The swell for today was forecast to be a bit smaller than yesterday and be more from the north east and so Kurnell would be a little more protected. It was a little rougher than I expected but still fine for entry and exit. There were a couple of large waves coming in at times and with the tide still being quite low meant that I would have to time my entry.
The tide was low enough that I could use the rock in front of the platform to get my fins on and I jumped in and swam out. Again I made sure the MK1 was ready before descending to ensure it would correctly record the entry point for the dive. I descended to the kelp. Visibility was 3 metres or perhaps a little better. There were a lot of suspended particles in the water. The water temperature was initially around 20°C but dropped fairly quickly. There was quite a bit of surge. I turned right and headed towards Big Rock.
I swam up a bit from the sand line so I could check the rocks for anglerfishes but I also kept my eye on the sand line for weedy seadragons. I was also looking for Nembrotha sp. nudibranchs.
I spotted a weedy seadragon near the sand line near the rock with large orange finger sponge.
I swam on to the rock where the grey red-fingered anglerfish has been. Before I could check for the grey anglerfish, I noticed a large yellow red-fingered anglerfish on the northern face of the rock. I suspect it was the same one I saw on this rock a month or so ago. It's belly was quite engorged so it may have just eaten or it could be a pregnant female.
I swam on towards Little Big Rock and looked for the white male pygmy pipehorse I'd spotted last Sunday. I couldn't find him but I did spot a tiny mimic filefish hanging on to a sponge with its mouth.
I checked the larger rock above where Roney had pointed out a cryptic female last Sunday and found it on the side of the rock.
I swam on past Diversity Rock and on to New Basket Star Rock. I looked around for red pipefish in the red algae but didn't find any. They have to be there somewhere.
I looked all around Sponge Hole for the Miamira magnifica nudibranch but couldn't see it. I checked the rock where the one-eyed female White's seahorse has been and found her on the southern side.
I continued on to Square Rock and found one of the white male pygmy pipehorses. I couldn't find the other white male or the cryptic female.
I swam down to the base of the rock below Hand Rock and found the whitish male pygmy pipehorse hanging on in the surge. I looked for the female but couldn't find her.
I went over to Big Rock and looked it over for pygmy pipehorses and nudibranchs but found none. I then turned around and headed back to The Steps.
On the way back I stopped at Square Rock and looked for the other pygmy pipehorses. I also stopped at the seahorse. I spotted another weedy seadragon towards the sand line.
I followed the sand line back to Little Big Rock. I looked for pygmy pipehorses and anglerfishes on the way but found none.
Low down on the outside of Little Big Rock I found a zebra lionfish. It was in the same place I'd seen one last year and was larger but probably not large enough to be the same one. As I was looking for pygmy pipehorses on Little Big Rock I found a tiny thornback cowfish. It was darting in and out of the Carijoa
Behind Little Big Rock I found the little mimiic filefish and cryptic female pygmy pipehorse in the same places they had been earlier.
I continued along the reef to the yellow red-fingered anglerfish. I then cut up the reef and checked out some of the rocks before heading to the boulders. I ascended to 5 metres and started my safety stop while swimming to Split Rock. I completed my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit. I surfaced next to the platform and stepped out. |
