Tech Tip: StainLESS does not mean StainPROOF

A common misconception among divers is that stainless steel does not corrode at all. There are various types of stainless steel, each with different corrosion properties, that make a specific grade more or less suited to a particular application. Because there is no perfect stainless steel, the selection of the grade is often a compromise between corrosion resistance and malleability. Stainless grades selected because they hold a sharp cutting edge will corrode relatively fast compared to other grades. The most corrosion resistant grades are not usually a good choice for bolt snaps and hand tools because depending on the use application they may not offer the best wear resistance or may be too brittle.

StainLESS does not mean StainPROOF and all diving products made of stainless steel must receive some basic care to help minimise corrosion. Rinse any stainless steel components in dive equipment with fresh water after diving or when otherwise in contact with salt water, allow them to dry and do not store them in damp or moist environments. Make sure any storage sheath or pouch is also rinsed and allowed to dry before returning the stainless item to the pouch. When rinsing bolt snaps, be sure to work the bolt action several times to eject any saltwater trapped in the slider and spring mechanism. In particular, avoid storing stainless steel near or in contact with other metals having strongly dissimilar electropotentials, especially aluminum, such that moisture can induce galvanic corrosion. In cases of galvanic corrosion where the stainless item is in close proximity to some types of metals, rust or other colour stains will electrolytically transfer to the surface of the stainless item.

An invisible film forms on the surface of stainless steel when it's in contact with oxygen. This allows it to withstand damage from corrosives including many acids, bases, and detergents, as well as salt water. However, depending on envirionmental conditions you may notice some surface 'stains' that can form on various stainless items. In general these are cosmetic in nature and we recommend you allow the cosmetic stains to remain when practical. Using an abrasive is more likely to remove the invisible corrosion resistant film that forms on stainless, allowing corrosion to spread and ultimately making the corrosion worse.

Brown Head Pinnacle

Bommie Dive | Boat access

Depth: 8 m (26 ft) to 35 m (115 ft)

Level: Advanced Open Water and beyond.

Brown Head Pinnacle is an awesome boat dive site about 100 metres off the tip of Brown Head on the eastern side of Wilsons Promontory. Brown Head lies in the Wilsons Promontory Marine Reserve facing north-east into Bass Strait, separating Larkin Cove from Bare Back Cove.

Diving at Brown Head Pinnacle

About 100 metres off the tip of Brown Head, there is a pinnacle of rock coming to within eight metres of the surface. The weed covered shallows peter out at 20 metres and change into a very spectacular deep sponge garden filled with colourful invertebrate life, patrolled by clouds of Butterfly Perch. The pinnacle starts to level off at 25 metres into a gently sloping boulder field covered in marine life.

This is the sort of dive you can do several times and never get tired of it.

Ideal Conditions: Brown Head Pinnacle is best dived with calm seas, no swell and no wind. Light offshore south-westerly winds may be acceptable. Avoid strong onshore westerly to easterly winds. All of the headlands in the are subject to currents, so best dived at slack water. See WillyWeather (Brown Head) as a guide for the tide times and the height of the tide.

Bass Strait Warning: Always keep an eye on sea conditions throughout any shore or boat dive in Bass Strait on Victoria's coastline. Please read the warnings on the web page diving-in-bass-strait before diving or snorkelling this site.

Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. This truly ancient Country includes parts of Port Phillip, from the Werribee River in the north-west, down to Wilson's Promontory in the south-east, including the Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island, plus Western Port. We wish to acknowledge the Boon Wurrung as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Bunjil the Creator Spirit of this beautiful land, who travels as an eagle, and Waarn, who protects the waterways and travels as a crow, and thank them for continuing to watch over this Country today and beyond.

Brown Head Pinnacle Location Map

Latitude: 39° 2.579′ S (39.042979° S / 39° 2′ 34.72″ S)
Longitude: 146° 28.693′ E (146.478218° E / 146° 28′ 41.58″ E)
Datum: WGS84 | Google Map
Added: 2022-04-22 20:39:00 GMT, Last updated: 2022-04-22 20:50:13 GMT
Source: Google Earth
Nearest Neighbour: Larkin Cove, 508 m, bearing 232°, SW
Wilsons Promontory Marine Reserve.
Depth: 8 to 35 m.

[ Top ]

DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.