It was a little rougher at The Leap than the Willy Weather forecast had suggested but still fine for diving. I jumped in with the guys from FDC (PJ, Vicki, Graeme and Wayne), we descended and swam at around 60° to the sand line. The visibility here was pretty poor and was only 3 or maybe 4 metres. We looked at the white pygmy pipehorse and while the others were photographing it I checked the other side of the rock for more. I found a brownish one almost immediately but couldn't find any more. We then headed off towards The Steps.
We hit a patch where the visibility improved to maybe 5 metres but there was a huge school of jellyfish in that area so it was still difficult to see. What was really strange was we had to swim into a head current despite the fact that it was still 2 hours before high tide so the incoming tide should have been carrying us along, as it normally does.
We found "Rosie" on her usual rock but I could not find any other seahorses, not that the conditions were conducive for looking. We then swam on to the next seahorse location. The others left me here while I did a search for "Southern Cross" and "Pierre". I could not find either. "Pierre" was not in his usual hiding place. I gave up after 10 minutes or so and headed to Seadragon Alley.
I found one weedy seadragon just before Seadragon Alley and 5 more in Seadragon Alley, including a male with eggs.
I followed the sand line along all the way to Little Big Rock and then headed over the reef to the boulders. I did my safety stop on the way, I past the Plesiastrea colonies and finished my safety stop out from The Steps. I exited at The Steps. |
