[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":250},["ShallowReactive",2],{"leaderboard-total":3,"spot-seo-broughton-island-the-looking-glass":9,"spot-broughton-island-the-looking-glass":51},{"entries":4,"total":5,"period":6,"type":7,"generated_at":8},[],0,"all_time","reports","2026-10-03T06:32:05.526386Z",{"title":10,"description":11,"canonical_url":12,"og_image":13,"structured_data":14,"breadcrumbs":44},"Snorkeling Conditions at Broughton Island - The Looking Glass - How's the Spot","Check snorkeling conditions at Broughton Island - The Looking Glass, New South Wales. Good conditions, water 20.2°C, waves 0.38m","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fspots\u002Fbroughton-island-the-looking-glass","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.syd1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\u002Fspots\u002Fimport_broughton-island-the-looking-glass_0_058941181e0e.jpg",[15,28],{"@context":16,"@type":17,"name":18,"description":19,"url":12,"geo":20,"address":24},"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org","Place","Broughton Island - The Looking Glass","The Looking Glass is a spectacular inverted-V crack that carves right through Looking Glass Island, a rocky islet off Broughton Island in the Myall Lakes National Park, 20 km north of Port Stephens...",{"@type":21,"latitude":22,"longitude":23},"GeoCoordinates",-32.6213,152.3162,{"@type":25,"addressRegion":26,"addressCountry":27},"PostalAddress","New South Wales","Australia",{"@context":16,"@type":29,"name":30,"description":11,"url":12,"breadcrumb":31},"WebPage","Snorkeling Conditions at Broughton Island - The Looking Glass",{"@context":16,"@type":32,"itemListElement":33},"BreadcrumbList",[34,39,42],{"@type":35,"position":36,"name":37,"item":38},"ListItem",1,"Home","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com",{"@type":35,"position":40,"name":26,"item":41},2,"https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fexplore?region=new-south-wales",{"@type":35,"position":43,"name":18,"item":12},3,[45,47,49],{"label":37,"href":46},"\u002F",{"label":26,"href":48},"\u002Fexplore?region=new-south-wales",{"label":18,"href":50},"\u002Fspots\u002Fbroughton-island-the-looking-glass",{"id":52,"name":18,"slug":53,"latitude":22,"longitude":23,"description":54,"difficulty":55,"image_url":13,"status":56,"tide_constituents":57,"hazard_entries":108,"access_info_structured":175,"area_boundary":137,"routes":137,"created_at":184,"updated_at":185,"today_conditions":186,"today_verdict_view":207,"images":233,"submitted_by":247,"region_name":26,"verification_status":249,"verified_at":137,"disputed":221,"verifier_count":5,"last_verified_display_name":137},"574e5878-6771-4346-9441-512b522f4534","broughton-island-the-looking-glass","The Looking Glass is a spectacular inverted-V crack that carves right through Looking Glass Island, a rocky islet off Broughton Island in the Myall Lakes National Park, 20 km north of Port Stephens. As you swim through the narrow 40-metre passage, sunlight streams down through the open arch, illuminating the clear water and the resident grey nurse sharks that glide along the opposite wall. The far side opens into a natural fishbowl aquarium, while nearby walls and caves shelter eastern blue devilfish, cuttlefish, and numbfish. This is the single most famous dive-and-snorkel site in the region, offering dramatic rock formations, excellent visibility, and guaranteed marine encounters.","intermediate","published",{"name":58,"amplitude":74,"phase":90,"latitude":22,"model":106,"epoch":107},[59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73],"2N2","J1","K1","K2","M2","M4","MF","MM","N2","O1","P1","Q1","S1","S2","T2",[75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89],0.0192546936519666,0.011542100454191961,0.1676585894496627,0.03767279705566273,0.5116235623924407,0.005735166607335807,0.0017893570725892886,0.002270379190624124,0.10768417858040115,0.09163566926208798,0.05036824546027155,0.021790405695352125,0.01091441993117665,0.1283003576166644,0.010502245496758685,[91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105],278.8701545415236,4.1980203781044745,330.24181377830485,314.7247225436892,305.68353957966815,305.5264991458937,121.48557253297066,229.8059162495358,299.26477715718363,299.0318147200857,323.5047131383563,263.9023421947221,312.4065178068664,316.34501946699277,298.26334349817853,"EOT20","1992-01-01T00:00:00Z",[109,114,118,121,124,127,130,134,138,141,144,148,151,154,157,160,164,167,172],{"name":110,"description":111,"severity":112,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Surge inside the crack","A strong surging current can push snorkellers and divers against the rock walls inside the narrow passage. Groups must coordinate to ride or fight the surge.","caution",12,{"name":115,"description":116,"severity":117,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Overhead rock arch \u002F confined swim-through","The Looking Glass is a narrow, enclosed rock passage with an overhead ceiling. Snorkellers must be comfortable with confined spaces and careful not to surface into rock.","warning",{"name":119,"description":120,"severity":112,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Boat traffic","Access is exclusively by boat and charter vessels frequently navigate around the island. Snorkellers should stay aware of boat movements near the entrance.",{"name":122,"description":123,"severity":117,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Depth variation","Depth changes rapidly from 8 m inside the crack to 18-26 m outside. Snorkellers should stay on the surface or in shallow areas only.",{"name":125,"description":126,"severity":117,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Surge inside the arch","Strong surge can push snorkellers and divers against the rock walls inside the narrow crack. Group agreement on riding or fighting the surge is essential.",{"name":128,"description":129,"severity":117,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Shallow ceiling in the gap","The arch shallows to about 8 m; poor buoyancy control can lead to accidental surfacing or contact with the rock overhead.",{"name":131,"description":132,"severity":117,"season_start":133,"season_end":113},"North-easterly winds (summer)","NE winds (common in summer) can create choppy conditions on the exposed eastern side of Broughton Island, making the return crossing uncomfortable or unsafe.",11,{"name":135,"description":136,"severity":117,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Strong currents at gutters","Big Shark Gutters and Little Shark Gutters can develop strong tidal flows through the rock channels, requiring good fitness and awareness.",null,{"name":139,"description":140,"severity":117,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Northeasterly winds","Common summer north-easterly winds (especially early in the day) and southerly winds can create rough sea conditions, making boat passage and snorkelling hazardous.",{"name":142,"description":143,"severity":112,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Remote island access","Broughton Island is boat-access only with no on-site medical facilities. Emergency response times are long.",{"name":145,"description":146,"severity":112,"season_start":147,"season_end":113},"Nesting bird colonies","Silver gulls and terns nest on the southern rocky isthmus; eggs and chicks are camouflaged underfoot. Disturbing nesting birds is prohibited.",8,{"name":149,"description":150,"severity":112,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Sharp volcanic rock","The island's volcanic terrain includes sharp rocks and boulders along the shoreline, posing a cut hazard when entering or exiting the water.",{"name":152,"description":153,"severity":117,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Strong ocean currents around headlands","Tidal currents can be strong off the northern and eastern points of the island, especially around Coal Shaft Bay and the Looking Glass passage.",{"name":155,"description":156,"severity":112,"season_start":36,"season_end":113},"Limited access to medical help","The island is remote with no medical facilities. Any injury requires boat evacuation back to the mainland (45–60 min journey).",{"name":158,"description":159,"severity":112,"season_start":133,"season_end":113},"Marine stingers","Bluebottles and occasional jellyfish can appear, particularly in warmer months from November to March.",{"name":161,"description":162,"severity":163,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Overhead cave environment","The cave is a confined overhead space requiring good buoyancy control and cave-diving awareness. Exit to open water requires swimming back the way you entered.","danger",{"name":165,"description":166,"severity":117,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Air pocket hazard","A large air pocket in the cave roof contains potentially hypoxic or contaminated gas. Do NOT breathe from the pocket — always use your regulator.",{"name":168,"description":169,"severity":117,"season_start":170,"season_end":171},"Surge and sea conditions","Moderate seas can create strong surge inside the cave and at the entrance, making entry\u002Fexit hazardous. Best in calm conditions.",5,9,{"name":173,"description":174,"severity":117,"season_start":137,"season_end":137},"Depth limitations","Entrance at 13 m, slope drops to 18 m. This depth range makes it unsuitable for beginner snorkelers and requires diving certification for scuba.",{"directions":176,"parking":177,"facilities":178,"fees":182,"access_method":183},"The Looking Glass is located off Broughton Island, approximately 20 km north of Port Stephens, NSW. Access is by private boat or charter tour from Nelson Bay marina. The boat journey takes 45-60 minutes. Set a GPS course for 32° 37.779' S 152° 18.974' E (WGS84) to find the crack entrance on the western side of Looking Glass Island.","Park at the Nelson Bay marina car park or at the Boat Harbour boat ramp (hard beach launch, protected from all but due east winds). Park entry fees to Myall Lakes National Park: $8 per vehicle per day.",[179,180,181],"parking","toilets","boat_ramp","Charter dive\u002Fsnorkel tours from Nelson Bay typically cost $120-$180 per person. National park fees: $8 per vehicle per day.","snorkel_tour","2026-07-27T02:55:28.924219Z","2026-08-04T05:32:31.002519Z",{"verdict":187,"evaluated_at":188,"models":189},"go","2026-10-03T02:17:04.387081Z",[190,197,202],{"model_name":191,"is_favourable":192,"value":193,"threshold":194,"unit":195,"operator":196},"Wind Speed",true,2.49,10,"kn","lte",{"model_name":198,"is_favourable":192,"value":199,"threshold":200,"unit":201,"operator":196},"Wave Height",0.383,0.5,"m",{"model_name":203,"is_favourable":192,"value":204,"threshold":40,"unit":205,"operator":206},"Visibility",2.1,"","gte",{"verdict":187,"rating":208,"evaluated_at":188,"generated_at":188,"source":209,"confidence":210,"visibility":213,"parameters":214,"models_passed":43,"models_total":170},"Good","precomputed",{"level":211,"value":212},"High",100,{"score":204,"rating":137,"confidence":137},[215,217,222,225,230],{"name":198,"value":216,"label":137,"unit":201,"favourable":192,"score":43,"optimal_max":200,"marginal_max":36},0.38340963922128934,{"name":218,"value":219,"label":137,"unit":220,"favourable":221,"score":36,"optimal_max":147,"marginal_max":113},"Swell Period",10.05,"s",false,{"name":191,"value":223,"label":137,"unit":195,"favourable":192,"score":43,"optimal_max":194,"marginal_max":224},2.4927691533351526,15,{"name":226,"value":227,"label":137,"unit":228,"favourable":192,"score":43,"optimal_max":170,"marginal_max":229},"Precipitation",0.1,"mm",20,{"name":231,"value":137,"label":232,"unit":205,"favourable":221,"score":36,"optimal_max":137,"marginal_max":137},"Tidal Phase","flood",[234,241],{"id":235,"image_url":13,"sort_order":5,"is_primary":192,"moderation_status":236,"license":237,"license_url":238,"attribution":239,"author_name":240},"14063d43-e525-44c0-95be-822fe6936ac8","approved","CC BY-SA 4.0","https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-sa\u002F4.0\u002F","Photo by Privatemusings","Privatemusings",{"id":242,"image_url":243,"sort_order":36,"is_primary":221,"moderation_status":236,"license":244,"license_url":137,"attribution":245,"author_name":246},"3eeb96a0-09e4-43a0-8114-a0c560992490","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.syd1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\u002Fspots\u002Fimport_broughton-island-the-looking-glass_1_6abcb62dc28e.jpg","No restrictions","Photo by Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons","Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons",{"display_name":248},"Daniel","unverified",1791009135248]