Bremer Island – Dhambaliya in Yolŋu Matha – is a 7.7 km long, 16 km² island lying 3.4 km off the north-east corner of Arnhem Land and about 5 km from Nhulunbuy. It is the closest island dive to town and the one most visitors to Gove are likely to do. Sea turtles nest on its beaches, the East Bremer Islets 4.5 km to the east are an Important Bird Area, and the small Banubanu Beach Retreat at the northern tip – limited to eight guests – has been the island's only tourist facility.

The Marine Life Network describes Bremer as offering relaxing, colourful fringing coral reefs in the shallows and, at greater depth, caves filled with sponges, sea fans and soft corals, across a depth range of about 5–40 m. This gives the island two very different dives. In the shallows, hard corals – plates, branching and massive forms – host damselfish, anemonefish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and wrasse, with turtles common. Deeper, the reef breaks into ledges and caverns whose walls and ceilings are covered with sponges, gorgonians and soft corals, and where moray eels, gropers and coral trout shelter.

Water clarity is a highlight compared with the western Top End: Gove lies at the entrance to the Gulf of Carpentaria, where tidal ranges are smaller and there is less river outflow, so visibility of 10–20 m is common in good conditions. Rays and trevally patrol the sand and reef edges.

Bremer suits a wide range of divers: Open Water divers can enjoy the shallow gardens, while experienced divers can explore the deeper caves. It is Yolŋu land and sea country, and visitors must hold the appropriate permits and respect restrictions on landing.

Fly to Gove (Nhulunbuy) – about 1 hour 10 minutes from Darwin or 1 hour 40 minutes from Cairns – or drive the Central Arnhem Road from Katherine (around nine hours, 4WD, dry season only, NLC transit permit). Launch at the Gove Boat Club ramp on Drimmie Head Road in Melville Bay and run north around the peninsula to Bremer Island, a short trip in calm conditions. Dive sites are chosen on the day according to wind: the western (lee) side in the south-east trades.

Anchor in sand off the reef.

The Gove Peninsula sits at the north-west corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and tidal ranges here are much smaller than at Darwin (roughly 2–3 m), so diving is less tide-bound – but slack water still matters at channel and point sites. From April to September the south-east trade wind blows hard (often 15–25 knots), making the exposed east-facing coast and offshore islands rough by late morning; early starts and sites in the lee of islands are the norm. The build-up and early wet (October–December) bring glassy calm days and the best visibility.

In the wet season (December–March) the Gulf side is often still diveable, but inshore sites lose visibility after rain, cyclones are possible and box jellyfish are present.

Anchor in sand off the fringing reef on the lee side. Descend and explore the reef slope at 10–18 m, looking into caves and overhangs in the deeper sections for sponges, fans and soft corals, then work back up the slope into the shallow coral gardens at 5–8 m for the second half of the dive and a relaxed safety stop.

Gove Diving & Fishing Charters (Nhulunbuy, ph 08 8987 3445) has provided air fills, gear hire, courses and boat trips to the offshore islands; confirm current operation before travelling. Otherwise private boats from the Gove Boat Club ramp, and local residents' informal dive groups.