Dive Details

Location

Logged dive number

1743

Date

Sunday 12 January 2020

Time

8:34am - 10:43am

Buddy

Cody Sheridan, Tom

Seas

Very strong current at times and strong surge

Visibility

5 to 15 metres

Duration

128 minutes

Surface interval

Maximum depth

22.5 m

Average depth

15.1 m

Water temperature

21.6°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

Note that tides at dive site may vary from above location.

Low

3:41am

0.42m

High

10:15am

1.97m

Low

4:56pm

0.20m

High

10:55pm

1.40m

Details

Cody and his friend Tom joined me for today's dive at The Leap. We planned a long dive. I had my twin 10.5L tanks, Cody had his sidemounted 10.5L and Tom had twin 12.2L. Cody and I were in drysuits but Tom was in a wetsuit and so we would probably only do around 2 hours because Tom might get cold. We took our tanks and weights down first so we could walk down in our suits half dressed.

It was quite rough at entry point with waves just washing over the top of the shelf. We would have to jump in from the shelf. If timed correctly, the drop is less than a metre. I didn't time it that well and my drop was closer to 1.5 metres. All good.

We swam out on the surface and the current on the surface was quite strong. We drifted 20 metres or so before we descended. When we descended the current was also very strong. I led us at around 75° but was fighting the current the whole way. We arrived at Bob and Lucy Rock. The visibility was around 15 metres and the water temperature between 21 and 22°C. It was the current that was ridiculously strong. There was also quite a bit of surge but it wasn't noticeable at first because of the current.

We fought the current back to the first rock with pygmies in Field of Pygmies. I got to the rock and looked for the pygmy there. It was very difficult to look because the current was so strong. I gave up without finding any pygmies and rode the current.

Near Bob and Lucy Rock I spotted a Weedy Seadragon. It was difficult to photograph because of the current. I pointed it out to Tom.

We drifted towards Seahorse Rock. I checked out some of the random rocks along the sand line and spotted a small pygmy pipehorse on one of them. I started to take photographs and realised I hadn't turned one of my strobes on. The current and surge (which was now noticeable) made the photography difficult.

We continued on and before we got to Seahorse Rock I spotted another Weedy Seadragon.

I headed to the rock behind Seahorse Rock and looked on the south-eastern face for the pair of pygmies I found two weeks ago. I found a pink male and after photographing it I looked for a female. Two weeks ago the female I found was sort of orange. Today the female I found was mostly cryptic. The surge didn't seem s bad on this side of the rock.

I looked on the other end of the rock and a pink female and then a pink male. I was more exposed to the current and surge and photography was difficult.

Cody and Tom had gone on ahead and I started to make my way towards the overhang. I spotted a smallish Weedy Seadragon on the way.

I looked under the overhang which had a lot of kelp and spotted "Clyde". He still had eggs. I then headed to the next area and spotted the female Weedy Seadragon. Cody and Tom were in the area.

I headed out towards the sand line and then drifted with the current to Southern Cross rock and then on to Seadragon Alley. I lost Cody and Tom behind me somewhere. I didn't find anything of interest in Seadragon Alley but at the very end I spotted a small octopus.

I drifted along to Big Rock. As I approached Big Rock I spotted a juvenile Comb Wrasse. There seem to be quite a few of these around at the moment. As I was level with Big Rock a Numb Ray swam towards and under me.

I looked near Big Rock for "Ouz", the yellow White's Seahorse but I couldn't find her. I looked on Slope Rock for the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish that was there last Sunday but it had moved.

I stopped at Long Rock and found 3 pygmy pipehorses: two females and a male. The current had pretty much died by now but there was still some surge that made photography difficult. Cody and Tom caught up to me while I was still at Long Rock.

I headed up from Long Rock to look for the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. I found it on the side of a rock behind some kelp. I pointed it out to Tom.

I caught up to Cody who had spotted a pygmy pipehorse. I thought I saw a second one but I couldn't find it again.

We swam to the rock with the pair of pink pygmies. I was not able to find the male who is usually on the side of the rock. I found the female on top.

We continued along the reef to Diversity Rock. I found both pygmies I'd found last Sunday. I pointed them out to Cody.

I headed to the rock where Cody had spotted the greenish male pygmy a few weeks ago. I couldn't see it. I did find the pink female who I wasn't able to find on the last few dives. I pointed it out to Cody.

I quickly visited the basket star and then looked for the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish and the black Painted Anglerfish. I couldn't find them (but found out after the dive that they were both there).

I swam on to the seahorses. There were other divers there so I went to the rock with the large green sponge and looked for the pygmies. I found the male, but was not able to find the female.

I headed to the seahorses. "David" was on the purple sponge on the lower rock and "George" was hanging out under the rock where he often is. We couldn't find "Skye".

I looked on the rock near the seahorses for the other pygmies but couldn't find them.

I headed diagonally to the sand line and found "Teardrop" near the kelp near Pipefishes Hole. He still has eggs.

I swam along the sand line to the rock where the Pot-bellied Seahorses were in late 2018. I looked for the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish. Cody and Tom caught up with me and I indicated there was an anglerfish in the area and then I spotted it on the side of the rock sitting on a white honeycomb sponge.

We started for the rocks in front of the exit and I spotted another Weedy Seadragon. This was the 7th for the dive.

I looked around the rocks in front of the exit for the orange Red-fingered Anglerfish but couldn't find it.

We ascended to Split Rock and did out safety stops. I then swam underwater to the exit. I was able to swim in to the platform and stand up. I took my fins off and then Tom swam in and used me for support to take his fins off. I then walked out.