I was recovering from a cold and a weird eye condition but I was desperate for a dive. I also needed to empty my 15L tank so it could go for hydro.
Conditions looked pretty good from the surface with just a gentle swell hitting the entry/exit. I put my fins on before getting in and slid into the water and then swam out on the surface. I swam right out to above the sand line/kelp before descending. The visibility was at least 10 metres and closer to 15 metres. The water temperature was around 17°C and there was quite a bit of surge. I headed off towards Big Rock.
I had barely swum anywhere when I came across a weedy seadragon. It looked like a male but it didn't have any eggs.
The current was quite strong and so swimming into it was quite difficult. I stopped at the rock where I have seen the orange red-fingered anglerfish recently but couldn't find it. I then came to the rock with "Noel" and "Di", the pair of pygmy pipehorses. I found them together hanging on to the same alga. It was difficult to photograph them together as they were swinging out of sync and the surge didn't help.
I looked around Di's Rock for the gray red-fingered anglerfish but was not able to find it.
I swam on to Little Big Rock. I looked for the golden male pygmy pipehorse but was not able to find him. I looked around Little Big Rock for pygmy pipehorses, anglerfishes and interesting nudibranchs but found none. I also checked the other rock behind Little Big Rock where the salmon anglerfish, pygmies and sea spider have been. I found a Nembrotha purpureolineata nudibranch.
I continued on towards Diversity Rock. I stopped at the rock where my tiny painted anglerfish has been and initially couldn't find it as it was hiding. Eventually I spotted it.
At Diversity Rock I started looking for the tiny juvenile pygmy pipehorse that Mike and I saw last Wednesday. I couldn't find it, but I did find another slightly larger female pygmy pipehorse (IL2018070501) a little lower down on the rock.
I swam past the basket star and on to New Basket Star Rock. The grey red-fingered anglerfish that Mike showed me last Wednesday was still in the same spot on the rock.
I continued past Sponge Hollow and on to the rock where the one-eyed White's seahorse has been. looked all around the rock but I was not able to find her. I feared she'd had finally gone.
I headed to Big Rock and looked around the area for anglerfishes, pygmy pipehorses and nudibranchs. I found nothing.
I had plenty of gas, courtesy of the 15L tank, so I headed down to see the red Stigmatopora sp. pipefish near where the Hippocampus kelloggi had been. It was tough heading down there because the current was so strong but I eventually made it. The pipefish was in one of its usual spots near the rock with the two sponges. I love seeing this pipefish.
I turned around and headed back towards The Steps. I now had the current behind me so it was much easier going. I hadn't gone far when I came across a weedy seadragon on the sand.
I drifted back to Big Rock and then on to the rock with the one-eyed seahorse. I was going to have another look for her. I swam around the rock a couple of times and eventually found her on the north-eastern corner.
I headed back past New Basket Star Rock and the grey anglerfish, then the basket star and on to Diversity Rock. The new pygmy pipehorse was still in the same spot.
I checked on my baby anglerfish again before heading back to Little Big Rock. I found the Nembrotha purpureolineata nudibranch again. I had another look for the golden male pygmy pipehorse but I could not find him.
I swam back past Di's Rock and looked for the grey red-fingered anglerfish again but didn't find it. I found the pygmy pipehorses, "Noel" and "Di", again but this time they were on separate holdfasts.
I continued towards the exit and stopped at the rock I've seen the orange red-fingered anglerfish. I looked around the rocks and eventually found it on the next rock. As I was photographing the anglerfish, I noticed a weedy seadragon near the sand line. I photographed it and then noticed two more in the area. That made 5 weedies for the dive.
I headed for the boulders arriving near the large colonies of Plesiastrea. I ascended to 5 metres and started my safety stop while swimming the short distance to Split Rock. I finished my safety stop at Split Rock and then swam underwater to the exit. The exit was easy. |
