Dive Details

Location

Date

Friday 29 December 2017

Time

12:46pm - 2:28pm

Details

With the way the tides were this was going to be my last dive at The Leap for the year and I was hoping for a good one. In addition to Steve and Mike, Dom, Daniela and Ves were joining us, at least for the start of the dive. It was a but rougher than the previous days but was still doable.

Mike, Steve and I got in from the low platform. There were waves washing over it but nothing to worry about. Dom, Daniela and Ves got in from the top shelf. We grouped on the surface before descending and swimming at around 30° to the sand line. We arrived at the edge of the amphitheatre. Visibility was around 5 metres and the water temperature was around 16°C. There was some surge. We turned left headed towards The Steps.

We swam past Seahorse Rock and on to the flat rocks with sponges. I looked under the overhang and spotted the male weedy seadragon that has been laden with eggs. I swam under the overhang to take photographs when the others came up blocking my exits. I had to swim out the back of the overhang and all the way around to get to the other male weedy (the one that had damage to his head). I took photographs of him, too. I spotted a third weedy seadragon out on the sand between the two flat rocks.

I swam on to Southern Cross Rock and found the small black painted anglerfish in the same spot it had been on Sunday. I then looked on the side of Southern Cross Rock and found 4 pygmy pipehorses: two males and two females. When Steve swam up I pointed out the anglers and when Dom swam up I pointed out the pygmy pipehorses. I took a few more shots of the black painted anglerfish before moving on to Seadragon Alley.

I swam through Seadragon Alley and didn't see a single seadragon. At the end of Seadragon Alley I found the two pygmy pipehorses on the rock with the sponges. I was photographing them when Dom and Ves swam up and I pointed out the pygmies. I swam on to the red Stigmatopora sp. pipefishes and then to the great seahorse. While I was there Mike came back from past the area and I pointed out the seahorse. I swam back to the pygmies and pointed them out to Steve and then told him I had to keep going as I was cold.

I headed up to the rock with the 4 pygmy pipehorses before Big Rock. I found the red male and the red juvenile but I could not find the pink female nor the cryptic juvenile.

I swam on to Big Rock and Mike was there so I pointed out the white/pink red-fingered anglerfish before heading to the bottom of Big Rock to find my red male pygmy pipehorse and his partner. I headed up Big Rock and found the male pygmy pipehorse near the single purple sea tulip. I looked for the female but couldn't find her. Steve swam up and I pointed out the pygmy pipehorses and anglers to him before heading on my way.

I headed via the basket star and onto the sand to look for the red Stigmatopora sp. pipefish. I found one in the alga but not the other.

I swam past Diversity Rock and on to Little Big Rock. The salmon red-fingered anglerish was in its usual spot. The orange painted anglerfish was under the purple sponge on the next rock. Both pygmy pipehorses were between the anglerfishes. I swam up to the large orange red-fingered anglerfish.

I was really cold now and running low on air so I swam quickly to the other pair of red Stigmatopora sp. pipefish, confirmed they were both there, took some photos and then headed for the boulders. I ascended to 5 metres and started my safety stop while swimming to Split Rock. I finished my safety stop and swam underwater to the exit. I almost got to the platform but it looked a little rough so I surface early. Dom, Daniela and Ves were there to help but I got carry out by the surge. I went underwater again and swam all the way to the shelf before surfacing. I gave Dom my camera who passed it on and then he helped get ny fins off so I could make a quick exit. I probably could have done it on my own but it was nice to get some help. After I was out I waited for Steve (and then Brett and Roney who were dived from The Leap after us).

Buddy

Steve Coutts, Mike Scotland

Seas

Slight to surgy

Visibility

3 to 5 metres

Duration

100 minutes

Maximum depth

21.0 m

Average depth

14.3 m

Water temperature

16.3°C

Dive Profile from Citizen Hyper Aqualand

Tides at Botany Bay AEDT

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

High

5:35am

1.57m

Low

11:55am

0.54m

High

5:52pm

1.40m

Low

11:58pm

0.39m