Dive at The Steps, Kurnell, NSW on Sunday 26 July 2015

Dive Details

Location

Date

Sunday 26 July 2015

Time

12:49pm - 2:22pm

Details

My second dive was at The Steps with Di and Noel as I wanted to show them the pygmy pipehorse I'd found. We got in at The Steps and descended to the sand line amongst the kelp. We turned and headed slowly towards The Leap. Visibility was around 10 metres.

Just up from the sand line, around the kelp, I saw one of the weedy seadragons I'd seen yesterday in the same area. A female, I believe. I headed up from the sand line to find the location where I had seen "Di", the juvenile pot-bellied seahorse. I found the area and "Di" and waited for Di and Noel to catch up so I could point her out.

I then went in search of the Miamira magnifica which I found some 10 metres from where I'd seen it yesterday. It can come back from the sand but moved closer to The Steps. I pointed it out to Di and Noel and then went to find "Rosie".

"Rosie" was on the same rock she'd been on the previous dive and now I have my bearings I found her easily. While Noel was photographing her I found a frogfish under an adjacent rock. I must remember to look for it next time. Di also pointed out an octopus which I am sure is the same one that the Miamira magnifica was "near" in 2013.

I took Di and Noel to the pygmy pipehorse. They were getting cold so they headed back and I looked around the area for more pygmy pipehorses. While I was looking, a small group of divers were heading my way. One of them had a camera so I enquired if he could take macro shots. He indicated a bit so I took him over to show him the pygmy. While I was pointing it out I realised there were actually two right next to each other. Maybe a bit of Karma for showing the other guy. While they were looking at the two pygmies I spotted a third one on an adjacent rock. I can't wait to go back and find them again.

I headed back via the basket star, "Rosie", M. magnifica and "Di" and then headed for the boulders for my safety stop. I exited at The Steps.

Buddy

Di and Noel Conlon

Seas

Slight

Visibility

10 metres

Duration

93 minutes

Maximum depth

13.9 m

Average depth

11.1 m

Water temperature

15.3°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

High

3:21am

1.24m

Low

9:24am

0.60m

High

4:06pm

1.52m

Low

10:45pm

0.66m

Camera gear

Camera

Nikon D300

Lens

Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D

Housing

Ikelite 6812.3

Lens port

Ikelite Flat Port 5502.41

Strobe

2 x Ikelite SubStrobe DS161

Photographs

Depth information, where present, indicates the depth of the camera when the photograph was taken and can be used to approximate the depth of the subject.