The exposed eastern end of Michaelmas Island is where King George Sound diving starts to feel like the open Southern Ocean. Marine Life Network's Albany site list describes three related sites here. The Eastern End wall, 50-60 m off the tip of the island, drops from about 12 m to 27 m and carries very large gorgonian fans and ledges of black coral, with schools of pelagic fish off the wall when the tide is running. The Michaelmas Island Fingers are long granite ridges extending from the eastern end in 25-30 m, separated by canyons and crevasses covered in sea fans, sea stars, nudibranchs, sponges, gorgonians, sea tulips, ascidians and soft corals, with boarfish, blue groper, morwong, harlequin fish, wrasse, leatherjackets, scalyfin, bullseyes and western blue devils in residence.

On the south-east corner, in 7-26 m, a jumble of granite has formed caves and grottos lined with fans, colourful sponges and shells. One large boulder here, known as Grinding Rock, shifts and grinds with the swell – an unnerving but memorable sound, and a warning that the caves are only for flat days. At the opposite, western end of the island, Anchor Rock is a field of tumbled granite boulders in 12-18 m that forms swim-throughs and small caves with excellent invertebrate and fish life, and is often the fallback when the east end is rough.

This is advanced diving: deeper than the northern side, subject to tidal flow along the wall and surge in the caves, and weather-dependent. When conditions line up, however, the combination of big gorgonians, black coral and granite topography is among the best close to Albany, and a good step between the sheltered sound sites and the outer Breaksea walls.

Albany is 418 km (about 4.5 hours) south-east of Perth via Albany Highway. Charter boats and private boats launch either from the Emu Point boat ramp (Emu Point Drive, 7 km north-east of the CBD, with a large trailer car park, toilets and a fish-cleaning station) or from the town ramp beside the Albany Waterfront marina in Princess Royal Harbour, which exits into King George Sound through the harbour entrance past Possession Point. From Emu Point the eastern end of Michaelmas Island is about 7 km (15-20 minutes).

The wall is 50-60 m off the island's eastern tip; the Fingers extend out from the eastern end, and the SE Corner caves (including Grinding Rock) are on the south-east corner. Anchor on sand or drift-dive with a boat tender because of occasional tidal flow. Anchor Rock, at the island's western end, is a separate boulder-field site often used when the east end is rough.

The eastern end faces the open entrance to King George Sound and is exposed to easterly winds and to any swell wrapping in around Breaksea Island. Marine Life Network advises diving it in winds from the south through west to north, and the SE Corner caves only in swell under 1 m – even moderate swell creates severe surge in the caves, and 'Grinding Rock' there moves audibly with the surge. Strong tidal movement can run along the eastern wall.

Summer easterly sea breezes usually rule it out in the afternoon; calm autumn mornings with a light westerly are ideal.

On the eastern wall, drop in 50-60 m off the tip, descend to 20-25 m and follow the wall with it on one shoulder, looking for black coral ledges and big fans, then work back up into the granite fingers at 15-20 m. Turn with ample air to allow for current, ascend along the rock and do the safety stop off the wall. Enter the SE Corner caves only in flat conditions.

South Coast Diving Supplies (Albany) – the town's dive shop; runs scheduled boat dives in King George Sound most weekends and on demand in summer/autumn, and issues HMAS Perth permits – dives the eastern end on calm days, usually westerly weather.