Once again Sydney was going to be hit by big seas with the forecast for 5-6 metres on Saturday. Hopefully, it would be like last time without a huge amount of impact. Today would be my last chance to dive before the big seas and I was eager to make use of the great conditions we'd had last weekend and on into the week. The tides were also perfect for a late morning dive meaning I didn't have to get up early and had reasonable traffic.
The Steps looked great from the surface and probably even better than they had been on Monday (when I dived The Leap). The water looked clear and the surface was calm.
I jumped in and surface swam along the shoreline to just past the large light coloured rock. It was an easy swim as the breeze seemed to push me along. I descended to the edge of the boulders. The visibility was way over 10 metres and perhaps 20 metres. The water temperature was around 17°C. There was a slight current with the outgoing tide and almost no surge.
I stayed fairly close to the boulders and headed towards the rock where the Tabmja verconis nudibranchs had been. Along the way I checked the red algae for pipefish. I got to the rock and looked all over it for the nudibranchs. Again, I could not find them. I'd seen them on Saturday but couldn't find them on Sunday, even though Kathy and Wilson saw one of them not long after me on Sunday.
I headed towards Big Rock and checked on the Red Wide-bodied Pipefish near there. She was still there and has not yet attracted a mate. I wonder if she'll still be around after the rough seas.
I decided to go and visit Jess, the Pot-bellied Seahorse. I headed towards her spot and realised the current was a but stronger than slight. It wasn't difficult swimming into but it also wasn't nothing. I hadn't gone far when I spotted a large juvenile Weedy Seadragon. It was the same one I'd spotted 4 weeks ago in the same area.
As I got close to Jess's Rock I spotted Stumpy, the Weedy Seadragon with the short tail. I usually seem him in this general area but I did spot him near Little Big Rock around 5 weeks ago.
I spotted Jess on top of her rock. I looked around to see if there were any males there yet but could not see any.
I headed back to Big Rock. I looked for Weedy Seadragons along the way. I stopped at the solitary female Red Wide-bodied Pipefish next to Big Rock.
I headed along the reef towards Little Big Rock. I stopped at the rock with the juvenile pygmy pipehorse. It took me a little bit to find them but I eventually did.
I continued past Long Rock and then two rocks last that to the rock where I have been seeing a female pygmy pipehorse. She'd moved slightly since the weekend but was still in the same general area on the rock.
I followed the sand line to the spot I'd last seen the Bent Stick Pipefish. They were still in the same area they have been for the last few weeks. I wonder if they will get moved on by the rough seas. I'd accidentally kicked up a bit of sand so I moved on to the male Red Wide-bodied Pipefish and would come back once the sand settled.
A few metres on I found the solitary male Red Wide-bodied Pipefish in on of his algae. He has a few algae that he moves between. I took some photographs and then went back to the Bent Stick Pipefish for some photographs before taking some more of the Red Wide-bodied Pipefish.
I headed up to the rock where the two pink pygmies had been and looked for the small female I have been seeing of late. I found her.
I swam over to the basket star at their new location and spotted a small octopus in a hole below them.
I dropped back to the sand line and headed towards Little Big Rock. I was hoping to see the adult and juvenile Weedy Seadragons I have been seeing between Diversity Rock and Little Big Rock. I spotted one of the adults (the one without the snout appendage) and then the juvenile. I don't know where the adult with the snout appendage was.
As I approached Little Big Rock I thought I saw some other divers so I avoided the Red Pipefish for now and swam up to Skye's Rock to check on the seahorses. I spotted Tiny Tim first on the side of the rock and then Little Richard in the sea tulips on the side of the rock. I couldn't see Helen so I swam around the rock. I finally spotted her in the sea tulips on the lower rock towards Little Big Rock.
After confirming there were no other divers around, I dropped down to the Red Pipefish. They were still in one of the red algae next to Little Big Rock. I managed to get some photographs.
I moved on to the rock where the pair of pygmy pipehorses had been but couldn't see them so I headed up the reef checking out a few rocks where I have previously seen pygmy pipehorses. As I was heading back towards the sand line I spotted a Weedy Seadragon. It was the one with the snout appendage.
I dropped down to the second Red Pipefish. It was still in the same alga.
I moved on to the solitary male Red Wide-bodied Pipefish that had moved from Little Big Rock. I took some photographs of him and then went back to the two Red Pipefish and got some more photographs of them. I took the opportunity to get some better photographs of the Weedy with the snout appendage. I also visited the seahorses again.
When I went back to the solitary male Red Wide-bodied Pipefish I spotted another Weedy Seadragon on the sand line.
I headed up to Lily's Rock. On the way I stopped at the alga where I spotted the juvenile Red Wide-bodied Pipefish last Monday. They were still there.
At Lily's Rock, I spotted Tom Thumb on the rock just below Lily's Rock. I looked all around the rock for Lily but could not find her. I also checked Di's Rock and the triangle area between Lily's Rock, Di's Rock, ad Noel&Di's Rock. This is the second dive that I have not been able to find her.
I headed to Noel&Di's Rock and spotted Cam in the sea tulips. I had another look for Lily but could not see her. I did spot a Dwarf Lionfish while I was looking. I looked in Pipefishes Hole but didn't see the Sawtooth Pipefish or the Banded Reef-goby.
I headed to and past Jodi's Rock. I saw no Weedy Seadragons on the way. I looked on the rock just beyond Jodi's Rock for the pygmy pipehorses I have been seeing there. I could not find the male or the female but I did find a pink juvenile.
I headed to the kelp and spotted PJ's baby Weedy Seadragon.
I continued to Baby's original location and spotted an adult Weedy Seadragon. I looked around the area but could not see Baby.
I headed a little further along and spotted Baby. Further again and I spotted two adults swimming near each other. I wonder if courting will be starting soon.
I was low on air but before heading for the exit I kept going to the area where I have seen one of the latest juvenile Weedies. I spotted them fairly close to where I saw them on Monday.
I headed for the boulders and ascended to Split Rock and started my safety stop. I finished my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit. The exit was calm and easy.
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