The water may still have a little winter chill, but the days are getting longer, the sunshine is returning and Jervis Bay is buzzing with life. Spring is one of our favourite times for scuba diving, freediving, snorkelling and whale watching in Jervis Bay.

From migrating humpback whales and playful fur seals to Port Jackson sharks and giant cuttlefish, spring is one of the most exciting times to explore our backyard, both above and below the water.

Underwater Species We See in Abundance in Jervis Bay During Spring

Humpback Whale
Australian and New Zealand Fur Seals
Port Jackson Sharks
Australian Giant Cuttlefish
Humpback Whale

And so many dolphins!! They have been riding the bow of the boat on nearly every tour lately. After seeing them every single day for more than a week, we had one particularly eager customer ask, “Will we see dolphins today?” Of course, that was the one tour we didn’t see them.

But What About the Cold?

What Is the Water Temperature in Jervis Bay in Spring?

The water can still be chilly during early spring—usually around 16–18°C—but the conditions can be absolutely incredible with mild winds and clear water.

When we’re offshore running our whale swims, we sometimes find beautiful warm water travelling down the coast with the East Australian Current—or, for all the Finding Nemo fans…the EAC, dude.

This current can bring warmer, clearer and brilliantly blue water with temperatures sometimes reaching around 19–20°C, where the visibility stretches beyond 30 metres. There’s no better feeling than floating in the deep blue, waiting for a humpback whale to come cruising over for a little “human watching”. It makes you feel so small and insignificant, but at the same time the world makes perfect sense.

Since introducing scuba diving to the business, we’ve welcomed a new boat, the Woebe-Two, and invested in a TON of brand-new dive gear—including some seriously warm 8mm wetties, so once you’re in the water, you’re actually pretty toasty.

Getting out of the water can be another story. That’s why we keep full-length thermal and waterproof jackets onboard, ready for you to rug up between dives.

And then there’s the best part…

The Surface Interval

Staying Warm Between Dives in Jervis Bay

Nothing tastes better than a hot beverage on a dive boat after getting out of the water. We’ve got the usual coffee, lemon and ginger tea, spiced chai and, of course, the crowd favourite… Hot choccie. This year, we’ve also introduced something new.. Veggie Soup. And yes, we even have bread to go with it. And, of course, it’s all vegan-friendly. Part of our commitment to animal welfare and the environment.

Live Entertainment

We tune into whale radio using our underwater hydrophone, which can pick up whale sounds from kilometres away. While we’re rugged up, sipping hot drinks and waiting for the next dive, we can listen to humpback whales communicating beneath the surface.

And here’s a fun fact: only male humpback whales sing! They produce long, complex and melodic songs as part of their mating rituals and social hierarchies. Evolving over time amongst different populations and broadcast over vast oceans much like we share a meme on social media. The deeper you dive the louder the song as they project the sound towards the sea floor.

Females can make much deeper, low-frequency sounds—something like a cross between Chewbacca, a velociraptor and an elephant—communicating with their babies in ways to avoid predators on their dangerous journey to their feeding grounds.

We may be biased, but we think it’s the best live music venue in Jervis Bay.

A Night Underwater

Night Diving at Bowen Island, Jervis Bay

One night in early September, instead of getting cosy beside the fireplace and reading, we decided to do something a little different. We packed the dive boat with scuba gear, headed into the bay and giant-strided into the water at The Wall, a popular dive site at Bowen Island. Then we descended into the darkness. Wow…what. a. DIVE. A Port Jackson shark aggregation, a pregnant wobbegong and a massive bull ray gliding over the group were just some of the incredible marine encounters we experienced.

It was one of those dives that lasted an hour but felt like five minutes.

And then there was the bioluminescence.

We turned off our torches, floated in the darkness and stirred the water around us. Tiny flashes of light began sparkling through the water—a natural phenomenon caused by bioluminescent plankton reacting to movement.

A night dive reminds you that there is a completely different world coming to life underwater once the sun goes down.

With the evenings getting milder, perhaps it’s time we traded the fireplace for a few more spring night dives!

Learn to Scuba Dive

The Southern Migration Has Begun

Humpback Whale Migration in Jervis Bay

As the coastal wattle seeds dry out and turn brown it signals the start of the southern Spring migration for the humpback whale.

Many mothers now have newborn calves swimming beside them. We don’t swim with mums and calves, and we give them plenty of space from the boat so they can travel, rest and nurse without being disturbed.

But even from a respectful distance, it warms your heart to see a tiny puff of breath appear beside Mum’s enormous blow—or to watch a mother teaching her calf how to breach, tail slap and navigate the big blue world around them.

Although we don’t swim with mothers and calves, the southern migration also brings curious younger whales, particularly males, which are often responsible for some of our most memorable “muggings.”

Mugging: when a whale chooses to hang around snorkellers or a vessel.

They steal your heart, not your wallet (a joke Dylan stole from Hervey Bay) and hold us up so we can’t move the boat.

The most important thing to remember is that these encounters always happen on the whale’s terms. We can place ourselves safely and respectfully in the right area, but the whale decides whether it wants to come closer. That’s what makes these experiences so special. When a mugging occurs, it’s like a religious experience that brings tears to the eyes.

Woebegone’s Highlight of the Month

One of this month’s highlights began with a mysterious fin sticking out of the water during a whale swim. At first, we couldn’t work out what we were looking at. It had an enormous fin but we couldn’t see a tail like you normally would with a shark, so we slowly circled it for a while, trying to get a better view. Then we realised it was a huge sunfish!

Sunfish are one of the strangest looking animals in the ocean, and seeing such a large one resting at the surface was an incredible surprise for everyone onboard.

This encounter also gave us another reason to be excited about our newest piece of equipment: a drone! We bought it to help search for wildlife from the beach and hoped it would give us a completely different view of the animals around Jervis Bay.

We practised flying it from land before finally deciding we were ready to take it onto the boat. We chose what we thought was a calm day and confidently sent it into the air.

Flying it was fine, we saw whales slapping their tales, but then it was time to get it back.

Dylan and Johanna took turns trying to catch it at the front of the boat, but every time it came within reach, it darted away at the last second. This went on for about ten minutes until Jo finally threw her hand into the air to grab it. Unfortunately, she grabbed the propeller instead. The drone took the top of her fingertip off, bringing our first attempt at drone retrieval to a fairly bloody ending. Later that afternoon, Dylan decided the drone needed a test flight after the finger incident and promptly flew the drone straight into the side of the dive shed. Unsurprisingly, both Jo and Dylan are now a little reluctant to send it back into the air. The drone has officially been grounded while they search for some expert training, preferably from someone who still has all ten fingertips.

Freediving Jervis Bay Courses Are Beginning

As the days grow longer and the water slowly begins to warm, our freediving season is getting underway again. Freediving is about so much more than seeing how long you can hold your breath or how deep you can dive. It’s about learning to relax, understanding how your body responds underwater and becoming calmer and more confident in the ocean.

Our courses combine breathing and relaxation techniques, breath-hold training, equalisation, efficient movement and essential safety skills. Everything is taught progressively in a safe and supportive environment whether you’re completely new to freediving or ready to take your skills further.

Spring is a beautiful time to learn with whale song reverberating around us on the line.

Learn to Freedive

Ocean School Returns

Term 4 also marks the return of Woebegone Ocean School, and we have another fun and interactive term planned for our young ocean lovers. Ocean School isn’t simply about teaching children how to snorkel. It’s about helping them become confident, capable and curious in the marine environment while learning to respect and care for it.

Throughout the term, the kids will build their snorkelling and freediving skills while exploring topics such as marine life, rope tying, plastic pollution and the Great Southern Reef. We’ll also head out on a low-tide reef walk to discover the incredible creatures hiding in our local rock pools. Each lesson combines practical ocean skills with hands-on environmental education and most importantly, plenty of time having fun in the water. We love seeing the kids grow more confident each week and watching new friendships form through a shared love of the ocean.

Sign up for Ocean School Term 4

Spring School Holiday Snorkelling Workshops

For children who aren’t ready to commit to a full term or who simply can’t get enough ocean time our school holiday workshops are returning this spring.

These one-off, two-hour snorkelling and freediving workshops are designed for kids of all experience levels, including complete beginners. Each session introduces practical water skills, marine-life education and safe ocean exploration in a relaxed, supportive environment.

The workshops are a chance for kids to swap screen time for ocean time, meet other young ocean lovers and discover some of the amazing marine life found right here in Jervis Bay.

All they need is a sense of adventure, we can help with the rest.

Join a School Holiday Workshop

Spring at Woebegone

Spring is one of the busiest and most exciting seasons at Woebegone Dive.

We have the final two months of our whale swim season ahead of us, our scuba and freediving courses are getting into full swing, and our Ocean School and school holiday programs are returning for another season of underwater adventures.

It’s also a beautiful time to encounter seals, Port Jackson sharks, cuttlefish, dolphins and the countless smaller creatures that make the Great Southern Reef so special.

The warmer days might be returning, but don’t pack away your wetsuit just yet—some of the best underwater experiences of the year are happening right now.

Have We Convinced You That Spring Diving Is the Best?

The water may still be chilly, but spring in Jervis Bay is absolutely buzzing. Humpback whales are travelling south, seals are playing, Port Jackson sharks are gathering beneath the surface, and you never know when a dolphin or even a giant sunfish might make an appearance. With incredible marine life, beautiful diving conditions, freediving courses beginning and our Ocean School and school holiday programs returning, there are plenty of reasons to get back into the water. For us, spring is about longer days, new adventures and sharing the incredible Great Southern Reef with as many people as possible.

See you in the big blue.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water temperature in Jervis Bay in spring?

Usually around 16–18°C in early spring, with warmer offshore water sometimes reaching 19–20°C.

What marine life can you see in Jervis Bay during spring?

Humpback whales, Australian and New Zealand fur seals, Port Jackson sharks, giant cuttlefish and dolphins are among the species discussed in this article.

Can you swim with humpback whales in Jervis Bay?

Yes. Woebegone is one of only two permitted dive operators allowed to operate in Jervis Bay. Under our permit conditions we don’t enter the water when calves are present, as it should be. These mummas have earned their space.

Spring Diving in Jervis Bay: Whales, Seals, Sharks & More