Steve Gillespie has been diving the waters around Nelson Bay for 45 years and taking photos of what he sees along the way for almost as long.

Mr Gillespie, from Shellharbour near Wollongong, has seen many changes in the Bay's landscape during those years but it remains one of his favourite places to visit.

"It's my happy place, firstly because of the ease of diving from the shore and the awesome marine life encountered on the dives," he said.

"Next its the relaxed atmosphere and the people that we meet there. We have made many friends in Nelson Bay over the years and stay in touch all the time.

"Thirdly, it's the above water beauty of the Nelson Bay surrounds. We never get sick of it."

Mr Gillespie and wife Jayne, whom he met while working in a dive shop, have made four trips to Nelson Bay this year - prior to the lockdown.

The pair typically make five or more trips to the Bay each year, staying for about two weeks each time, to dive. They hope to move to Nelson Bay in the future.

In speaking to the Examiner about what he loves about diving around Nelson Bay, and sharing some of his images taken during visits in 2019, 2020 and early this year, he said a major factor was the "different and varied creatures that inhabit the place".

"The bottom of Nelson Bay is a wonderland of soft corals and sponges of all colours that cover the bottom and provide cover for a lot of the other marine life that abounds in the area," he said.

"Unfortunately during the huge rain event earlier this year [in March], some areas were damaged quite badly, particularly in the shallow waters. The good news is that the soft corals, sponges and various types of sea weed are coming back.

"All the dive sites are good but my favourite is Pipeline.

"It is reasonably shallow and allows for longer dive times. The only thing that shortens a dive there is the change of tides and the need to get to a toilet. All the diving in Nelson Bay is tidal. We are generally in the water about half an hour, sometimes three quarters of an hour before high tide and stay until the tide turns to run out.

"You can even do night dives with the tides to see even more spectacular marine animals. The day shift animals go to bed and the night shift crews (nocturnal animals) come out to feed and move about. It's a real eye opener for those that enjoy night dives."

Mr Gillespie went scuba diving for his 16 birthday and has "never looked back".

"I have been diving now for 53 years," he said. "I just have a love for the underwater world and all things that live in it. My belief is that diving is good for the soul."

He loved diving so much he became a diving instructor with the Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and a rescue diver and crew trainer for the Illawarra's Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service.

Mr Gillespie took up underwater photography in 1980. He mostly posts his images on social media to share his "love for the underwater world and all things that live in it".

"Most of my images are kept in a shoe box, so to speak, and rolled out on the odd occasion. I have used them in presentations that I occasionally do for the public. Mostly I post them on social media to show and maybe educate people who are non-divers what it is like to be in the underwater environment and what beauty there is to be seen there. I thoroughly enjoy seeing people being amazed at what surrounds them in the marine environment and being able to answer their questions - where I can - about the marine animals that live there."

Speaking about the changes he has noticed in the Bay in the past 45 years of visits, Mr Gillespie said he had noticed a "huge increase in activities above and below the water".

"I first started diving in Nelson Bay about 45 years ago. It certainly has changed in that time. It's getting busier and busier all the time," he said.

"There are many more people coming into the Bay area and that also equates to many more divers visiting the area. In holiday seasons like Christmas, Easter and public holidays and long weekends it can sometimes be quite difficult to even find a parking spot at the dive sites.

"The underwater landscape is naturally and constantly changing with the ebb and flow of the tides and the shifting of sand and sediments throughout the Bay. One unfortunate episode was when the dive site at Halifax Park was invaded by many tons of sand that pretty much destroyed one of the best shore dive sites on the east coast of Australia."

Mr Gillespie's advice for anyone wanting to explore the Port's underwater world post-lockdown that Nelson Bay was the best place to start.

"The diving is easy and there are places where you can learn to scuba dive and snorkel," he said.

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