Rapid Bay

Nestled between long sandy beaches and towering cliffs, Rapid Bay is 105 km south of Adelaide and is reached by a steeply descending road from the main Normanville-Cape Jervis Road.

At Rapid Bay, you'll find an important South Australian landmark - a boulder on which Colonel Light carved his initials after he first stepped ashore. It's reported that he said "I have hardly seen a place I like better". Rapid Bay was named after the brig HMS Rapid on which Colonel Light and his staff came to South Australia, discovering Rapid Bay in 1830 on their way to Glenelg.

Rapid Bay is usually calm and relatively safe, but do watch out for the deep water right off both beaches. It's a paradise for divers and snorkelers, with dramatic shipwrecks and stunning marine life, including the famed Leafy Sea dragon, blue ringed octopus and giant Australian cuttlefish.

For more information, see their website.