A GROUP of keen local divers headed south last weekend to the North Solitary Islands.

From the Sunshine Coast, it is a five-hour drive to Wooli, the quaint sleepy seaside town from where the dive vessel departs.

The North Solitary Islands are about a 20-minute boat ride from Wooli.

They are seldom dived because of their remote location.

The water temperature was a brisk 19 degrees which meant thicker wetsuits, boots and gloves had to be worn for the divers to stay warm underwater.

The islands are famous for their prolific number of sea anemones.

There are literally thousands of them.

At one dive site, they were so thick the divers couldn't see the bottom.

Darting in and around the sea anemones were the anemone fish, commonly called the clown fish.

The islands lie within a marine park which means all types of fishing and animal collecting is illegal.

Large Grey Nurse sharks, turtles, and rays were seen on most dives.