The Steps (aka Steps and Boobs) is a popular surf access point just 100 km south-west of Melbourne, on Ocean Boulevarde at Jan Juc, between Bells Beach and Torquay. The Steps lies on Victoria's Surf Coast, facing south-east into Bass Strait. The Steps is well known to surfers and rarely dived, but on the rare days when conditions are flat, calm, with no swell, and the surfers are having a bad day, it's fun for divers and snorkellers to explore the limestone reefs and gullies.

To the north-east of The Steps headland is Half Moon Bay. The coast here is dominated by steep, 30 to 40 metre high, limestone bluffs, which wind their way for 2.5 km to Bells Beach. At the base of the bluffs are small beaches, each surrounded by rocks and reefs. The beaches are all relatively short and narrow, with the one below Princes Street (to the north-east) awash at high tide. Dead Man Beach lies south-west of The Steps. The beaches receive waves averaging 1 to 1.5 metre, with the reefs lowering waves at The Steps. Permanent rips persist against the reefs. That's all very good for the surfers, but when everything is calm and placid, its time for the divers and snorkellers to take over.

Diving and snorkelling at The Steps is about exploring the underwater reef terrain and marine life. On a perfect day, with no wind, no swell, and no current, it's really worthwhile. Heading south-east from the shore you come across a shallow limestone reef with ledges and large holes. Further out are the offshore limestone reefs with shelves, overhangs and holes supporting a wide-array of marine life.

Dive Type: Reef Dive

Imported from The Scuba Doctor