving the Terrigal Cave. It would be no exaggeration to say that I have dived the site more than 200 times over the past 30 or so years.

Today it was like the old days - diving with my long time dive buddy and friend, Jane Kirkpatrick. In the early 80’s Jane and I frequented the site, often after work, to gather abalone or lobster for tea. Those were the days when food gathering activities were acceptable practice amongst divers. While there was no gathering of food today we certainly had the thrill of cruising past vertical walls and rocky canyons that lead to and from the cave.

For much of our early diving years many of us dived this site because of its easy shore access and the opportunity to dive without the expense of a boat ride to the site. I must say that now we are a little older we certainly enjoy the convenience of diving from a boat where you can be dropped off and picked up right at the cave entry.

I have introduced many divers to this site. All have been amazed at its splendour. Just a few years ago I remember returning from a club excursion to dive with grey-nurse sharks at Foggys Reef. There were several new Terrigal Underwater Group members on board; some with no knowledge of the Terrigal Cave. We decided to have a quick splash to check it out before returning to the Haven mooring. That short excursion simply ...blew them away and me too.

We had dropped straight into the front entry of the cave and were immediately greeted by 10 or more very large bull-rays competing with 20 plus port jackson sharks for the prime real estate of the cave floor. The cave entry itself was obscured by a large school of yellowtail. As our eyes adjusted to the filtered light we first sensed and then glimpsed a 3 meter grey-nurse coming from the back of the cave toward us. Absolutely fantastic! We all beamed with joy.

Fritz said it all when he asked, ‘why did we go all the way out to Foggys to see sharks when we can just come here to see them?’

From shore you can access the main entry point from the rock platform adjacent to the Haven sports oval. Its best to walk along the higher, right hand side of the platform and then head for the rock cut-out in the centre of the platform at the waters edge. From here its easy to find the cave by simply diving into the water from the lower rocks and follow the rocky canyon into deeper water. Keep the canyon wall on your left and before you know it you are at the cave entry. To return to your point of origin simply keep the wall on your right, follow the canyon into shallow water and exit. There are many alternatives to approach the cave and many alternative dive plans that encompass entering and exiting the water from different points along the rocky shore or even the Haven.

Its always a good idea to let Les and Fran from Terrigal Dive know of your plans to dive the site. The entry and exit from the rock platform can be treacherous, especially with an outgoing tide. Terrigal Dive also have a very accurate diagram of the site sketched by Clarie Lawler that most divers find very helpful. If you are still unsure or need a buddy, grab one of the dive masters to take you for a splash to the cave. Of course, if you have told the dive shop of your plan to dive the cave you must let them know that you are safe after the dive.