Dive Details

Location

Date

Friday 25 August 2017

Time

9:10am - 10:37am

Details

It was a little rougher today than yesterday but not too rough. We got in at the protected area about a third of the way from The Monument to The Steps. It wasn't as protected as usual and looked a little hairy but turned out to be an easy entry. We surface swam/walked out to the edge of the drop-off and when ready, descended and swam to the sand line. Visibility was down to around 5 metres with a lot of suspended matter in the water but was still quite good. There was more surge than yesterday but it was still fine. Water temperature was just over 16°C. We turned right and headed for The Monument.

We followed the sand line to Block Rock. I spotted the little orange painted angler in its usual spot and pointed it out to Daniela.

We continued to the wall and I spotted a male weedy seadragon with eggs next to (and almost in) a clump of red alga like the one the red widebody pipefish live in. I took I ID photos and some video before we moved on.

Farther along the wall I found the black angler at the base of the white honeycomb sponge. It hadn't move much from yesterday. I pointed it out to Daniela, I then looked up the wall for the grey red-fingered angler. It wasn't where it had been yesterday on the ledge and I found it part way down from the ledge.

We swam up over the wall to the other orange painted angler. I was expecting to find it at the northern end where it was yesterday but instead it was at the southern end. It was also on the move. I looked for the two pygmy pipehorses on the adjacent rock but could not find them.

We swam on to Carijoa Rock. It took me a while but I eventually found the pink male pygmy pipehorse. While Daniela was photographing the male I looked for the female and we both found her at the same time.

We headed up the reef a bit. I went over to the rock where I'd seen the red male pygmy pipehorse yesterday and he was in the same spot. I pointed him out to Daniela. I then looked for Dama's red male but couldn't find him. I did find the cryptic female on the same rock. I found the green male pygmy on Slope Rock and then a cryptic female.

We swam up to Seahorse Rock. I pointed out the lower spindle cowrie to Daniela and then the male White's seahorse. I then found the other spindle cowrie. I went out onto the sand and found the little dragonfish and showed it to Daniela.

We swam up to the Capnella colonies and I looked for the egg cowries. I found one and the kept looking until I found the other. I started to head back down the reef but kept in sight of Daniela who moved north along the reef in line with the cowries. She beckoned me, and then again with some urgency. I knew it was going to be something cool and when I swam up she pointed out a juvenile leaf scorpionfish. I have seen them in the tropics and had heard of them being in Sydney but this was the first I'd seen here. It was gorgeous and was flopping from side to side like a red indianfish.

We headed down the reef and made it as far as Four Pygmies Rock before turning and coming back along the reef via Split Rock. We swam back up to Seahorse Rock. Just up from the little dragonfish I spotted a huge eastern frogfish that was out from under a ledge. There was an octopus under the ledge and I wondered if the octopus had chased the frogfish out.

We then headed for the exit. I led the way and we did a short safety stop on the way. I got us to the little bay to the southeast of the rocks, There were waves coming into the little bay but the water was deep enough to swim through the rocks to where it is fairly flat. We got out here.

Buddy

Daniela Stark

Seas

Some surge

Visibility

5 metres

Duration

86 minutes

Maximum depth

12.9 m

Average depth

10.2 m

Water temperature

16.3°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

Low

4:38am

0.33m

High

10:49am

1.52m

Low

4:47pm

0.47m

High

10:57pm

1.59m