Noah's Ark

This dive site centers around Ark Rock, a substantial granite boulder standing on an even larger granite outcrop. This prominent landmark is marked on SA Navy charts as "Noah's Ark" and is locally known by that name. The area features several shipwrecks associated with the rock: a barge south of it, a small steam-powered vessel to the west, a larger iron or steel vessel (likely the Parana from 1862) located north-west, another smaller steam-powered wooden vessel south of the barge near rocks, and a third boiler situated east of those rocks. The seabed slopes gradually from approximately 10 meters at the southern edge of the rock to about 8 meters closer to Penguin Point. Pinnacles are present around the main rock – one west, and two to the south. The top of the granite outcrop rises significantly above the sand level, reaching approximately 55 meters east-west and 30 meters north-south. The terrain is mostly sheer-sided with small overhangs and crevices. Marine life includes a band of black mussels and barnacles near the surface, transitioning to red-bait at deeper levels. The vertical surfaces are heavily encrusted with sponges, crinoids, ascidians, sea cucumbers, hydroids, and sea fans. Maximum depth is around 14 meters on the northern side of the main reef and in the vicinity of the Parana wreckage.