[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":200},["ShallowReactive",2],{"leaderboard-total":3,"spot-seo-fish-rock-cave-fish-rock-island":9,"spot-fish-rock-cave-fish-rock-island":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 Fish Rock Cave (Fish Rock Island) - How's the Spot","Check snorkeling conditions at Fish Rock Cave (Fish Rock Island), New South Wales. Fair conditions, water 21.4°C, waves 0.81m","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fspots\u002Ffish-rock-cave-fish-rock-island","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fog-default.png",[15,28],{"@context":16,"@type":17,"name":18,"description":19,"url":12,"geo":20,"address":24},"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org","Place","Fish Rock Cave (Fish Rock Island)","Fish Rock Cave is Australia's only true ocean-cave snorkel\u002Fdive site — a 125-metre tunnel punched straight through a tiny isolated island 2 km off Smoky Cape, South West Rocks. Enter through the de...",{"@type":21,"latitude":22,"longitude":23},"GeoCoordinates",-30.9384,153.100684,{"@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 Fish Rock Cave (Fish Rock Island)",{"@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\u002Ffish-rock-cave-fish-rock-island",{"id":52,"name":18,"slug":53,"latitude":22,"longitude":23,"description":54,"difficulty":55,"image_url":56,"status":57,"tide_constituents":58,"hazard_entries":109,"access_info_structured":138,"area_boundary":56,"routes":56,"created_at":146,"updated_at":147,"today_conditions":148,"today_verdict_view":169,"images":196,"submitted_by":197,"region_name":26,"verification_status":199,"verified_at":56,"disputed":154,"verifier_count":5,"last_verified_display_name":56},"ba95b9da-bde4-44b8-ae22-3a8307a211f7","fish-rock-cave-fish-rock-island","Fish Rock Cave is Australia's only true ocean-cave snorkel\u002Fdive site — a 125-metre tunnel punched straight through a tiny isolated island 2 km off Smoky Cape, South West Rocks. Enter through the deep entrance at 24 m and ascend through vertical chimneys lit only by torchlight, emerging into a dazzling shallow blue cathedral where thousands of bullseyes swirl beneath a sunlit arch. Grey nurse sharks cruise the gutters year-round, wobbegongs blanket the floor, and giant cuttlefish, painted crayfish, and green turtles haunt the walls. The mix of temperate and tropical species here is extraordinary thanks to the adjacent continental shelf.","advanced",null,"published",{"name":59,"amplitude":75,"phase":91,"latitude":22,"model":107,"epoch":108},[60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74],"2N2","J1","K1","K2","M2","M4","MF","MM","N2","O1","P1","Q1","S1","S2","T2",[76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],0.030630872812752778,0.010563043947033586,0.17955983220893001,0.028426628926707907,0.5318994408318221,0.003551080179482341,0.0024607955220748447,0.003729590843552509,0.11012138985601837,0.09739916903430255,0.05538545600529697,0.018576502070725205,0.015206033313462526,0.13078075040404974,0.00565221930730811,[92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106],285.7416396329292,0.6319100657556193,340.58424083157684,289.39731075525026,302.72118714048315,316.0835147936621,199.18911826246085,295.21791540145495,295.58030500109703,313.9193061113598,339.62243805101156,277.5923677199705,343.1506272176201,315.4332944237874,342.7248222671492,"EOT20","1992-01-01T00:00:00Z",[110,114,118,122,126,129,132,135],{"name":111,"description":112,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Ocean currents","Strong north-to-south currents can sweep around Fish Rock, making drift conditions possible. Colorado Pass is only diveable in slack current.","warning",{"name":115,"description":116,"severity":117,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Cave overhead environment","The 125 m tunnel has zero natural light in sections — requires torch, good buoyancy control, and cave-diving awareness. Not for claustrophobic snorkelers.","danger",{"name":119,"description":120,"severity":121,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Boat traffic","The site is accessed by boat 2 km offshore; snorkelers must be aware of dive boats and vessel movements around the island.","caution",{"name":123,"description":124,"severity":113,"season_start":36,"season_end":125},"Depth hazards","Cave entrance at 24 m depth with enclosed chimney ascents — strict depth management needed. Snorkeling is limited to the shallow exit zone (~12 m).",12,{"name":127,"description":128,"severity":113,"season_start":36,"season_end":125},"Strong ocean currents","The Pinnacle lies in the path of the prevailing north-to-south current. Currents can be strong and changeable, making this a drift snorkel site at times. Only snorkel in calm conditions.",{"name":130,"description":131,"severity":113,"season_start":36,"season_end":125},"Exposed offshore location","Fish Rock is 2 km offshore with no sheltered shore access. Swell, wind, and sea conditions can change rapidly. Boat access only.",{"name":133,"description":134,"severity":121,"season_start":36,"season_end":125},"Deep water adjacent to reef","The Pinnacle rises from 30–35 m depths. Snorkelers must be comfortable over deep water with significant drop-offs close to the reef top.",{"name":136,"description":137,"severity":121,"season_start":36,"season_end":125},"Marine wildlife encounters","Grey Nurse Sharks, large wobbegongs, bull rays, and stingrays are frequently present. While generally non-aggressive, their size demands respectful distance.",{"directions":139,"parking":140,"facilities":141,"fees":144,"access_method":145},"Fish Rock lies 2 km off Smoky Cape, South West Rocks, on the NSW Mid North Coast. Drive 5 hours north of Sydney or 1 hour south of Coffs Harbour to South West Rocks. Launch or join a tour from the South West Rocks marina. The site is only accessible by boat — no shore entry.","Parking available at South West Rocks marina and nearby street parking in the town centre.",[142,143],"parking","toilets","No direct fee for the site, but boat charter\u002Fdive shop fees apply. Fish Rock Dive Centre and South West Rocks Dive Centre run daily trips.","boat","2026-07-27T02:55:43.262520Z","2026-08-04T05:36:16.070414Z",{"verdict":149,"evaluated_at":150,"models":151},"marginal","2026-10-03T02:19:14.039563Z",[152,159,164],{"model_name":153,"is_favourable":154,"value":155,"threshold":156,"unit":157,"operator":158},"Wind Speed",false,12.94,10,"kn","lte",{"model_name":160,"is_favourable":154,"value":161,"threshold":162,"unit":163,"operator":158},"Wave Height",0.808,0.5,"m",{"model_name":165,"is_favourable":154,"value":166,"threshold":40,"unit":167,"operator":168},"Visibility",1.66,"","gte",{"verdict":149,"rating":170,"evaluated_at":150,"generated_at":150,"source":171,"confidence":172,"visibility":175,"parameters":176,"models_passed":40,"models_total":191},"Fair","precomputed",{"level":173,"value":174},"High",100,{"score":166,"rating":56,"confidence":56},[177,179,185,188,193],{"name":160,"value":178,"label":56,"unit":163,"favourable":154,"score":36,"optimal_max":162,"marginal_max":36},0.8081396189417174,{"name":180,"value":181,"label":56,"unit":182,"favourable":183,"score":43,"optimal_max":184,"marginal_max":125},"Swell Period",7.25,"s",true,8,{"name":153,"value":186,"label":56,"unit":157,"favourable":154,"score":36,"optimal_max":156,"marginal_max":187},12.939211286456464,15,{"name":189,"value":5,"label":56,"unit":190,"favourable":183,"score":43,"optimal_max":191,"marginal_max":192},"Precipitation","mm",5,20,{"name":194,"value":56,"label":195,"unit":167,"favourable":154,"score":36,"optimal_max":56,"marginal_max":56},"Tidal Phase","flood",[],{"display_name":198},"Daniel","unverified",1791009152050]