Admiralty Islands

Site Overview
Site Type: Wall; Reef – Scenic; with Macro (Nudi's); and occasional Mega fauna
Depth: Top: 18M Median: 22M Bottom: 30M
Location: A few hundred metres off the north east tip of Lord Howe Island

There are a total of seven islands in the group – seen here from the top of Malabar Hill – the largest of which is Roach Island in the middle.

A view of the Admiralty Islands from Malabar Hill. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

The islands are characterised by reasonably steep drop-offs presented as walls of coral.

Locality shot of diving South Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

We dived South Island, and the so called 10 June Bombora (proper name for ‘bommie’!).

Where the islands meet below the surface there are bommies, large boulders and swim throughs.  You’ll see some rare stuff, and some not so rare stuff, like this tasselled flathead

Tasseled or rock flathead diving South Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

There will be mosaic moray somewhere down there.

Mosaic Moray 10 June Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

There are plenty of lionfish.  This completely black and white one I suspect is a juvenile.

Black and white lionfish 10 June Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

On the wall itself you’ll find small dusky hydroids like this one at shallower depths, and gorgonian fans deeper down.

Small dusky hydroids 10 June Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

There are plenty of nudi’s on the wall too.  I am very much NOT a nudi expert, I reckon this one is clearly a ‘blue’ Nudi.

Blue nudi 10 June Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

One fish that’s more easily recognisable is the painted morwong.  They remind me of the painted faces of the Mohican (north American) Indians.

Painted Morwongs diving South Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

There’s always one fish that I can’t recognise, and that’s this one.  Looks like a Bannerfish – but without a pennant, and definitely _with_ a snout_ and thick lips.

UFO Bannerfish diving South Island. Diving holiday, travel planning tips for Lord Howe Island - where, when, who and how

Leave a comment if you know him.  Thanks!