I was on my own today and the tides were such that I'd only get an hour before high tide. This made The Steps the best choice, plus I wanted to check out the new yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish with eggs. It was also calm again.
I got in at The Steps, put my fins on in the water and swam out on the surface. I descended to the boulders and then swam out to the kelp and rocks on the sand. Visibility was between 5 and 8 metres. The water temperature was around 21°C. There was only slight surge.
I headed for the large rock out from the entry where I spotted the yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish with eggs yesterday. On the way I spotted a Weedy Seadragon with a Eastern Cleaner Clingfish on its back. I took some photographs of the clingfish as well as my usual ID shots of the weedy.
I looked on the rock at the yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish, "Raphael", was in the same spot as yesterday. I tried to see the eggs but "Raphael" was in the way.
I headed to where I thought I'd seen the small orange Red-fingered Anglerfish yesterday but couldn't find it or, more likely, couldn't find the right rock. I continued on to the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish hanging under the side of the rock near Di's Rock.
I swam down to the sand line and the pipefishes hole. I spotted the Sawtooth Pipefish for just long enough to snap one photograph before it disappeared.
I followed the sand line a short way and found the juvenile Weedy Seadragon that Georgia had found a couple of weeks ago. I took some photographs.
I continued along the sand line to the off-white Red-fingered Anglerfish. It was in its usual spot and appears to have eggs. I had always assumed it was a female by the size but did not expect females to guard eggs.
I headed to the Pot-bellied Seahorses behind Little Big Rock. On the way I spotted a Weedy Seadragon near where Dama & Roney's Sawtooth Pipefish had been.
I found "David", the Pot-bellied Seahorse hanging on to the purple sponges on the larger rock. I looked around for "Petra" but could not see her.
I continued on to Diversity Rock. I looked around for the white Red-fingered anglerfish but could not find it. I swam up to the basket star.
I swam along the top of the reef past Sponge Hollow and started looking for George's orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. I found it again on the same rock it had been yesterday, just up from Hand Rock.
I headed to Hand Rock and found both pygmy pipehorses together in front of the hand sponge.
I swam over to Big Rock and looked near the sea tulip for the pygmy pipehorses. I found the male straight away next to the sea tulips. After a bit of searching I found the female. She was quite well hidden.
I headed back towards The Steps via George's orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. I had another look around Diversity Rock before going up to the seahorses. I spotted a Weedy Seadragon just before I got to "David". It was the same one I'd seen on my way out. "David" was still in the purple sponge.
I swam along the sand line to the off-white Red-fingered anglerfish. I took some more photographs and the eggs looked more obvious.
I continued along the sand line to the pipefishes hole. I was expecting to see the juvenile Weedy Seadragon but couldn't find it. I swam up to the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish near Di's Rock and took some more photographs.
I stayed high as I swam towards The Steps. I wanted to find the small orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. I started from the rock I first saw it two weeks ago and then followed the same path I followed yesterday. I found the rock and the anglerfish. That made 5 Red-fingered anglerfish for the dive.
I headed to the large rock out from the entry/exit and to "Raphael", the yellow Red-fingered Anglerfish with the pink mask. My photographs clearly show his eggs.
I swam to the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and did my safety stop. I swam underwater to the exit and got out on the platform.
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