Dampier strait is an area with a number of dive sites all of exceptional quality. The best sites are all on the western part of the strait and all of them have strong currents. One of the main dive sites here is Mike’s Point, which is a reef dive that faces the current. Like Sardine Reef and Cape Kri, this dive site is a very dynamic type of dive because of the currents.
During the Second World War, parts of Mike’s Point were bombed by US aircraft. This was not because there were any ships in the strait but because the tidal flows had created so much white water around the straits, the pilots thought that they were seeing the wake of a Japanese naval boat. Luckily, they did not damage the dive site and it is still a phenomenal dive area. With such strong currents, divers need to ensure they are experienced enough to be able to dive here. Even so, divers still need to be careful to make sure that they are not swept off the reef by the current.
The currents bring with them the nutrients that reef fish need, and in this case, the current flows right onto the reef. The pelagic fish then join the melee to feed on the many reef fish and so divers can watch the entire marine food chain in action. Divers will see many reef sharks, as well as schools of tuna, jacks, and barracuda. The reef fish are innumerable and cover most of the species found in the area including damsels, angelfish, fusiliers, triggerfish, and butterflyfish.