RESTRICTED ACCESS AT SA JETTIES

Second Valley jetty B4 the collapsed steps were removed

There may not currently be any step access at Point Turton jetty. Al Chandler, Secretary of the Underwater Explorers Club of SA, recently reported the removal of the steps on the jetty. He witnessed their removal by workmen in November. The SDF acted by sending an email message off to the District Council of Yorke Peninsula, asking them if they could act to provide suitable jetty steps for divers. Other SA jetties known to have restricted access at the time of writing include Second Valley, The Bluff, Screwpile and Edithburgh jetties. The collapsed steps at Second Valley jetty were removed recently. There is no ladder (or steps) at The Bluff jetty at Victor Harbor. The steps at the Screwpile Jetty at Victor are out of the water at low tide. There are problems with one of the sets of steps at the start of the jetty at Edithburgh.

Removal of the steps on the Point Turton jetty

There may not currently be any step access at Point Turton jetty. Al Chandler, Secretary of the Underwater Explorers Club of SA, recently reported the removal of the steps on the jetty. He witnessed their removal by workmen in November. “The steps were cut into several pieces using a chainsaw, dropped into the water and then towed by boat around to the boat ramp where a bobcat has placed them at the top of the boat ramp pending their removal. The steps had fallen into a state of deterioration over the past 2 years and despite lobbying by the UEC, Point Turton Caravan Park management and locals for the steps to be repaired, the local council decided the cheapest option was to remove them and replace them with a metal ladder. Access and egress for diving is now via the existing ladders at the outer end of the jetty, via the new ladder when fitted, via the outer rockface of the boat ramp groin or via beach entry just south of the boat ramp. The final option will mean crossing the "mouth" of the boat ramp and swimming around the outside of the boat ramp to access the jetty. The two ladders at the outer end of the jetty are awkward to use as the bottom of each ladder is closer to the jetty than the top, causing the ladders to lean outwards away from the jetty.” The SDF acted by sending an email message off to the District Council of Yorke Peninsula, asking them if they could act to provide suitable jetty steps for divers as discussed in Al Chandler’s report to us.