Dive Details

Location

Date

Friday 29 September 2017

Time

11:10am - 12:44pm

Details

We agreed to do The Steps today and would do The Leap tomorrow. It was mid tide so we'd swim to Big Rock against the tide and ride the current back to The Steps.

We jumped in at The Steps, swam out and descended and swam to the sand line. Visibility was around 5 metres and there was some surge. Water temperature was around 16°C. We turned left and headed towards Big Rock.

We swam along the sand line and I came on a weedy seadragon. It appeared to be a female. We got to where the new pair of red widebody pipefish had been but they were not there. I looked around the area and could not find them.

I went on ahead to the rock where Roney had spotted the black painted anglerfish but I couldn't find it on its usual rock. After looking around I finally found it on a rock two rocks away.

I swam on to Little Big Rock and found the yellow red-fingered angler in its usual spot. I looked for pygmy pipehorses on Little Big Rock but found none. While I was looking Roney caught up to me.

We swam on to Diversity Rock where I found both the female and male pygmy pipehorses.

I followed the sand line all the way to Big Rock looking for more red widebody pipefish along the way. At the rock below Hand Rock I found the little black angler on top of the rock next to the finger sponge. Lower down on the rock I found both the female and male pygmy pipehorses.

I went over to Big Rock and found my red male pygmy pipehorse. I had a look for a female but couldn't find one. At the other end of Big Rock I found Roney's male pygmy pipehorse and then I found a female nearby. While I was there Roney swam up and I indicated I had two pygmies here but only one at the other end. I went back to my pygmy and looked for a female but couldn't find one.

We went back to the black painted angler and it was starting to climb the sponge. Roney pointed out a tiny Jorruna nudibranch on the other side of the sponge.

We went up to Slope Rock and looked for pygmy pipehorses for a while but found none.

I swam along the top of the reef to New Basket Star Rock. I had a quick look for red widebody pipefish. We then continued along the top of the reef towards The Steps. Roney pointed out a Nembrotha purpureolineata nudibranch.

I stopped at Little Big Rock on the way back for another look for pygmies but found none. I checked out the yellow red-fingered angler before moving on to the black painted angler.

I was planning to look for the red widebody pipefish on the way back when Roney, who had gone up ahead, signalled me. When I caught up he was at the pipefish. He'd also gone to look for them and as he arrived at the spot he saw them swim up from away from the sand line. By the time I got there they were back in their alga. Roney headed off while I took photos.

I swam for the boulders via Di's Rock. At the boulders I ascended to 5 metres and started my safety stop while swimming to Split Rock. I finished my safety stop and then swam to the exit, climbing out on to the platform.

Buddy

Roney Rodrigues

Seas

Some surge

Visibility

5 metres

Duration

93 minutes

Maximum depth

15.0 m

Average depth

11.8 m

Water temperature

16.0°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

High

2:49am

1.13m

Low

8:27am

0.73m

High

3:04pm

1.41m

Low

10:01pm

0.60m