Cowes Jetty

Pier Dive | Shore access

Cowes Jetty | © Unknown

Depth: 2 m (6.56 ft) to 15 m (49 ft)

Cowes Jetty (aka Cowes Pier) faces due north and lies on the northern side of Phillip Island at the northern end of Bass Avenue and The Esplanade in Cowes. It is flanked by sheltered beaches which are a popular attraction for families. Mussel Rocks Beach lies between Mussel Rocks to the west and the ferry jetty, while the main Cowes Beach is immediately east of the jetty, with Erehwon Point forming the eastern boundary. There are numerous facilities within walking distance from the pier including, toilets, barbecues and playgrounds.

At slackwater you can dive under the pier exploring the pylons. You need to keep clear of ferries coming and going from the jetty.

The wreck of the steam launch Vixen lies about 450 metres, bearing 287°, WNW from Cowes Jetty.

Cowes Jetty from Cowes Beach
© Unknown

Location: Cowes, Phillip Island, Victoria 3922
MELWAY Ref: Page 731 K1
Emergency Beach Location: A25

Parking: There is parking along the northern side of The Esplande to the east of Cowes Jetty.

Entry/Exit: There are entry and exit points at the head of the pier on the eastern side.

Ideal Conditions: Best with calm seas and offshore southerly winds. Strong northery winds here render diving useless. Tidal heights vary greatly and the jetty is subject to strong currents. It's best dived at slackwater, or with the cleaner water of an incoming tide. See WillyWeather (Cowes Jetty) as a guide for the tide times and the height of the tide.

See also, Cowes Pier in "Shore Dives of Victoria" by Ian Lewis, 3rd edition pages 156–157.

Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. This truly ancient Country includes parts of Port Phillip, from the Werribee River in the north-west, down to Wilson's Promontory in the south-east, including the Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island, plus Western Port. We wish to acknowledge the Boon Wurrung as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Bunjil the Creator Spirit of this beautiful land, who travels as an eagle, and Waarn, who protects the waterways and travels as a crow, and thank them for continuing to watch over this Country today and beyond.

 

Cowes Jetty Location Map

Latitude: 38° 26.772′ S   (38.446207° S / 38° 26′ 46.35″ S)
Longitude: 145° 14.399′ E   (145.239983° E / 145° 14′ 23.94″ E)
Datum: WGS84 | Google Map | Get directions
Added: 2022-03-14 18:27:33 GMT, Last updated: 2022-03-22 16:24:20 GMT
Source: Google Earth
Nearest Neighbour: Vixen, 454 m, bearing 287°, WNW
Cowes, Phillip Island, Western Port.
Depth: 2 to 15 m.

DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.