Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
The Seal (Don Heads wreck)
Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania · near Devonport
| Depth | 28–30 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Deep/Advanced + experience |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm) |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 16-19 °C, winter 11-13 °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October |
| Best season | December-April, on calm days with southerly (offshore) winds |
| Bottom time | 15 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | No marine reserve; normal Tasmanian fishing rules apply. No permit needed to dive. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200 |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
The Seal (Don Heads wreck)
Also known as Seal wreck
A deep, rarely visited wreck off Don Heads, home to resident cod.
Near Devonport · Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania
- Depth
- 28–30 m
- Minimum level
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~18 min
- Water
- 16-19 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
The Seal (Don Heads wreck)28–30 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, December.
December-April, on calm days with southerly (offshore) winds
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- 28–30 m
- Typical depth
- 29 m
- Certification
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 5 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~18 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 16-19 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 11-13 °C
- Water
- Cold Temperate
- Bottom time
- 15 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October
Location
Devonport & Mersey · Tasmania North-West Coast
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Devonport.
Primary source: levenscubaclub.com.auMarine park & permits
No marine reserve; normal Tasmanian fishing rules apply. No permit needed to dive.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around The Seal (Don Heads wreck) →
A day-by-day plan for Tasmania North & North-West with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
The Seal (Don Heads wreck) is a wreck boat dive in Tasmania North & North-West, TAS, 28–30 m, suited to Deep/Advanced + experience divers, about 18 minutes by boat.
Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Why dive here
- A deep, rarely visited wreck off Don Heads, home to resident cod.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
- Any time other than slack water
About The Seal (Don Heads wreck)
The Leven Scuba Club lists The Seal as the wreck of the 66 ft Seal, lying about 5 km off Don Heads in 28-30 m, largely broken up and home to a couple of varieties of cod. It describes it as for the experienced diver only because of the depth. No history of the vessel or its loss has been found in the sources reviewed, and the position is not published. Treat it as an exploratory deep dive for well-equipped divers. Local knowledge from Leven Scuba Club members is the best way to get the most out of it, and first-time visitors should ideally dive it with someone who knows the site and the tide.
The central north coast between Wynyard and Port Sorell is the home water of the Leven Scuba Club at Ulverstone, whose site list is the main modern source for it, supplemented by the older Marine Life Network guide. The towns of Burnie, Ulverstone and Devonport sit right on the coast, so many sites are within minutes of a ramp or car park, but the reefs are generally low and weedy, visibility is often 5-10 m, and the coast is open to Bass Strait's northerly and westerly weather.
Devonport is the Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal, which makes these sites the first and last dives for many interstate visitors bringing their own gear. There is no hyperbaric chamber in the north - the nearest is the Royal Hobart Hospital, about 3.5 hours' drive - so dive conservatively, especially on the deeper offshore sites.
Wreck details
Vessel Seal, 66 ft (20 m); type and date not published
Getting there & entry
The largely broken-up wreck of the 66 ft vessel Seal, about 5 km off Don Heads, in 28-30 m.
Launch at Devonport and run about 5 km offshore from Don Heads (15-20 minutes). A GPS mark from local divers is required; there is no published position. From the Spirit of Tasmania terminal at Devonport, all central north-coast sites are within about an hour's drive along the Bass Highway.
North-coast ramps are often shallow and weedy at low tide, so time launches for mid to high tide and carry a sounder, radio and tide tables.
Entry: Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm)
Facilities: Devonport: all services, Spirit of Tasmania terminal, ramps at the Mersey River. Air fills: check locally (no confirmed shop) or Tasmanian Divers, Launceston (1 hr).
Weather, swell & tides
The north-west coast faces Bass Strait: north-westerly to north-easterly winds and westerly swell make it rough, while southerly winds blow offshore and give flat seas - light airs and sunny days are relatively common from January to April. Easterly gales are common in the warmer months and close the eastern faces of Rocky Cape and Sisters Island. Tidal streams run along the coast (eastward on the flood), and several boat sites are only comfortable around slack water.
Offshore and exposed; calm days only.
Best season: December-April, on calm days with southerly (offshore) winds
How the dive is usually run
Descend a shot to the wreck, tour the broken remains within a short no-decompression time at 28-30 m and ascend the shot. Turn the dive at half gas (thirds where current or overhead sections are involved), deploy an SMB before surfacing for the live-boat pick-up, and complete a 3-minute safety stop at about 5 m where depth allows.
Marine life
- Cod (rock cod/beardies)
- encrusting growth
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Beyond 18 m an Advanced certification (which includes a deep dive to 30 m) is the accepted minimum. Anything past 25 m is a deep dive in practice.
At more than 25 m this counts as a deep dive: watch no-decompression limits and gas.
Courses that help here
- Enriched Air Nitrox – Longer no-decompression time at 25 m and deeper.
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Depth 28-30 m; offshore; position unpublished.
Technical notes
Nitrox useful; short no-decompression limits on air.
Dive centres that go here
No confirmed commercial dive operator on the north-west coast as of 2026 (older guides mention dive services in Wynyard and Devonport - verify). Sites are dived mainly by the Leven Scuba Club (Ulverstone), other north-west club members and visiting divers with their own boats; Tasmanian Divers (Launceston) runs occasional northern trips.
Operators recorded for The Seal (Don Heads wreck)
Tasmanian Divers North
ListedLaunceston · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
A northern Tasmanian operation serving the Bass Strait coastline and local diving community.
tasdivers.com.au · (03) 6229 1020
Leven Scuba Club
Named by sitesDevonport · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
Club, not a shop: website live and the club is listed for the Tasmanian Combined Clubs Weekend 2026; meets first Thursday monthly at Mersey Yacht Club.
levenscubaclub.com.au
Other dive centres in Tasmania North & North-West
General area
No position has been published for The Seal (Don Heads wreck). The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Devonport. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 10 km), from other documented sites near Devonport. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
The Seal (Don Heads wreck): frequently asked questions
How deep is The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
The Seal (Don Heads wreck) reaches a maximum depth of 30 m, with the shallowest part at about 28 m; most of the dive is spent around 29 m.
What certification do I need to dive The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
Deep/Advanced + experience is the recommended minimum. At more than 25 m this counts as a deep dive: watch no-decompression limits and gas. Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Can I shore dive The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
No, it is reached by boat (about 18 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
December-April, on calm days with southerly (offshore) winds.
What marine life will I see at The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
Regularly recorded: Cod (rock cod/beardies), encrusting growth.
What wetsuit do I need at The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October.
How cold is the water at The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
Typically 16-19 °C in summer and 11-13 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
Depth 28-30 m; offshore; position unpublished. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to The Seal (Don Heads wreck)?
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Tasmania North & North-West
Bass Strait's Tasmanian shore from Devonport to Stanley and Rocky Cape is clear, cold and almost undived: sponge gardens, kelp and rock lobster around Wynyard, Boat Harbour and Sisters Beach, the Table Cape wall, and the Rocky Cape National Park reefs. Visibility of 20 m is common in settled weather.
Getting there: Fly into Devonport, Burnie or Launceston. Mostly shore dives with beach and rock entries; occasional club boat dives.
All Tasmania North & North-West dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: History, date of loss and position unknown.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction










