The Leap was a lot rougher than I expected from Willy Weather's forecast of a 1.2 metre swell but it was still diveable and I needed to see my seahorses. It was a bit too rough to use the low ledge so I slid down the rocks holding the camera as high as I could.
I descended and swam to the sand line at 60° although it was a bit tough going due to the surge. At the sand line the visibility was 5 meters or so but there was a lot of particulate matter in the water.
I headed towards The Steps, as usual. I found the rock where "Bob" and "Lucy", the pot-bellied seahorses, hang out, but I could find neither. I continued on and eventually found "Rosie" on her usual rock. No other males have yet turned up for her.
I swam on despite the poor visibility and the surge. I was hoping to see some weedy seadragons but I suspect they were all hiding. I managed to find "Southern Cross" and "Pierre" but could not find "Richie". I think I am having to give him up as lost.
Some distance on I managed to find a weedy seadragon taking some protection under a rock. I kept of towards The Leap and found two more weedy seadragons on the sand line.
After I got to the basket star I headed up from the sand line and tried to find "Big John", the orange form undescribed angler. I made a few transects near The Steps looking for "Big John" but did not find him. Despite their camouflage, I am convinced that if you sight them you see them so I must not have swam over "Big John".
I swam t the shallows for my safety stop and exited at The Steps. The exit was quite easy despite the surge. |
