Gower Island is a rocky islet off the southern tip of Lord Howe, in the shadow of Mt Gower, the 875 m mountain that dominates the island's southern end.

What is known of the southern end comes mainly from Pro Dive's description of Gower Pinnacle and The Triangle nearby: plateaus from 20 m, escarpments to 32 m and canyons below 40 m, with large kingfish, schools of spangled emperor, sharks, black coral trees and the Meredith's and conspicuous angelfish. A dive around Gower Island would be expected to share some of that fish life, with the islet's rock faces and boulders providing shelter for reef species.

The southern end is the most exposed part of the island. It takes the south-east trades and southerly swell directly, and the run from the lagoon is about half an hour, so it is visited only on calm days. Divers wanting to dive here should ask the dive shop whether it is part of the current rotation; with hundreds of sites surveyed, operators choose among many options and may not visit the islet itself.

It would suit Advanced divers because of the exposure, potential current and distance from the lagoon. The islet is also a landmark for boats heading further south to Balls Pyramid.

Lord Howe is reached only by air: QantasLink flies from Sydney daily (about 1 h 50 min), with Brisbane and seasonal Port Macquarie services. Accommodation must be booked before flights (visitor numbers are capped at about 400) and the checked-baggage limit is 14 kg, so most divers hire gear on the island. Dive Lord Howe's shop is at 2 Lagoon Road beside the Lagoon Beach boatsheds; most lodges transfer divers or it is a short bike ride.

Divers board the boat, which is moored in the lagoon, and leave the lagoon through Erscott's Passage at its southern end, then run south along the western coast beneath Mt Lidgbird and Mt Gower. The southern sites are the longest runs of the regular dives, roughly 25–30 minutes, and are done only when the sea allows.

Lord Howe sits in the path of the prevailing south-east to east trades and winter westerly fronts. The southern end of the island below Mt Gower is fully exposed to the south-east trades and to southerly and south-westerly swell, which is why the southern sites are dived only on calm days or in northerly to north-easterly winds. More than about 1.5 m of southerly swell or 15 knots of south-easterly closes them.

Current can run around Gower Island and the pinnacles. February–May usually brings the most suitable days; winter trips are uncommon.

Dive the lee side of the islet, following the reef and drop-off with the island on one shoulder and turning at half air.

Dive Lord Howe (PADI 5-star, 2 Lagoon Road) – morning double boat dives daily in season, afternoon single dives on demand; site chosen on the day by wind and swell. Howea Divers has also advertised dives here.