Slaughter Bay is Emily Bay's neighbour at Kingston, sharing the same fringing-reef lagoon. Oceanatik describes a sandy bottom and a shallow coral-enveloped reef with abundant marine life, excellent entry and exit points and very protected, sheltered water – 'a very colourful and interesting dive' to a maximum of 6 m. The Marine Life Network describes it as a fringing reef with night dive and snorkel options.

The Norfolk Island tourism body advises visiting at mid to low tide, and signs at the bay mark safe entry points at high tide. Nigel Marsh's description of the two connected bays applies here too: hard coral gardens and sandy patches up to about 4 m, visibility to 20 m, and a fish list that includes surge wrasse, green wrasse, Norfolk cardinalfish, notch-headed marblefish and Lord Howe moray, along with numerous endemic species.

History is close at hand. On 19 March 1790, HMS Sirius, flagship of the First Fleet, was wrecked on the reef off Slaughter Bay while landing stores, and the wreck site lies on the outer reef in the surf zone; it is listed separately. The name Slaughter Bay is thought to date from the convict era. The bay, like Emily Bay, has been a complete no-take area since February 2023, and it lies within the World Heritage-listed Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area.

It suits snorkellers and beginner divers on most days, and it is one of the few sites on Norfolk where a night snorkel is practical. Stay inside the reef crest – the outer reef, where the Sirius lies, is a surf zone and dangerous in anything but flat calm.

Norfolk Island is about 1,450 km east of Brisbane; flights run from Sydney and Brisbane (about 2.5 h; check the current carrier). A hire car is essential. Slaughter Bay is at Kingston between Emily Bay and Kingston Pier, about 10 minutes' drive from Burnt Pine.

Park along Bay Street or at the pier. Signs at the bay mark the safe entry points, which change with the tide. Snorkel gear hire and same-day condition reports are available at the Visitor Information Centre in Burnt Pine.

Emily Bay and Slaughter Bay sit inside the fringing reef at Kingston on the south coast. The reef shelters the lagoon from most swell, but a big southerly or south-easterly swell breaks heavily on the reef crest and can drive water and surge into the bays. Snorkel Slaughter Bay at mid to low tide (signs mark safe entry points at high tide); Emily Bay is calm at most tides.

Water flows out through the reef channels, especially on a falling tide – stay inside the reef. Visibility is up to about 20 m in the bays. Winter south-easterlies make the water choppy but the bays remain usable most days.

Enter at a signed entry point at mid to low tide and snorkel over the sand and shallow coral, staying inside the reef crest. Night snorkels are possible in calm conditions with a torch.

No operator needed – independent snorkel or shore dive. Snorkel gear hire from the Visitor Information Centre in Burnt Pine (same-day condition reports); glass-bottom boat tours of the lagoon; Norfolk Island Diving can arrange guided shore dives and air.