The Scallop Beds lie on the sheltered inside of Bowen Island, where sand and scattered weed at about 12 m support a rich community of small creatures. McFadyen describes the beds as totally protected, with prolific macro life for photographers, and notes that the site works well as a night dive.

This is a muck-style dive: there is little in the way of reef structure, and the interest is in what lives on and in the sand. Scallops give the site its name, and divers find seahorses clinging to weed, octopus in burrows, sea pens, flathead half-buried in the sand, stingrays, and a variety of nudibranchs and crabs. At night the beds come alive with hunting octopus and cuttlefish, shrimps with glowing eyes and burrowing anemones extending their tentacles.

Its protection and modest depth make it suitable for any certified diver, and it is an excellent place to practise buoyancy and macro photography. Navigation is the main skill required: with few landmarks, a compass and a simple pattern keep divers oriented. The site is also close to the Murrays Beach ramp and Booderee National Park facilities. The waters around Bowen Island are within Booderee National Park and a sanctuary zone, so all animals – including the scallops – are protected. A good torch and a macro lens are the essential kit. For divers staying at Jervis Bay Village or camping in Booderee, it is one of the easiest night dives to organise with a small boat from Murrays, and on calm summer evenings the surface interval can be spent watching the sun set over the bay. Squid often gather in the torchlight, so expect company on the ascent.

Charters depart Huskisson (Dive Jervis Bay; boats in Currambene Creek), about 15–20 minutes across the bay to Bowen Island. Private boats can launch at the Murrays Beach ramp in Booderee National Park (park entry fee; ramp faces Bowen Island, 5 minutes away) or at Huskisson/Callala. The beds lie on the sheltered inside (bay side) of Bowen Island, between the island and Murrays Beach – about 5 minutes from the Murrays ramp or 15–20 minutes from Huskisson.

Anchor on the sand in about 12 m.

The Scallop Beds are totally protected by Bowen Island and the southern shore of the bay from ocean swell; only strong north-easterly winds blowing across the bay create a chop. Visibility is usually modest over sand (8–15 m) and drops if the silt is disturbed. Ideal for night dives on calm evenings.

Descend to the sand at 12 m and swim slow lazy loops or a compass square pattern, scanning the sand for scallops, seahorses, octopus, sea pens and nudibranchs. Keep off the bottom to protect visibility and return to the anchor line on a reciprocal bearing.

Dive Jervis Bay (Huskisson; boats Avalon and Genesis) runs double boat dives most days, and Deep 6 Diving Jervis Bay / other Huskisson operators also visit; site chosen on the day according to swell and wind. Used for night dives and macro-photography trips.