Octopus Garden is one of the sites Nigel Marsh logged with Dive Lord Howe, and he describes it as a reef of rocky gutters.

Marsh singles out the island longfin, a small endemic fish found around Lord Howe, along with relatives of the blue devil and a range of other reef fish. Rocky gutters at Lord Howe typically hold a mix of the island's subtropical species – doubleheader wrasse, Lord Howe butterflyfish, McCulloch's anemonefish, half-banded and conspicuous angelfish – together with morays and crayfish under the ledges. The name suggests octopus are a feature.

Dive Lord Howe say they have surveyed more than 350 sites around the island and avoid repeating sites where possible, so many named sites like this one are part of a rotation rather than regular fixtures. If you are interested in endemic fish, it is worth asking for, and it would suit Open Water divers in calm conditions.

The endemic fish of Lord Howe are one of the island's attractions for experienced divers. Around 500 fish species have been recorded, and the mix of tropical species carried south by the East Australian Current, temperate species from New Zealand and New South Wales, and the island's own endemics makes each site slightly different. Gutters like these are the best places to look for the small, secretive ones.

Confirm the site's location, depth and suitability with Dive Lord Howe.

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, to the site; its location is not published, but most Lord Howe boat dives are 10–25 minutes from the lagoon.

Lord Howe sits in the path of the prevailing south-east to east trades and winter westerly fronts. Octopus Garden's exposure depends on its location, which is not published. As a rule, sites on the north coast and in the Admiralty Islets are used in southerly weather, and sites along the western outer reef in easterly weather; the dive shop picks the sheltered side each day.

Visibility is usually 20–40 m. The main season is September–June.

Follow the guide through the rocky gutters, taking time to look for small endemic fish such as the island longfin at the gutter edges.

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.