Dive Review of Abyss Scuba Diving/Rydges Cronulla Beachside in
Australia

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Abyss Scuba Diving/Rydges Cronulla Beachside: "Shore and Boat dive with Abyss Scuba Diving", Jan, 2023, by Joel Horie, UT, US ( Sr. Contributor 24 reports with 18 Helpful votes). Report 12573 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Flew Delta LAX to Sydney. Rented a car and stayed at the Rydges Cronulla. Did guided shore dives and one boat dive through Abyss Scuba Diving(located in Ramsgate). A few tourist days in the area as well. Our one goal was seeing Weedy Sea Dragons. Prior to entering Australia from US, had to fill the Australia ETA visa application. I used the app on an iPhone. The Incoming Passenger Card we filled out on the inbound flight, but they had them in the baggage claim area as well. On arrival, you scan you passport at a kiosk, then further down the hall, pass through a photo face scan(Smart Gate). Then, collect checked baggage and get in line for customs. Custom lines were long, but moved. The customs officers collect the Passenger card and ask a few questions(anything to declare, food or produce, etc). As you exit customs, you’ll be on the ground level. There are vendors for food, mobile phones and SIM cards, convenience items, luggage storage, and a short stay hotel and lounge (Aerotel). The Aerotel was also a Priority Pass lounge, if you’re a member. Rented from Apex car rental. The price was much less expensive than the larger companies and the car was clean and just a year old. We had about a 20 minute wait for their van. A short, but circuitous drive to the Apex office, which is in a parking garage. Car pick up was very straight forward and no hard sell for upgrades or insurance like in the US. Ask about how to reenter the garage on return. I think it was on a different street, compared to the exit. Driving on the left hand side is much easier, with a helpful passenger. The gas stations we used were pump first, then go inside and pay. The Rydges Cronulla was more affordable than seaside hotels closer to Sydney and was close to most of our dive sites and the dive shop. Nice hotel, but no special facilities for divers. We paid for parking in the hotel’s underground lot. We arrived New Years Day and the week we stayed seemed like a school holiday. Parking in town was very tight, with some traffic and people cruising for street parking. Cronulla feels like a suburban/resort town with beaches, a pedestrian mall with shops and a variety of restaurants. It also has commuter train service to Sydney. We took the train into Sydney for a day of site seeing. Try to make reservations for sit down restaurants, even for lunch. Kafenio was good for morning classic espresso drinks. Almost every place we had to pay for goods or services was setup for tap to pay and most people use their phones. Many casual “order at the counter” places had tip jars for small tips. Cash and coins were handy for that. Boxing Day sales were still going at some places and we caught a deal on an Olympus TG-6. If you buy anything, specifically ask them for a tax refund receipt. This is important, especially if you are at a shop that doesn’t see many foreign tourists. You’ll apply for your sales tax refund at the airport, after security. If you like Sharkskin dive suits, they are north of Sydney, near Newcastle. We did three guided shore dives and one boat dive. We got to see our sea dragons at The Steps dive site at Kurnell National Park. We are seniors and were glad to have dive guides, especially for tide planning and entry and exit plans. Air temperature was in the mid 70s to low 80s F and water temps varied from 65 to 70F. We were comfy in 5 mil suits w ith hoods. Dives met at the shop, then we followed the guide to the dive site in our rental car. We had large heavy duty trash can liners, to put our after dive wet gear in the trunk of the rental car. The shore dives were planned at slack tide. The Steps were literally a lot of steps, a walkway and then a slab rock entry and exit. Shiprock Reserve was even more steps, but an easy manmade cove entry(twilight dive for the tide). Lilli Pilli was an easy slippery boat ramp entry. Went to Magic Point on the boat dive. The dive boat left from a marina a short drive from the shop. It was a large nicely fitted RIB. No room for large gear bags, but everyone had a storage bin under their seat. Water and coats were provided for the surface interval and ride back. Back roll entry or giant stride off the rear platform. Open ladders on the platform for return to the boat. The boat had a very plush ride in 4 to 6 foot swell and light chop. During our four dive days, we saw sea dragons, Wobegong , Port Jackson and Grey Nurse sharks, Blue Groper, pineapple fish, cuttlefish, Octopus, Maori wrasse, Red Morwong, and Nudibranchs. The DMs and shop staff were friendly and helpful. No tipping the DMs. You pickup and return tanks(steel 10 or 12 liters) at the shop. Parking lot is behind the shop, with an entry to the left side of the shop as you face it. The tanks were set up for yoke valves, but I think DIN was available. Snorkels were recommended for the rougher entries. They usually have a free guided group dive each week. One day they had free pizza and beer at the shop. The shop had good recommendations for local restaurants there in Ramsgate. They were happy to make recommendations for other area dives and even called another shop to check on water conditions for us.
Websites	Abyss Scuba Diving Rydges Cronulla Beachside
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Hawaii, Belize, Caymans, Socal, Bonaire, Roatan, Cabo Pulmo, Cozumel, Caicos
Closest Airport	SYD	Getting There	Flew LAX-SYD
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, dry	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	56-71°F / 13-22°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Abyss Scuba Diving/Rydges Cronulla Beachside in Australia

Abyss Scuba Diving/Rydges Cronulla Beachside: "Shore and Boat dive with Abyss Scuba Diving", Jan, 2023,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Abyss Scuba Diving/Rydges Cronulla Beachside in
Australia