Dive Details

Location

Date

Saturday 9 June 2018

Time

12:50pm - 2:32pm

Details

It had been a whole week since I last dived and was so keen for a dive. Conditions had settled down after the rough seas of the previous weekend and the bay looked very calm. The visibility looked good from the surface. With the rough conditions from the previous weekend I wasn't expecting to find many animals as I thought they'd be all washed to new locations.

We got in at The Steps and waded out as the tide was still relatively low. Once we were all ready, we descended to the sand line. Visibility was at least 5 metres and probably closer to 10 metres. There was almost no surge and the water temperature was around 18°C. We turned right and headed towards Big Rock into a gentle current.

I was out in front and stayed a little up from the sand line looking for anglerfishes. I didn't find any until I got to Di's Rock. Two weeks ago, Roney had pointed out a grey red-fingered anglerfish near Di's Rock so I started looking around there in the hope it was still around. I hadn't been looking for long when I found it on Di's Rock. Dom came along behind me and I pointed it out to him before continuing.

I headed closer to the sand line to where the large yellow anglerfish had been. Roney had dived yesterday and couldn't find it. I looked around the area and also couldn't find it.

I continued on to Little Big Rock. I looked on the two rocks behind Little Big Rock for the pygmy pipehorses we'd seen before. I found none on the first rock but found the golden male on the second rock. I pointed it out to Ves when she swam up.

I started to look for pygmy pipehorses on Little Big Rock when I noticed a Tritonia nudibranch in the Carijoa. I took some photographs and then pointed it out to Roney.

I swam on towards Diversity Rock. As I was looking at a rock a few metres from Diversity Rock, I noticed a tiny orange painted anglerfish. It was smaller than the nail on my index finger. I took some photographs and then pointed it out to Roney and then to Dom.

I swam slowly past Diversity Rock and on to Sponge Hollow. Roney was nearby and called me back from Sponge Hollow to point out a bright red male pygmy pipehorse. It was one of those that have the contrasting white markings. I took some photographs before moving on.

I headed past Sponge Hollow and on to the rock where the one-eyed female White's seahorse has been. After the rough seas I was not expecting to find her but I looked nonetheless. I was pleasantly surprised to find her on the south-eastern side of the rock. I pointed her out to Roney.

I swam on to Big Rock on my own. I had enough air for a quick dash to the end of Seadragon Alley to check on the red pipefish. I swam fairly quickly against the current to the area I'd last seen it. I checked the algae in the area to the north-west of where I'd last seen it and found it there. I took some photographs and then checked the alga I'd last seen it in to make sure there weren't two. It was the only one I found. I was hoping to see a weedy seadragon in the area but didn't.

I turned around and swam with the current back to Big Rock. I kept my eye out for anglerfishes on the way but found none. I swam past Big Rock and on to the rock with the seahorse. She was still in the same spot.

I swam past Sponge Hollow and on to the rock where Roney had pointed out the red pygmy pipehorse. I found the rock and the pygmy pipehorse without any problem.

I continued along the upper part of the reef, past New Basket Star Rock and then I looked for the basket star. It had managed to keep its spot on the red chimney sponge in the rough seas.

I headed past Diversity Rock and on to the rock where I'd seen the tiny orange painted anglerfish. It was still there and I was relieved I'd found it again.

I swam on to Little Big Rock and found the pygmy pipehorse again before heading on to Di's Rock and the grey red-fingered anglerfish.

After taking some photographs of the anglerfish, I headed for the boulders. I ascended to 5 metres and started my safety stop as I swam to Split Rock. I finished my safety stop at Split Rock and then swam to the exit. I stayed underwater right to the exit which was a little difficult as the tide was still quite low. The exit was easy.

Buddy

Versnar, Dom Fretz, Nick, Roney Rodrigues, Daniela Stark

Seas

Slight

Visibility

5 to 10 metres

Duration

102 minutes

Maximum depth

16.7 m

Average depth

11.4 m

Water temperature

18.0°C

Dive Profile from Garmin Descent Mk1

Tides at Botany Bay AEST

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

High

3:58am

1.48m

Low

10:23am

0.52m

High

4:49pm

1.55m

Low

10:58pm

0.68m