Witton Bluff Snorkel
LOCATION Port Noarlunga, Adelaide, South Australia
DEPTH 2-6 Meters
WATER TEMP 18 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
The swim out to the reef and conditions might not suit inexperienced snorkellers
FEATURE
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Witton Bluff Snorkel
LOCATION Port Noarlunga, Adelaide, South Australia
DEPTH 2-6 Meters
WATER TEMP 18 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
The swim out to the reef and conditions might not suit inexperienced snorkellers
FEATURE
Witton Bluff Snorkel
Witton Bluff is a less known snorkel spot near the headland that separates Christies Beach Port Noarlunga Beach. There are some fun features to explore including a 10-15m gully that is home to a variety of fish. You can approach the channel from either Port Noarlunga Beach or Christies Beach.
What Can I See?
- You are more likely to see eagle rays and Port Jackson sharks if you approach from the Christies Beach side of the bluff – but this makes it a much longer snorkel.
- There is a good variety of fish here including schools of silver drummer, various wrasse, magpie perch, bullseyes, long nose boarfish and oldwives.
Getting There
Port Noarlunga is about 35 minutes south of Adelaide. There is a big parking area near Port Noarlunga Jetty or along the Esplanade at Christies Beach.
Where & How do you get in?
The easiest access point is the northern end of Port Noarlunga Beach. Get onto the beach at the jetty and turn right for a walk of about 400m along the beach, then a swim of about 100m to Witton Bluff.
The other option is entering the water at the southern end of Christies beach and snorkelling for approx. 450m over Christie’s Reef to Witton Bluff. The reef here can be exposed at low tide.
Potential Hazards
This is quite an unprotected spot to swells and waves can be an issue in the wrong conditions. Best go here on a calm, low swell day.
Recommended Gear
A wetsuit is a good idea, even in summer.
How Busy / Crowds
You will be unlucky to bump into anyone else at Witton Bluff which is a nice contrast the the neighbouring Noarlunga Reef.
Parking
Park either at Port Noarlunga Beach or Christies Beach as Witton Bluff is in the middle.
The information for each snorkel spot is provided by people who have snorkelled there. However, snorkelling conditions change daily. Please be aware that wind, swell, tides and cloud cover can all affect visibility and your experience in the water.
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Rate this Snorkel Spot
If you have snorkelled here, rate your experience
Best Conditions
Witton Bluff is quite exposed so you would want nice conditions. We stopped in here one day and despite the swell looking ok at the water’s edge, it was awful by the time we got to the bluff. Aim for the change of tide and either light winds or east to southeasterly winds. Avoid this snorkel if there is a south or southwesterly breeze.
Windy Map Instructions – Click on the wind icon in the top right to see other conditions such as swell, temperature, rain. To clear the four day forecast click and close the wind icon.
Facilities at Port Noarlunga
Toilets
Showers
Picnic Tables
Parking
BBQ’s
Shade
Food & Drinks
Lifeguards
Accommodation
About the Snorkel
We have done the Witton Bluff snorkel 2 or 3 times and at its best, it is a fun snorkel with plenty of fish to see. But, if you get the conditions wrong, like we did one day, it is hard work! If the weather is nice, this also a good option if Port Noarlunga Reef look a bit busy.
Our best experience was approaching from the Christies Beach side, which meant we snorkelled over the Christies Beach reef for 500m before reaching Witton Bluff. The only problem was the outgoing tide exposed some of the reef by the time we headed back so it was a long swim back to the beach. A bonus was that we spotted an eagle ray. Unfortunately it was not Port Jackson shark season.
It is much easier getting to Witton Bluff from the northern end of Port Noarlunga Beach and the tide doesn’t affect getting to and from the snorkel as much. The only downside is swimming against the prevailing current back to the beach, but it is a swim of only about 100m which wasn’t too bad.
The snorkelling at the bluff is great. We mainly just float along the 10-15m long gully and we saw a never ending parade of different fish. It was nice not covering a lot of ground but still seeing lots of life. To find the channel, look for the rock on the land which has white paint on it, the channel is in line with the rock about 50m from shore.
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