Little Salmon Bay
Rottnest Island
Directions - Little Salmon Bay is found on the south side of Rottnest Island on the Parker Point Loop road. Getting out there can be done by bike (head south from the main settlement and follow the signs past the airport) or if you are taking the Island Explorer Bus then get off at Stop #6, which is right in front of the beach.
The Snorkel - It's always a pleasure to visit Rottnest Island, and over the past decade it's been fun exploring the various snorkelling sites around the island. A lot of my visits have been to celebrate the Festival of 1A1R, as his February birthday is a good excuse to hop on the ferry, spend some time in the sunshine, eat treats from the bakery, and get in some snorkelling. We hadn't been in a few years, so it was nice when Aron announced he was spending a week on the island, with the offer for anyone to join.
With limited leave available to me, I decided to travel over for the day (while also baulking at the $400+ per night cost of a glamping tent), so I booked the early ferry, and was excited when the day finally arrived. Taking my bike with me, it would mean we could avoid getting around on the buses, which can be crowded during peak season, along with limited you to their schedule. I was left as activity captain for the day, so was monitoring the wind conditions, and decided that the best options for the day were Little Salmon Bay in the morning, and Little Parakeet Bay in the afternoon. Meeting Jen and Aron for breakfast at the bakery, I figured it was going to be an active day, and treated myself to a couple of pastries for energy. After saying hello to the local quokkas, we were soon riding off to Little Salmon Bay for the first snork of the day. We eventually arrived after a totally planned little detour to see the airport, and what a stunning bike ride it is from the main settlement.
Little Salmon Bay has become a very popular spot thanks to the powers of social media, but also because it's a great beginners snorkelling spot that is close to the main settlement (and shielded from the morning easterlies). We did spot some influencers in the wild, doing little photo shoots in the water, but we were more interested in what was in the water. I was excited to test out something I should have done many moons ago, as during the week I had burnt off the silicone layer of my snorkelling mask. This is recommended to reduce fogging, and this was a big issue on my last snorkel at Madfish Bay. Waiting for Jen and Aron to stop faffing about, I eventually just took off and started exploring the shallows. Immediately I could tell that burning off the silicone layer was a big success, and everything looked super clear. I ended up exploring on my own for a while, heading to the west where there is some deeper water and impressive reef. With lots of fish around, it was a relief not to have to wipe my lens every five minutes, and I could focus on the pure enjoyment of being under the sea, down where it's wetter.
Reaching the outer limits of the inner reef, I could see the breaking waves when I popped my head above water, so decided this would be as far as I would venture. I was rewarded with a big school of what I think were Western Buffalo Bream that were hiding a special guest, a large Silver Drummer. Navigating the large reef structures, I found my way back to a familiar spot, and headed east to try and find Aron. We eventually met up, and it wasn't long before he pointed something out below. It turned out to be a nudibranch, something that was on the bucket list of marine life I wanted to see today. Getting some photos of these colourful creatures, it was time to move on and see what else I could find. Different to the reef you'll see along the Perth coast, Rottnest Island is home to a variety of coral reef species, that certainly brighten up a snorkel with mixes of purple, green, and golds. Aron and I separated again, as I ventured over to one of the islands off the coast to see what I could find in the shallows.
Circling the small island that lies just off the coast, there was a thin strip of water on top of the rocky ledges I could navigate through, albeit a bit tight in places. Hoping to see an octopus popping out of one of the holes in the reef, I was unable to see one. Meeting back up with Aron, I showed him a Western Smooth Boxfish I had found, and he repaid the favour by showing me a cool clumping of Striped Eel Catfish, which I had enjoyed seeing up at Ningaloo in 2023. Aron headed back to shore, while I continued to explore some of the bigger reef structures to the west. This turned out to be a good decision, as I spotted my first ever Indo-Pacific Sergeant Major, Western Crested Morwong, along with several more species of coral. Having been in the water for over an hour, it was time to make my way back to the beach. Hugging the eastern part of the bay, the ledges here were full of life, with several fish I'd not seen this morning, including a favourite of mine, the Convict Surgeonfish. Back on shore, I found Jen and Aron again, where we regaled each other with tales of what we had seen.
Final Thoughts - Little Salmon Bay is a must visit when I'm on Rottnest, and because of the typical wind pattern you see in Perth summers, it's a first thing in the morning event.
There is plenty to see for both beginner and intermediate snorkellers, with the shallows close to shore providing excellent marine life for those not as experienced, and the deeper parts near the breaking waves full of interesting structures.
Even if you're just looking for a nice beach to have a swim at, Little Salmon Bay is a great option, just be warned that you won't have it to yourself during summer.
Get out there and experience it!
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