It was relatively calm at The Leap but as it was midway between low and high tide water was lapping over the platform so I slid down the rocks. The visibility straight out from the entry point was at least 5 metres as I could clearly see the bottom.
I descended and headed to the sand line at around 60°. I hit the sand line at the amphitheatre and swam straight to pygmy rock. The visibility here was over 10 metres. I searched pygmy rock for nearly 20 minutes but could not find a single pygmy pipehorse. This was the first time over 5 months that I had not seen at least one pygmy pipehorse on pygmy rock. I searched some of the surrounding rocks and still could not find any pygmies.
I swam slowly towards Seahorse Rock looking at the occasional rock for pygmies but found none. I saw a weedy seadragon on the sand. It was one I'd seen before but last time was on 1st January.
I found "Rosie" and "Pierre" on their rock behind seahorse rock. "Pierre" looks pregnant.
I continued on and found a juvenile giant cuttlefish in a small crevice at the sand line before reaching the rock where "Southern Cross" used to live.
I swam through Seadragon Alley but only found one weedy, the one with the wavy body that has been around for over a year.
I followed the sand line until Big Rock. I looked at Big Rock for pygmies and then stayed on top of the reef until I reached The Steps.
I did my safety stop on the boulders near the Plesiastrea colonies and exited at The Steps. |
